Shamash-shum-ukin

When Sin-iddina-apla died, Esarhaddon's crown, the two remaning sons were invested, Assurbanipal was invested crown prince, but he only took Assyria whilst Shamash-shum-ukin share was Babylonia. But this land was no to be theirs until King Esarhaddon died. Since nothing can guard you against death, it eventually came to him and, as happens to most, it came to him unprepared. Priests were not happy with the arrangement, courts were not happy and people, in general, were not happy, but the gods themselves had appointed him to be king when he was still in his mother's womb, it was to be him and none other, and the word of Assur and Belit-ile should be carefully listened to, so they rose to the throne nonetheless. To back it all up even more, it was widely known that ever since the Elamites stole the statue of Ishtar, 1500 years back, she had chosen Assurbanipal as king.

For reasons that will not be known, Shash-shum-ukin rose in rebellion against his brother, together with the king of the Elamites, Nabu-bel-shumate, the southern Chaldean tribes, Amurru and Meluhha, kings of Guti and tribes from the Arab desert. Babylon yielded after a two year siege and cannibalism.

With nothing more he could loose, probably shamed to be thrashed by his younger sibling, Shash-shum-ukin burnt his palace down to ashes, with his treasury, concubine and himself in it.