Shamshi-Adad I of Assyria, another Amorite, is he most powerful ruler in Mesopotamia immediately preceding the rise of Hammurabi of Babylon.

His father Ila-kabkabu ruled a kingdom on the borders of Mari and was an Amorite.

Upon his father's death, the kingdom was inherited by another brother, leaving Shamshi-Adad to build his own from scratch.

He first conquers Shekhna and renames the city Shubat-Enlil.

The modern name of the site is Tell Leilan.

He then seizes the fortress Ekallatum on the left bank of the Tigris.

This is accomplished only on the second try: a first attempt failed, after which Shamshi-Adad fled to Babylon.

He returned eventually and was successful.

This conquest makes it possible for him to control the city-state of Assur, which is a flourishing city that trades heavily with Anatolia.

He puts his first son, Ishme-Dagan I, on the throne of Ekallatum and continues his expansion.