What is Urukagina?

Ancient Mesopotamia
Euphrates Tigris
Cities / Empires
Sumer: Uruk ' Ur ' Eridu
Kish ' Lagash ' Nippur
Akkadian Empire: Akkad
Babylon ' Isin ' Susa
Assyria: Assur Nineveh
Dur-Sharrukin Nimrud
Babylonia Chaldea
Elam Amorites
Hurrians Mitanni
Kassites Urartu
Chronology
Kings of Sumer
Kings of Assyria
Kings of Babylon
Language
Aramaic
Sumerian Akkadian
Elamite Hurrian
Mythology
Enma Elish
Gilgamesh Marduk

Urukagina, alternately rendered as Uruinimgina, was a ruler (énsi) of Lagash in Mesopotamia about the 24th century BC. His wife was probably Queen Shagshag. He is best-known for his reforms to combat corruption, which are sometimes cited as the first example of a judicial code. Although the actual text has not been discovered yet, much of its content may be surmised from other references to it that have been found. In it, he exempted widows and orphans from taxes; compelled the city to pay funeral expenses (including the ritual food and drink libations for the journey of the dead into the lower world); and decreed that the rich must use silver when purchasing from the poor, and if the poor does not wish to sell, the powerful man (the rich man or the priest) cannot force him to do so.

Urukagina's code is perhaps the first known example of government self-reform. Like the Magna Carta and the United States Constitution that followed (and like the Codes of Hammurabi, et al. to some degree), Urukagina's code limited the power of politicians. He governed government. The text describing Urukagina's reforms is also the first known use of the word freedom, in this case the Sumerian ama-gi.

Urukagina freed the inhabitants of Lagash from usury, burdensome controls, hunger, theft, murder, and seizure (of their property and persons). He established freedom. The widow and the orphan were no longer at the mercy of the powerful man.

He also participated in several conflicts, notably a losing border conflict with Uruk. During his reign, Uruk fell under the leadership of Lugal-Zage-Si, patesi of Umma, who ultimately overthrew Urukagina, annexed Lagash, and established a Mesopotamian Empire.

History of Sumer: Notable Rulers of Sumer
Legendary Kings:	Alulim Dumuzid Ziusudra
First Dynasty of Kish:	Etana Enmebaragesi
First Dynasty of Uruk:	Enmerkar Lugalbanda Gilgamesh
First Dynasty of Ur:	Meskalamdug Mesannepada Puabi
Dynasty of Adab:	Lugal-Anne-Mundu
Third Dynasty of Kish:	Kubaba
Second Dynasty of Uruk:	Enshakushanna
First Dynasty of Lagash:	Ur-Nanshe Eannatum En-anna-tum I Entemena Urukagina
Third Dynasty of Uruk:	Lugal-Zage-Si
Dynasty of Akkad:	Sargon Enheduanna Manishtushu Naram-Sin Shar-Kali-Sharri Dudu Shu-turul
Second Dynasty of Lagash:	Puzer-Mama Gudea
Fifth Dynasty of Uruk:	Utu-hegal
Third Dynasty of Ur:	Ur-Nammu Shulgi Amar-Sin Shu-Sin Ibbi-Sin