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1690s BC facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Millennium: 2nd millennium BC
Centuries: 18th century BC – 17th century BC – 16th century BC
Decades: 1720s BC 1710s BC 1700s BC – 1690s BC – 1680s BC 1670s BC 1660s BC
Years: 1699 BC 1698 BC 1697 BC 1696 BC 1695 BC 1694 BC 1693 BC 1692 BC 1691 BC 1690 BC
Categories: Births – Deaths – Architecture
Establishments – Disestablishments

This page is about the years around 1690 BC. This time was part of the Bronze Age, a period when people used bronze to make tools and weapons. Many important events happened and several powerful rulers lived during this time in ancient civilizations like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China.

Important Events

  • Around 1700 BC to 1500 BC, the Hurrians, a group of people from the Near East, expanded their control over different areas.
  • In 1698 BC, a Chinese legend says that King Jie of China removed his minister Guan Longfeng. King Jie is known as the last ruler of the legendary Xia dynasty.
  • Some historians, like the Egyptian mathematician and astronomer Thrasyllus of Mendes (who lived around 1691 BC), believe that the Israelites left Egypt during this period. This event is known as the Exodus.
  • In June 1691 BC, a lunar eclipse cycle, called Saros 32, began. This cycle helps scientists predict when eclipses will happen.

Key People of the Time

Many kings and rulers were active during this period:

  • Belu-bani was a King of Assyria who ruled from 1700 BC to 1691 BC.
  • Libaia followed Belu-bani as King of Assyria, ruling from 1691 BC to 1674 BC.
  • Abi-eshuh was the King of Babylon from 1712 BC to 1684 BC.
  • Jie of Xia is a legendary king of China's supposed Xia dynasty. His rule is thought to have been from about 1728 BC to 1675 BC, though historians still debate if the Xia dynasty truly existed as described.
  • Merneferre Ay was a Pharaoh of Egypt, ruling from about 1714 BC to 1691 BC.
  • Merhotepre Ini was another Pharaoh of Egypt, ruling from about 1691 BC to 1689 BC.
  • The Fourteenth Dynasty of Egypt also had pharaohs ruling between 1705 BC and 1690 BC.
  • In the Elamite Empire, kings like Lila-Ir-Tash (c.1700–c.1698 BC), Temti-Agun I (c.1698–c.1690 BC), and Tan-Uli (c.1690–c.1655 BC) held power.
  • The Kassites had kings such as Agum I (1705–1690 BC) and Kashtiliash I (1690–1680 BC).
  • Itti-Ili-Nibi was a king of the Sealand, ruling from about 1700 BC to 1683 BC.
  • According to the Hebrew Calendar, Sarah, the wife of Abraham, passed away in 1695 BC.
  • Merneferre Ay, the Pharaoh of Egypt, died in 1691 BC.
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1690s BC Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.