Battle of Megiddo 15th century BC: Encyclopedia II - Battle of Megiddo 15th century BC - Canaanite revolt

Battle of Megiddo 15th century BC - Canaanite revolt

At the end of the reign of the Egyptian queen-regent Hatshepsut, local rulers in the vicinity of modern-day Syria chose that time to try and throw off Egyptian influence. The Canaanites united and allied with the Kingdom of Mitanni on the banks of the Euphrates. The driving force behind this revolt was the King of Kadesh. The powerful fortress of Kadesh offered protection to him and the city. The King of Megiddo, with an equally strong fortress, joined the alliance. Following the death of his aunt Hatshepsut, Thutmose III became pharaoh, and had to deal immediately with the revolt.

This is because Megiddo lies on the southwest edge of Jezreel Valley just behind the Mount Carmel ridge, controls the trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Because of its excellent strategic location dominated by its hill fortress, Megiddo was the site of many battles in history, and so it was at this time.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Canaanite revolt", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki