Tablet of Zimri-Lin, ca. 1780 BCE Louvre Museum

Zimrilim was king of Mari from about 1779 to 1757 BCE. The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre located in Paris is the world's most visited art museum a historic monument and a national museum of France Mari (modern Tell Hariri, Syria) was an ancient Sumerian and Amorite city located 11 kilometers north-west of the modern town of

He was the son and heir of Iakhdunlim, but was forced to flee to Yamkhad when his father was assassinated by his own servants during a coup. Iakhdunlim was king of Mari in Upper Mesopotamia during the 19th century BC. Yamhad (also written Yamkhad or Jamhad) was an ancient Amorite kingdom centered at Halab (modern Aleppo, Syria) The city was occupied by Shamshi-Adad I, the king of Assur, who put his own son Yasmah-Adad on the throne. Shamshi-Adad I (fl late 18th century BC ( Short chronology) rose to prominence when he carved out a large kingdom in northern Mesopotamia, the Old Assyrian Assur also spelled Ashur, from Assyrian Aššur, was one of the capitals of ancient Assyria. Yasmah-Adad was the son of the Amorite king Shamshi-Adad I, put on throne of Mari by his father after a successful military attack Shortly after the death of Shamshi-Adad I, Zimrilim returned from exile and was able to oust Yasmah-Adad from power with the help of Yarimlim, the king of Yamkhad. Shamshi-Adad I (fl late 18th century BC ( Short chronology) rose to prominence when he carved out a large kingdom in northern Mesopotamia, the Old Assyrian

Zimrilim ruled Mari for about twenty years, and campaigned extensively to establish his power in the neighbouring areas along the Euphrates and the Khabur valley. The Euphrates ( ( Arabic: ar نهر الفرات; Turkish: tr Fırat Syriac: syr ܦܪܬ; Hebrew: he פרת The Khabur River (also Habur Habor Kebar Chebar Chaboras; Aramaic: ܚܒܘܪ, Kurdish: Çemê Xabûr, Turkish: Habur He extended his palace in the city, which was possibly the largest at the time, and certainly the envy of other kings.

He was also active on a wider stage, and at one time (perhaps about 1764 BCE) was allied with Hammurabi in his wars against Eshnunna. Hammurabi ( Akkadian from Amorite ˤAmmurāpi, "the kinsman is a healer" from ˤAmmu, "paternal kinsman" and Rāpi Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in lower Mesopotamia.

Zimrilin's personal life is partly known through tablets preserved in the state archive of Mari. He married Shibtu, a princess of Yakhmad, and is known to have had at least eight daughters through various wives. Shibtu, described by some as "the most prominent of the Mari ladies" was queen of Mari. Several of his daughters were married to rulers of local towns, and two others are known to have become priestesses. Correspondence between the king and his daughters provides evidence that Zimrilim thought highly of women and considered them at least competent at making decisions, as shown when he appointed his daughter Kiru as mayor of a nearby town.

In 1757 BCE, Hammurabi conquered and sacked Mari (though it may be that the city had surrendered without a fight), despite the previous alliance. At this time Zimrilim disappears from historical view, and is presumed to have been killed.

It has been asserted before that Belassunu was one of his secondary wives, but this is now believed to be incorrect. Belassunu (fl c1780 - c1770 BCE was an Assyrian Princess of Karana.