Amel-Marduk

Amel-Marduk
King of Babylon
The tablet recording the plea by the jailed prince Nabu-shum-ukin, probably the future Amel-Marduk
King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
Reign	7 October 562 BC – August 560 BC
Predecessor	Nebuchadnezzar II
Successor	Neriglissar
Died	August 560 BC Babylon
Issue	Indû
Akkadian	Amēl-Marduk
Dynasty	Chaldean dynasty
Father	Nebuchadnezzar II
Mother	Amytis of Babylon (?)

Amel-Marduk (Babylonian cuneiform:   Amēl-Marduk,^[1] meaning "man of Marduk"),^[1] also known as Awil-Marduk,^[2] or under the biblical rendition of his name, Evil-Merodach^[1] (Biblical Hebrew: אֱוִיל מְרֹדַךְ‎, ʾĔwīl Mərōḏaḵ), was the third king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from 562 BC until his overthrow and murder in 560 BC. He was the successor of Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605–562 BC). On account of the small number of surviving cuneiform sources, little is known of Amel-Marduk's reign and actions as king.

Amel-Marduk, originally named Nabu-shum-ukin, was not Nebuchadnezzar's eldest son, nor the oldest living son at the time of his appointment as crown prince and heir. It is not clear why Amel-Marduk was appointed by his father as successor, particularly since there appear to have been altercations between the two, possibly involving an attempt by Amel-Marduk to take the throne while his father was still alive. After the conspiracy, Amel-Marduk was imprisoned, possibly together with Jeconiah, the captured king of Judah. Nabu-shum-ukin changed his name to Amel-Marduk upon his release, possibly in reverence of the god Marduk to whom he had prayed.

Amel-Marduk is remembered mainly for releasing Jeconiah after 37 years of imprisonment. Amel-Marduk is also known to have conducted some building work in Babylon, and possibly elsewhere, though the extent of his projects is unclear. The Babylonians appear to have resented his rule, as Babylonian sources from after his reign describe him as incompetent. In 560 BC, he was overthrown and murdered by his brother-in-law Neriglissar who thereafter ruled as king.