who was Vassal King of Troy during the siege of Troy, and under which empire was it a vassal state?

The city known in legend as Troy, the setting for the epic Trojan War, has a fascinating historical counterpart in the Late Bronze Age. Archaeological excavations have revealed multiple layers of settlement at the site in modern-day Turkey, with one particular Late Bronze Age city, often identified as Troy VI or VIIa, corresponding to the period of the legendary conflict. During this era, historical records from the mighty Hittite Empire, which dominated much of Anatolia, refer to a significant city in northwestern Anatolia called Wilusa. Scholars widely accept that Wilusa is indeed the Hittite name for Troy. These Hittite documents confirm that Wilusa was not an independent power but rather a vassal state, owing allegiance to the Hittite Empire.

Within the context of Greek mythology, the king who ruled Troy during its famous siege was Priam. He is immortalized in Homer's Iliad as the aging but noble monarch whose family and city faced destruction at the hands of the Achaean forces. While Priam himself is primarily a figure from epic poetry, the historical existence of a powerful king ruling Troy (Wilusa) during its time as a Hittite vassal is supported by archaeological and textual evidence. For instance, Hittite treaties mention a king of Wilusa named Alaksandu, whose name bears a striking resemblance to Alexandros, an alternative name for Priam's son Paris in the Greek tradition. This suggests that while the specific details of Priam's mythological reign may differ from historical fact, the concept of a powerful king leading Troy under the shadow of a larger empire is historically plausible.

The Hittite Empire, a major power in the Near East from roughly 1750 to 1200 BCE, exerted considerable influence over its vassal states, including Wilusa. Troy's strategic location, controlling access between the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea, made it a valuable asset, and thus, a point of contention in the region. The Hittite records even allude to conflicts between the Hittites and the "Ahhiyawa," often identified with the Mycenaean Greeks, over Wilusa, providing a tantalizing glimpse into the potential historical backdrop for the legendary Trojan War. Therefore, while King Priam reigns in the realm of legend, the city he ruled was historically a vassal of the formidable Hittite Empire.