Shamshi-Adad V

Shamshi-Adad V was the King of Assyria from 824 to 811 BC. He was the son and successor of Shalmaneser III, the husband of Shammuramat (by some identified with the mythical Semiramis), and the father of Adad-nirari III, who succeeded him as king.

The first years of his reign saw a serious struggle for the succession of the aged Shalmaneser. The revolt was led by Shamshi-Adad's brother Assur-danin-pal, and had broken out already by 826 BC. The rebellious brother, according to Shamshi-Adad's own inscriptions, succeeded in bringing to his side 27 important cities, including Nineveh. The rebellion lasted until 820 BC, weakening the Assyrian empire and its ruler; this weakness continued to reverberate in the kingdom until the reforms of Tiglath-pileser III.

Later in his reign, Shamshi-Adad campaigned against Southern Mesopotamia, and stipulated a treaty with the Babylonian king Marduk-zakir-shumi I.