Muwatalli II

See also Muwatalli I

Muwatalli II (also Muwatallis, or Muwatallish) was a king of the New Kingdom of the Hittite empire (c. 1295–1272 BC (short chronology)).

He was the eldest son of Mursili II and Queen Gassulawiya, and he had several siblings.

He is best known as the Hittite ruler who fought Ramesses II to a standstill at the Battle of Kadesh around 1274 BC. Aside from the battle with Egypt, he is best known for relocating the Hittite capital to Tarhuntassa and appointing his brother Hattusili as governor in Hattusa.

A copy of a treaty has been recovered between him and Alaksandu, ruler of Wilusa (Troy), one of the Arzawa lands.

Egyptologists suspect that some time prior to Ramesses II's accession to the Egyptian throne, Muwattalli had reached an informal peace treaty or understanding with Seti I over Kadesh to avoid a clash between the two powers over control of Syria. In it, Seti effectively ceded Kadesh to the Hittite king in order to focus on domestic issues in Egypt.

Muwatalli had a wife named Tanu-Ḫepa and at least two children. One was Urhi-Teshup, who became king as Mursili III until his uncle Hattusili III deposed him. Another was Kurunta who became the vassal ruler of Tarhuntassa during the reign of Hattusili III. Another person named Ulmi-Teshup is suggested to be a third son of Muwatalli II but it is quite likely that Ulmi-Teshup and Kurunta are the same person.

Tudhaliya IV and Egyptian Queen Maathorneferure were the nephew and niece of Muwatalli.

Muwatalli's namesake, Muwatalli I, was a pre-Empire king of the early 14th century, the predecessor of Tudhaliya I.