The revival of the military power of the country, the victory in bloody battles, the erection of magnificent architectural monuments ... These events mark the era of the Ramessids, which is considered the brightest page in the history of Ancient Egypt. Its chronological framework - XIII-XI centuries. BC e. During this era, 18 pharaohs were replaced on the Egyptian throne. The most powerful ruler was Ramses the Great. He made a significant contribution to the history of the state.
Ancestors of the great pharaoh
The era of the Ramessids begins from the time of the accession to the Egyptian throne of Ramesses I. This event occurred approximately in 1292 BC. e. Pharaoh did not leave a bright trace in history. This is due to the fact that the period of his reign was very short. The power in the hands of the pharaoh was only a few years.
Around 1290 BC e. the son of Ramses I, Seti I, ascended the Egyptian throne. His rise to power marked the beginning of the period of the country's revival after a temporary decline. Pharaoh managed to create the prerequisites for the future prosperity of the state. Seti I ruled Egypt for about 11 years. Around 1279 BC e. power passed into the hands of Ramses II. He was the son of Seti I.
New ruler
Ramses, whose biography contains many interesting facts, at the time of accession to the throne was very young. One cannot name the specific individual qualities that he possessed. In Egypt, all the pharaohs were considered messengers of the gods, so in all sources they, like Ramses II, were described according to the standard model. However, the actions of the new ruler indicate that he was an ambitious, strong and decisive person.
Having ascended the throne, Pharaoh Ramses II immediately ordered his subjects to gloss over the names of their predecessors on the monuments. The ruler wanted the Egyptian people to remember only him. Ramses II also ordered everyone to call themselves the chosen one of Amon, the benefactor of the Egyptian state and an invincible hero.
First trip to Asia
The Hittites were considered the main enemies of Egypt. For several decades, the pharaohs fought stubbornly against this people who lived in Asia Minor. Ramses II, ascending the throne, continued the work of his predecessors. In the 4th year of reign, the young pharaoh decided to fight the Hittites.
The first trip was successful. The Egyptians defeated the opponents and captured the city of Berith. The Egyptian pharaoh did not want to stop there. Ramses II decided to make the second campaign against the Hittites in a year and once and for all put an end to long-standing enemies.
Pharaoh trap
Ramses the Great made his second trip to Asia in the 5th year of his reign. Gathering an army of twenty thousand, the young pharaoh advanced from Memphis. The main purpose of the campaign was to capture Kadesh, which at that time was the main city of the Hittites, and the annexation of other enemy possessions to Egypt.
The Egyptian army consisted of 5 close-knit units. The Hittites were afraid to fight their enemy. They understood that their strength was not enough to win an honest battle. Their army consisted of allied units, which were very difficult to control. The Hittites planned to win by fraud. To this end, they sent Ramses II Shas nomads. They were supposed to inform the Egyptian pharaoh that the Hittite troops were far from Kadesh.
The enemy plan worked. Ramses II was misinformed by nomads. Believing that there were no Hittite troops nearby, the Egyptian ruler moved with one detachment to the city. The Hittites actually awaited the Egyptians near Kadesh on the Orontes. Pharaoh Ramses II, realizing that he was trapped, sent his vizier to hurry the rest of the troops.
Results of the Battle of Kadesh
The battle of Kadesh is described in detail in Egyptian and Hittite sources. The battle was fierce. The detachment led by Ramses II suffered significant losses. Despite this, the Egyptians managed to escape from the trap. The courage of the pharaoh and the reinforcement approach played a huge role. Ramses II managed to avoid complete defeat.
After the battle of Kadesh, the Hittite king made an agreement with the Egyptian pharaoh. This event enabled the young ruler to retreat with honor. Returning to Egypt, Ramses II sent a report to the capital, which spoke of the victory in the military campaign. In this regard, the ruler was called the great commander and winner. In the Hittite sources, it is indicated that the battle of Kadesh ended with the defeat of the Egyptians.
Construction under the Pharaoh
During his reign, Ramses the Great erected a huge number of temple complexes, obelisks, and monuments. After defeating the Hittites, the ruler ordered a large cave temple to be carved in a rock located in Nubia on the west bank of the Nile and called Abu Simbel. It depicted important historical events and inscriptions. The entrance to the cave was decorated with 4 statues with the appearance of the great Egyptian pharaoh.
