13th century BC

Overview
The 13th century BC was the period from 1300 to 1201 BC.

Events

 * — comes to an end.
 * — End of the, start of the.
 * —, legendary , dies after a nominal reign of 25 years. He reportedly only reigned in while  and the rest of  were under the control of an alliance of  led by his uncle  (son of  of Athens) and his sons (including in some accounts ). His four sons lead a successful military campaign to regain the throne.  becomes ,  reigns in ,  in  and  in southern.
 * , —  becomes leader of.
 * — dies, 1 year after his son,  is crowned.
 * — The in .  and  sign the earliest known  at the end of the Battle of Kadesh.
 * —, king of , and , king of the , sign the earliest known.
 * , — A  on this date might mark the birth of legendary  at.
 * —  of  to.
 * —, legendary , receives a false message that his designated heir , his son by of , is dead.  had been sent to his overlord  of  as an offering to the . , ' only other son (by  of ), had been d in  and would become legendary ancestor to the . Believing himself without heirs the  commits  after a reign of 48 years. He is succeeded by , who actually still lives. The  is reportedly named in his honor.
 * —  defeats a  invasion.
 * —, legendary , is deposed and succeeded by , great-grandson of and second cousin of ' father .  is reportedly assisted by  of , who want to reclaim their sister  from her first husband . The latter seeks refuge in , whose King  is an old friend and ally. , however, considers his visitor a threat to the throne and proceeds to  him (though other accounts place these events a decade later, in the ).
 * — Death of Egyptian.
 * —, legendary , is deposed after a reign of 30 years and succeeded by , great-grandson of and second cousin of ' father .  is reportedly assisted by  of , who want to reclaim their sister  from her first husband .  seeks refuge in , whose King  is an old friend and ally. , however, considers his visitor a threat to the throne and proceeds  him. (Other accounts place these events a decade earlier. See .)
 * c. — The  start settling the steppes of southern ? (Undocumented conjecture).
 * — civilization in . (approximate date)
 * — Collapse of power in  with the destruction of their capital.

Significant persons

 * — A lunar eclipse might mark the birth of
 * c. — Birth of legendary  to King  of  and his wife
 * — Death of of
 * , of the  of  (–)
 * , of the  of  (–)
 * led  (may have been earlier)
 * of