Historyʼs first named author — and the king who made himself a god of schools.
Daughter of Sargon, appointed high priestess of the moon-god Nanna at Ur to bind Sumer to Akkad. Wrote 42 temple hymns, “Exaltation of Inanna” and “Nin-me-sara” — signed “I, Enheduanna” — 500 years before Homer, 1000 before David. Exiled in a revolt, restored, mourned as “beloved of gods.” First author whose name we know, male or female (WHE, Enheduanna).
Son of Ur-Nammu, ruled 48 years — strongest Ur III king. Declared himself divine in year 23, ran edubba schools (“tablet houses”) where scribes copied Gilgamesh, built 100-km walls against Amorites, kept 100,000-tablet archives of sheep and labour. Died — perhaps assassinated — as Elamites closed in; Ur fell 5 years later. Patron of the literature we read him in.
https://www.worldhistory.org/Enheduanna/I, Enheduanna, the priestess — I speak to you, Inanna.— Exaltation, c.2280 BC