A second smaller temple was also carved in the rock of Abu Simbel. Ramses II ordered him to be erected in honor of his beloved Nefertari, who is his first wife. There were 6 statues in front of the entrance to the small temple. On each side, 2 images of the pharaoh and 1 of Queen Nefertari were found.
Each Egyptian ruler built a memorial temple for himself during his lifetime. This was also done by Ramses II, erecting the Ramesseum at Thebes on the west bank of the Nile. On the territory of the building was a huge statue of the Egyptian ruler. Its weight was about 1000 tons. Inside the temple, scenes of the Battle of Kadesh were carved on stone walls.
The construction of the city
Particularly noteworthy is the construction of Pere Ramses - the capital of the Egyptian state. This city was built in the Nile Delta, where the childhood of the great Pharaoh passed. Perhaps its construction began under Seti I. The work was completed during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II.
For a long time, modern researchers could not understand where Per-Ramses was located. The name of the city was mentioned in ancient Egyptian sources, but no one could find the ruins. Found Pere Ramses archaeologist Manfred Beatak. After him, excavations were taken by Edgar Push. The researcher, taking pictures of the ruins hidden underground, created a detailed city plan. It turned out that Per Ramses was a large and beautiful capital.
On the city plan, the outlines of a rectangular building were seen. These were the ruins of the temple. At the location of the structure, archaeologists discovered pieces of a huge statue of the Egyptian pharaoh. Cartouches with the name of Ramses the Great were also found here.
During the excavation, a workshop was also discovered. In it, several millennia ago, when Ramses the Great ruled, stained glass was produced. This was confirmed by the found clay jugs in which the raw materials were heated to high temperatures. Ornaments and vessels were cut out of the material obtained in other workshops of the city.
A fragment of a tablet was recently discovered in Père Ramses. It retained only a few lines. Researchers have suggested that the text is an excerpt from a treaty concluded between the Hittite king Hattusili III and the Egyptian ruler. The found tablet confirms the existence of the Ramses II archive.
Wives and children of the Egyptian pharaoh
The family of Ramses II was quite large. It is known that the Egyptian pharaoh had 4 legal wives. His first and most beloved wife was Nefertari Merenmouth. She was considered the queen already in the first year of the rule of Ramses II. Nefertari had several sons and daughters. The eldest son of the pharaoh and the queen bore the name Amenherununemef.
The second wife of Ramses II was Eastnofret. In many buildings, she is depicted with her children. The eldest daughter of Ramses II and Eastnofret was called Bent-Anat. According to some reports, the girl entered the harem of the pharaoh and became his wife. Istnofret also had a son, Merneptah. After the death of Ramses II, he ascended the throne.
The third legitimate wife of the Egyptian pharaoh is Maatnefrur. She was the daughter of the Hittite king Hattusili III. The marriage took place 13 years after the conclusion of a peace treaty with the Hittites. Egyptian texts indicate that Ramses II was struck by the beauty of Maatnefrura. Pharaoh saw the queen every day and admired her.
The fourth wife of Ramses II is the other daughter of the Hittite king Hattusili III. Unfortunately, her name is unknown. Researchers also suggest that the Egyptian overlord had another legal wife. She was the younger sister of Ramses II - Henutmir. There is no information about her. Most likely, Henutmir died at a young age, not even having time to give birth to children to Ramses II.
Pharaoh's death and burial
The Egyptian state of Ramses II ruled for a very long time. He survived 12 of his sons. When the great pharaoh passed away, his 13th son, Merneptah, ascended the throne.
The tomb of Ramses II is the place where the great ruler was buried. After some time, grave robbers came here. The priests carried the body of Ramses II several times. However, all new burial sites were further desecrated by thieves. In the end, the mummy of Ramses was placed in a rocky cache located in Deir al-Baha. It is currently kept at the Cairo Museum.
Ramses II is a legendary man. The reign of the pharaoh lasted more than 60 years. Over the years, he has done a lot for the prosperity and strengthening of the power of the Egyptian state. No subsequent ruler was able to surpass Pharaoh Ramses II.