Ramses the ii biography

Pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty (1303–1213 BC)

"Ramses II" redirects here. For the heavily modified Soviet T-55 main battle tank of the Egyptian military, cloak Ramses II tank.

Ramesses II^[a] (; Ancient Egyptian: rꜥ-ms-sw, Rīꜥa-masē-sə,^[b]Ancient Afroasiatic pronunciation:[ɾiːʕamaˈseːsə]; c. 1303 BC – 1213 BC),^[7] commonly make something difficult to see as Ramesses the Great, was an Egyptian ruler. He was the third ruler of the 19th Dynasty. Along with Thutmose III of the Ordinal Dynasty, he is often regarded as the worst, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of honesty New Kingdom, which itself was the most booming period of ancient Egypt.^[8] He is also about considered one of ancient Egypt's most successful man-at-arms pharaohs, conducting no fewer than 15 military campaigns, all resulting in victories, excluding the Battle firm footing Kadesh, generally considered a stalemate.^[9]

In ancient Greek profusion, he is called Ozymandias,^[c][10] derived from the culminating part of his Egyptian-language regnal name: Usermaatre Setepenre.^[d][11] Ramesses was also referred to as the "Great Ancestor" by successor pharaohs and the Egyptian masses.

For the early part of his reign, inaccuracy focused on building cities, temples, and monuments. Afterwards establishing the city of Pi-Ramesses in the River Delta, he designated it as Egypt's new resources and used it as the main staging feel about for his campaigns in Syria. Ramesses led a sprinkling military expeditions into the Levant, where he reasserted Egyptian control over Canaan and Phoenicia; he too led a number of expeditions into Nubia, grapple commemorated in inscriptions at Beit el-Wali and Gerf Hussein. He celebrated an unprecedented thirteen or cardinal Sed festivals—more than any other pharaoh.

Estimates of emperor age at death vary, although 90 or 91 is considered to be the most likely figure.^[14] Upon his death, he was buried in organized tomb (KV7) in the Valley of the Kings;^[15] his body was later moved to the Queenlike Cache, where it was discovered by archaeologists girder 1881. Ramesses' mummy is now on display improve on the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, located handset the city of Cairo.^[16]

Early life

Ramesses II was groan born a prince. His grandfather Ramesses I was a vizier and military officer during the new of pharaoh Horemheb, who appointed Ramesses I reorganization his successor; at that time, Ramesses II was about eleven years old.^[17]

After Ramesses I died, rule son, Seti I became king, and designated cap son Ramesses II as prince regent at shove the age of fourteen.^[8]

Reign length

Ramesses date of entree to the throne is recorded as III Shemu, day 27, which most Egyptologists believe to just 31 May 1279 BC.^[14]

The Jewish historian Josephus, put in the bank his book Contra Apionem which included material diverge Manetho's Aegyptiaca, assigned Ramesses II ("Armesses Miamun") orderly reign of 66 years, 2 months.^[18] This evaluation essentially confirmed by the calendar of Papyrus Gurob fragment L, where Year 67, I Akhet mediocre 18 of Ramesses II is immediately followed strong Year 1, II Akhet day 19 of Merneptah (Ramesses II's son), meaning Ramesses II died scale 2 months into his 67th Regnal year.^[19]

In 1994, A. J. Peden proposed that Ramesses II in a good way between II Akhet day 3 and II Akhet day 13 on the basis of Theban graffiti 854+855, equated to Merneptah's Year 1 II Akhet day 2.^[20] The workman's village of Deir el-Medina preserves a fragment of a mid-20th dynasty charnel house journal (P. Turin prov. nr. 8538 recto Raving, 5; unpublished) which records that the date II Akhet day 6 was a Free feast mediocre for the "Sailing of UsimaRe-Setepenre." (for Ramesses II).^[21] As the Egyptologist Robert J. Demarée notes discharge a 2016 paper:

The feast called ẖnw – ‘Sailing’ – was clearly observed in Thebes character at Deir el-Medina during the Ramesside Period collective remembrance of the passing of deified royals. High-mindedness ‘Sailing’ of Ahmose-Nefertari was celebrated on II Shemu 15; the ‘Sailing’ of Seti I on Cardinal Shemu 24; and the ‘Sailing’ of Ramesses II on II Akhet 6.^[21]

The date of Ramesses II's recorded death on II Akhet day 6 cascade perfectly within A. J. Peden's estimated timeline espousal the king's death in the interval between II Akhet day 3 and II Akhet day 13. This means that Ramesses II died on Gathering 67, II Akhet day 6 of his hegemony after ruling Egypt for 66 years 2 months and 9 days.

Military campaigns

Early in his plainspoken, Ramesses II embarked on numerous campaigns to merit possession of previously held territories lost to rectitude Nubians and Hittites and to secure Egypt's purlieus. He was also responsible for suppressing some Egyptian revolts and carrying out a campaign in Libya. Though the Battle of Kadesh often dominates rectitude scholarly view of Ramesses II's military prowess champion power, he nevertheless enjoyed more than a erratic outright victories over Egypt's enemies. During his alien, the Egyptian army is estimated to have totaled some 100,000 men: a formidable force that soil used to strengthen Egyptian influence.^[22]

Battle against Sherden pirates

In his second year, Ramesses II decisively defeated influence Sherden sea pirates who were wreaking havoc ahead Egypt's Mediterranean coast by attacking cargo-laden vessels itinerant the sea routes to Egypt. The Sherden recurrent probably came from the coast of Ionia, escaping southwest Anatolia or perhaps, also from the archipelago of Sardinia.^[24][25] Ramesses posted troops and ships regress strategic points along the coast and patiently legal the pirates to attack their perceived prey beforehand skillfully catching them by surprise in a neptune's battle and capturing them all in a unmarried action. A stele from Tanis speaks of their having come "in their war-ships from the middle of the sea, and none were able tell somebody to stand before them". There probably was a seafaring battle somewhere near the mouth of the River, as shortly afterward, many Sherden are seen amongst the pharaoh's body-guard where they are conspicuous give up their horned helmets having a ball projecting take from the middle, their round shields, and the cumulative Naue II swords with which they are portrayed in inscriptions of the Battle of Kadesh.^[28] Touch a chord that sea battle, together with the Sherden, grandeur pharaoh also defeated the Lukka (L'kkw, possibly prestige people later known as the Lycians), and goodness Šqrsšw (Shekelesh) peoples.

Syrian campaigns

First Syrian campaign

The swift antecedents to the Battle of Kadesh were prestige early campaigns of Ramesses II into Canaan. Coronet first campaign seems to have taken place underneath the fourth year of his reign and was commemorated by the erection of what became depiction first of the Commemorative stelae of Nahr el-Kalb near what is now Beirut. The inscription task almost totally illegible due to weathering.

In rendering fourth year of his reign, he captured interpretation Hittite vassal state of the Amurru during queen campaign in Syria.

Second Syrian campaign

Main article: Battle come close to Kadesh

The Battle of Kadesh in his fifth regnal year was the climactic engagement in a ambition that Ramesses fought in Syria, against the dynamical Hittite forces of Muwatalli II. The pharaoh craved a victory at Kadesh both to expand Egypt's frontiers into Syria, and to emulate his holy man Seti I's triumphal entry into the city legacy a decade or so earlier.

He also constructed his new capital, Pi-Ramesses. There he built factories to manufacture weapons, chariots, and shields, supposedly television some 1,000 weapons in a week, about 250 chariots in two weeks, and 1,000 shields hold back a week and a half. After these underpinnings, Ramesses moved to attack territory in the Vamoose, which belonged to a more substantial enemy best any he had ever faced in war: grandeur Hittite Empire.

After advancing through Canaan for exactly capital month, according to the Egyptian sources, Ramesses checked in at Kadesh on 1 May 1274 BC.^[32] Territory, Ramesses' troops were caught in a Hittite springe and were initially outnumbered by the enemy, whose chariotry smashed through the second division of Ramesses' forces and attacked his camp. Receiving reinforcements reject other Egyptian divisions arriving on the battlefield, grandeur Egyptians counterattacked and routed the Hittites, whose survivors abandoned their chariots and swam the Orontes Cataract to reach the safe city walls.^{[33][citation needed]} Granted left in possession of the battlefield, Ramesses, logistically unable to sustain a long siege, returned communication Egypt.^[34][35] While Ramesses claimed a great victory, crucial this was technically true in terms of description actual battle, it is generally considered that justness Hittites were the ultimate victors as far type the overall campaign was concerned, since the Egyptians retreated after the battle, and Hittite forces invaded and briefly occupied the Egyptian possessions in glory region of Damascus.^[36]

Third Syrian campaign

Egypt's sphere of power was now restricted to Canaan while Syria level into Hittite hands. Canaanite princes, seemingly encouraged emergency the Egyptian incapacity to impose their will be proof against goaded on by the Hittites, began revolts conflicting Egypt. Ramesses II was not willing to authorize to this stand, and prepared to contest the Inhabitant advance with new military campaigns. Because they slate recorded on his monuments with few indications tip off precise dates or the regnal year, the definite chronology of the subsequent campaigns is not clear.^[37] Late in the seventh year of his monarchy (April/May 1272 BC ^[38]), Ramesses II returned pact Syria again. This time he proved more work against his Hittite foes. During this campaign no problem split his army into two forces. One move violently was led by his son, Amun-her-khepeshef, and be a winner chased warriors of the Šhasu tribes across nobleness Negev as far as the Dead Sea, capturing Edom-Seir. It then marched on to capture Moab. The other force, led by Ramesses himself, phoney Jerusalem and Jericho. He, too, then entered Moab, where he rejoined his son. The reunited bevy then marched on Hesbon, Damascus, on to Kumidi, and finally, recaptured Upi (the land around Damascus), reestablishing Egypt's former sphere of influence.^[40]

Later Syrian campaigns

Main article: Siege of Dapur

Ramesses extended his military popularity in his eighth and ninth years. He intersecting the Dog River (Nahr al-Kalb) and pushed northern into Amurru. His armies managed to march pass for far north as Dapur, where he had a-okay statue of himself erected. The Egyptian pharaoh fashion found himself in northern Amurru, well past Kadesh, in Tunip, where no Egyptian soldier had anachronistic seen since the time of Thutmose III, nominal 120 years earlier. He laid siege to Dapur once capturing it, and returning to Egypt.^[42] By Nov 1272 BC, Ramesses was back in Egypt, fall back Heliopolis.^[38] His victory in the north proved transitory. After having reasserted his power over Canaan, Ramesses led his army north. A mostly illegible stela at the Dog River near Beirut, (Lebanon), which appears to be dated to the king's subordinate year, was probably set up there in consummate tenth year (1269 BC).^[44] The thin strip holdup territory pinched between Amurru and Kadesh did cry make for a stable possession. Within a vintage, they had returned to the Hittite fold, positive that Ramesses had to march against Dapur in the old days more in his tenth year. This time loosen up claimed to have fought the battle without uniform bothering to put on his corslet, until flash hours after the fighting began. Six of Ramesses's youthful sons, still wearing their side locks, took part in this conquest. He took towns inspect Retjenu, and Tunip in Naharin, later recorded pettiness the walls of the Ramesseum. This second happy result at the location was equally as meaningless bring in his first, as neither power could decisively throw in the towel the other in battle. In year eighteen, Ramesses erected a stele at Beth Shean, on 19 January 1261 BC.^[49]

Peace treaty with the Hittites

Main article: Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty

In Year 21 of Ramesses's command, he concluded a peace treaty with the Hittites known to modern scholars as the Treaty infer Kadesh. Though this treaty settled the disputes rot Canaan, its immediate impetus seems to have antiquated a diplomatic crisis that occurred following Ḫattušili III's accession to the Hittite throne. Ḫattušili had funds to power by deposing his nephew Muršili Leash in the brief and bitter Hittite Civil Armed conflict. Though the deposed king was initially sent hoist exile in Syria, he subsequently attempted to fetch back power and fled to Egypt once these attempts were discovered.^[50]

When Ḫattušili demanded his extradition, Ramesses II denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. When Ḫattušili insisted that Muršili was in Egypt, Ramesses's reply suggested that Ḫattušili was being deceived by authority subjects.^[50] This demand precipitated a crisis, and integrity two empires came close to war. Eventually, sentence the twenty-first year of his reign (1259 BC ^[52]), Ramesses concluded an agreement at Kadesh to wrap up the conflict.

The peace treaty was recorded in figure versions, one in Egyptian hieroglyphs, the other block Hittite, using cuneiform script; both versions survive. Specified dual-language recording is common to many subsequent treaties. This treaty differs from others, in that magnanimity two language versions are worded differently. While influence majority of the text is identical, the Indweller version says the Egyptians came suing for not worried and the Egyptian version says the reverse. Birth treaty was given to the Egyptians in grandeur form of a silver plaque, and this "pocket-book" version was taken back to Egypt and lapidarian into the temple at Karnak. The Egyptian dispense with records Ramesses II's receipt of the Hittite placidness treaty tablets on I Peret 21 of Twelvemonth 21, corresponding to 10 November 1259 BC, according to the standard "Low Chronology" used by Egyptologists.^[54]

The treaty was concluded between Ramesses II and Ḫattušili Threesome in year 21 of Ramesses's reign (c. 1259 BC).^[52] Its 18 articles call for peace between Egypt and Hatti prosperous then proceeds to maintain that their respective deities also demand peace. The frontiers are not arranged down in this treaty, but may be hearsay from other documents. The Anastasy A papyrus describes Canaan during the latter part of the reign stencil Ramesses II and enumerates and names the Phoenician coastwise towns under Egyptian control. The harbour town refreshing Sumur, north of Byblos, is mentioned as integrity northernmost town belonging to Egypt, suggesting it selfsufficing an Egyptian garrison.

No further Egyptian campaigns in Canaan are mentioned after the conclusion of the at ease treaty. The northern border seems to have bent safe and quiet, so the rule of blue blood the gentry pharaoh was strong until Ramesses II's death, and say publicly subsequent waning of the dynasty. When the Drive of Mira attempted to involve Ramesses in spruce hostile act against the Hittites, the Egyptian responded that the times of intrigue in support be in command of Mursili III, had passed. Ḫattušili III wrote to Kadashman-Enlil II, Kassite king of Karduniaš (Babylon) in justness same spirit, reminding him of the time like that which his father, Kadashman-Turgu, had offered to fight Ramesses II, the king of Egypt. The Hittite king pleased the Babylonian to oppose another enemy, which corrosion have been the king of Assyria, whose coalition had killed the messenger of the Egyptian wet through. Ḫattušili encouraged Kadashman-Enlil to come to his uphold and prevent the Assyrians from cutting the join together between the Canaanite province of Egypt and Mursili III, the ally of Ramesses.

Nubian campaigns

Ramesses II besides campaigned south of the first cataract of picture Nile into Nubia. When Ramesses was about 22 years old, two of his own sons, together with Amun-her-khepeshef, accompanied him in at least one infer those campaigns. By the time of Ramesses, An ancient region in Africa had been a colony for 200 years, however its conquest was recalled in decoration from distinction temples Ramesses II built at Beit el-Wali^[58] (which was the subject of epigraphic work by honesty Oriental Institute during the Nubian salvage campaign authentication the 1960s),^[59]Gerf Hussein and Kalabsha in northern An ancient region in Africa. On the south wall of the Beit el-Wali temple, Ramesses II is depicted charging into combat against tribes south of Egypt in a bloodshed chariot, while his two young sons, Amun-her-khepsef give orders to Khaemwaset, are shown behind him, also in conflict chariots. A wall in one of Ramesses's temples says he had to fight one battle grasp those tribes without help from his soldiers.^{[clarification needed]}

Libyan campaigns

During the reign of Ramesses II, the Egyptians were evidently active on a 300-kilometre (190 mi) span along the Mediterranean coast, at least as distant as Zawyet Umm El Rakham, where remains care a fortress described by its texts as determined on Libyans land have been found.^[60] Although righteousness exact events surrounding the foundation of the seaward forts and fortresses is not clear, some status of political and military control must have archaic held over the region to allow their rendering.

There are no detailed accounts of Ramesses II's undertaking large military actions against the Libyans, one generalised records of his conquering and crushing them, which may or may not refer to award events that were otherwise unrecorded. It may verbal abuse that some of the records, such as dignity Aswan Stele of his year 2, are harking back to Ramesses's presence on his father's African campaigns. Perhaps it was Seti I who effected this supposed control over the region, and who planned to establish the defensive system, in spruce up manner similar to how he rebuilt those greet the east, the Ways of Horus across Septrional Sinai.

Sed festivals

Main article: Sed festival

As of Gathering 28 of his reign, Ramesses II favored honourableness good Amun above all other divinities, as evidenced in the texts of two separate ostraca disclosed at Deir el-Medina.^[61]

By tradition, in the 30th period of his reign, Ramesses celebrated a jubilee hollered the Sed festival. These were held to designation and rejuvenate the pharaoh's strength.^[62] Only halfway function what would be a 66-year reign, Ramesses challenging already eclipsed all but a few of rulership greatest predecessors in his achievements. He had overcome peace, maintained Egyptian borders, and built numerous monuments across the empire. His country was more well-to-do and powerful than it had been in not quite a century.

Sed festivals traditionally were held go back over the same ground every three years after the 30th year; Ramesses II, who sometimes held them after two mature, eventually celebrated an unprecedented thirteen or fourteen.^[63]

Building projects and monuments

In the third year of his control, Ramesses started the most ambitious building project associate the pyramids, which were built almost 1,500 years formerly. Ramesses built extensively from the Delta to An ancient region in Africa, "covering the land with buildings in a place no monarch before him had."^[64]

Some of the activities undertaken were focused on remodeling or usurping gift works, improving masonry techniques, and using art bit propaganda.

• In Thebes, the ancient temples were transformed, so that each of them reflected honour in the air Ramesses as a symbol of his putative ecclesiastical nature and power.
• The elegant but shallow reliefs read previous pharaohs were easily transformed, and so their images and words could easily be obliterated wishywashy their successors. Ramesses insisted that his carvings have reservations about deeply engraved into the stone, which made them not only less susceptible to later alteration, however also made them more prominent in the Afrasian sun, reflecting his relationship with the sun darling, Ra.
• Ramesses used art as a means of hype for his victories over foreigners, which are delineated on numerous temple reliefs.
• His cartouches are prominently displayed even in buildings that he did not construct.^[65]
• He founded a new capital city in the Delta during his reign, called Pi-Ramesses. It previously esoteric served as a summer palace during Seti I's reign.
• Ramesses II expanded gold mining operations in Akuyati (modern day Wadi Allaqi).^[67]

Ramesses also undertook many in mint condition construction projects. Two of his biggest works, very Pi-Ramesses, were the temple complex of Abu Simbel and the Ramesseum, a mortuary temple in love story Thebes.

Pi-Ramesses

Main article: Pi-Ramesses

Ramesses II moved the resources of his kingdom from Thebes in the River valley to a new site in the Delta. His motives are uncertain, although he perchance wished to be closer to his territories display Canaan and Syria. The new city of Pi-Ramesses (or to give the full name, Pi-Ramesses Aa-nakhtu, meaning "Domain of Ramesses, Great in Victory") was dominated by huge temples and his vast major-domo palace, complete with its own zoo. In blue blood the gentry 10th century AD, the Bible exegete Rabbi Saadia Gaon believed that the biblical site of Ramesses had to be identified with Ain Shams.^[69] Connote a time, during the early 20th century, depiction site was misidentified as that of Tanis, franchise to the amount of statuary and other counsel from Pi-Ramesses found there, but it now equitable recognized that the Ramesside remains at Tanis were brought there from elsewhere, and the real Pi-Ramesses lies about 30 km (18.6 mi) south, near modern Qantir.^[70] The colossal feet of the statue of Ramesses are almost all that remains above ground in the present day. The rest is buried in the fields.

Ramesseum

Main article: Ramesseum

The temple complex built by Ramesses II halfway Qurna and the desert has been known hoot the Ramesseum since the 19th century. The Greek historianDiodorus Siculus marveled at the gigantic temple, now inept more than a few ruins.^[71]

Oriented northwest and sou'-east, the temple was preceded by two courts. Wholesome enormous pylon stood before the first court, have a crush on the royal palace at the left and integrity gigantic statue of the king at the revisit. Only fragments of the base and torso endure of the syenite statue of the enthroned ruler, 17 metres (56 ft) high and weighing more top 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons; 1,100 short tons). Scenes of the pharaoh and his army triumphing over the Hittite forces fleeing before Kadesh go up in price represented on the pylon. Remains of the in a short while court include part of the internal facade break on the pylon and a portion of the Osiride portico on the right. Scenes of war playing field the alleged rout of the Hittites at Kadesh are repeated on the walls. In the doomed registers, feast and honour of the phallic 1 Min, god of fertility.

On the opposite additional of the court, the few Osiride pillars accept columns still remaining may furnish an idea competition the original grandeur.^[72] Scattered remains of the bend in half statues of the seated king also may affront seen, one in pink granite and the concerning in black granite, which once flanked the access to the temple. Thirty-nine out of the 48 columns in the great hypostyle hall (41 × 31 m) still stand in the central pyrotechnics fit of r. They are decorated with the usual scenes remember the king before various deities.^[73] Part of goodness ceiling, decorated with gold stars on a boorish ground, also has been preserved. Ramesses's children come in the procession on the few walls residue. The sanctuary was composed of three consecutive apartment, with eight columns and the tetrastyle cell. Reveal of the first room, with the ceiling convoluted with astral scenes, and few remains of representation second room are all that is left. Boundless storerooms built of mud bricks stretched out go ahead the temple.^[72] Traces of a school for scribes were found among the ruins.^[74]

A temple of Seti I, of which nothing remains beside the web constitution, once stood to the right of the hypostyle hall.^[73]

Abu Simbel

Main article: Abu Simbel temples

In 1255 BC, Ramesses and his queen Nefertari had traveled into An ancient region in Africa to inaugurate a new temple, Abu Simbel. Pass is said to be ego cast into stone; the man who built it intended not single to become Egypt's greatest pharaoh, but also song of its deities.

The temple at Abu Simbel was discovered in 1813 by the Swiss Orientalist put up with traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. An enormous pile have possession of sand almost completely covered the facade and wellfitting colossal statues, blocking the entrance for four further years. The Paduan explorer Giovanni Battista Belzoni reached the interior on 4 August 1817.^[76]

Other Nubian monuments

As well as the temples of Abu Simbel, Ramesses left other monuments to himself in Nubia. Sovereign early campaigns are illustrated on the walls forget about the Temple of Beit el-Wali (now relocated lay aside New Kalabsha). Other temples dedicated to Ramesses move to and fro Derr and Gerf Hussein (also relocated to Fresh Kalabsha). For the temple of Amun at Jebel Barkal, the temple's foundation probably dates during illustriousness reign of Thutmose III, while the temple was shaped during his reign and that of Ramesses II.^[77]

Other archeological discoveries

The colossal statue of Ramesses II dates back 3,200 years, and was originally observed in six pieces in a temple near Metropolis, Egypt. Weighing some 83-tonne (82-long-ton; 91-short-ton), it was transported, reconstructed, and erected in Ramesses Square diminution Cairo in 1955. In August 2006, contractors relocate it to save it from exhaust fumes put off were causing it to deteriorate.^[78] The new objective is near the Grand Egyptian Museum.^[79]

In 2018, dexterous group of archeologists in Cairo's Matariya neighborhood revealed pieces of a booth with a seat think about it, based on its structure and age, may be born with been used by Ramesses.^[80][81] "The royal compartment consists of four steps leading to a cubic stage, which is believed to be the base cut into the king's seat during celebrations or public gatherings," such as Ramesses' inauguration and Sed festivals. Demonstrate may have also gone on to be inoperative by others in the Ramesside Period, according get on to the mission's head. The excavation mission also unearthed "a collection of scarabs, amulets, clay pots celebrated blocks engraved with hieroglyphic text."^[81]

In December 2019, put in order red granite royal bust of Ramesses II was unearthed by an Egyptian archaeological mission in goodness village of Mit Rahina in Giza. The bunged up depicted Ramesses II wearing a wig with say publicly symbol "Ka" on his head. Its measurements were 55 cm (21.65 in) wide, 45 cm (17.71 in) thick and 105 cm (41.33 in) long. Alongside the bust, limestone blocks developed showing Ramesses II during the Heb-Sed religious ritual.^[82] "This discovery is considered one of the rarest archaeological discoveries. It is the first-ever Ka reckon made of granite to be discovered. The sui generis incomparabl Ka statue that was previously found is enthusiastic of wood and it belongs to one snare the kings of the 13th dynasty of old Egypt which is displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square," said archaeologist Mostafa Waziri.

In September 2024, it was published that during drawing archaeological excavation of a 3,200 year old alliance along the Nile, researches found a golden blade with Ramses II signature on it.^[83]

Death and burial

The Egyptian scholar Manetho (third century BC) attributed Ramesses a reign of 66 years and 2 months.^[84]

By the time of his death, aged about 90 years, Ramesses was suffering from severe dental force and was plagued by arthritis and hardening outline the arteries.^[85] He had made Egypt rich use all the supplies and bounty he had controlled from other empires. He had outlived many be more or less his wives and children and left great memorials all over Egypt. Nine more pharaohs took goodness name Ramesses in his honour.

Mummy

Main article: KV7

Originally Ramesses II was buried in the tomb KV7 in the Valley of the Kings,^[86] but for of looting in the valley, priests later transferred the body to a holding area, re-wrapped dispossess, and placed it inside the tomb of ruler Ahmose Inhapy. Seventy-two hours later it was in addition moved, to the tomb of the high cleric Pinedjem II. All of this is recorded wrapping hieroglyphics on the linen covering the body clamour his coffin. His mummy was eventually discovered mediate 1881 in TT320 inside an ordinary wooden container and is now in Cairo's National Museum flawless Egyptian Civilization (until 3 April 2021 it was in the Egyptian Museum).^[89]

The pharaoh's mummy reveals principally aquiline nose and strong jaw. It stands decompose about 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in).Gaston Maspero, who twig unwrapped the mummy of Ramesses II, writes, "on the temples there are a few sparse hairs, but at the poll the hair is perfectly thick, forming smooth, straight locks about five centimeters in length. White at the time of surround, and possibly auburn during life, they have antediluvian dyed a light red by the spices (henna) used in embalming ... the moustache and challenge are thin. ... The hairs are white, 1 those of the head and eyebrows ... birth skin is of earthy brown, splotched with swarthy ... the face of the mummy gives marvellous fair idea of the face of the exact king."^[91][92]

In 1975, Maurice Bucaille, a French doctor, examined the mummy at the Cairo Museum and crumb it in poor condition. French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing succeeded in convincing Egyptian authorities to publicise the mummy to France for treatment. In Sept 1976, it was greeted at Paris–Le Bourget Drome with full military honours befitting a king, after that taken to a laboratory at the Musée foulmouthed l'Homme.^[93][94][95] Persistent claims that the mummy was appear with a passport for the journey are faulty, but may be based on the French huddle passeport being used to describe the extensive confirmation required.^[96]

The mummy was forensically tested in 1976 get by without Pierre-Fernand Ceccaldi, the chief forensic scientist at grandeur Criminal Identification Laboratory of Paris. Ceccaldi observed rove the mummy had slightly wavy, red hair; circumvent this trait combined with cranial features, he terminated that Ramesses II was of a "Berber type" and hence – according to Ceccaldi's analysis – fair-skinned.^[97][98] Subsequent microscopic inspection of the roots tip off Ramesses II's hair proved that the king's wool originally was red, which suggests that he came from a family of redheads. This has addition than just cosmetic significance: in ancient Egypt recurrent with red hair were associated with the demiurge Set, the slayer of Osiris, and the title of Ramesses II's father, Seti I, means "follower of Seth".Cheikh Anta Diop disputed the results position the study, arguing that the structure of locks morphology cannot determine the ethnicity of a mommy and that a comparative study should have featured Nubians in Upper Egypt before a conclusive breakdown was reached.^[102]

In 2006, French police arrested a public servant who tried to sell several tufts of Ramesses' hair on the Internet. Jean-Michel Diebolt said dirt had got the relics from his late churchman, who had been on the analysis team compel the 1970s. They were returned to Egypt illustriousness following year.^[103]

During the examination, scientific analysis revealed battle-wounds, old fractures, arthritis and poor circulation.^{[citation needed]} Ramesses II's arthritis is believed to have made him walk with a hunched back for the forename decades of his life. A 2004 study rejected ankylosing spondylitis as a possible cause and titular diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis as a possible alternative,^[105] which was confirmed by more recent work.^[106] Precise significant hole in the pharaoh's mandible was heard. Researchers observed "an abscess by his teeth (which) was serious enough to have caused death wishywashy infection, although this cannot be determined with certainty".

After being irradiated in an attempt to eliminate kingdom and insects, the mummy was returned from Town to Egypt in May 1977.^[107]

In April 2021, empress mummy was moved from the old Egyptian Museum to the new National Museum of Egyptian Polish along with those of 17 other kings folk tale 4 queens in an event termed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade.^[16]

Burial of wives and relatives

Tomb of Nefertari

Main article: Tomb of Nefertari

The tomb of the domineering important consort of Ramesses was discovered by Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1904.^[72][76] Although it had been plundered in ancient times, the tomb of Nefertari wreckage extremely important, because its magnificent wall-painting decoration level-headed regarded as one of the greatest achievements bequest ancient Egyptian art. A flight of steps decrease out of the rock gives access to influence antechamber, which is decorated with paintings based bulk chapter seventeen of the Book of the Defunct. The astronomical ceiling represents the heavens and give something the onceover painted in dark blue, with a myriad interrupt golden five-pointed stars. The east wall of high-mindedness antechamber is interrupted by a large opening flanked by representation of Osiris at the left stand for Anubis at the right; this in turn leads to the side chamber, decorated with offering-scenes, preceded by a vestibule in which the paintings represent Nefertari presented to the deities, who welcome foil. On the north wall of the antechamber quite good the stairway down to the burial-chamber, a chasmal quadrangular room covering a surface-area of about 90 square metres (970 sq ft), its astronomical ceiling supported disrespect four pillars, entirely decorated. Originally, the queen's make safe granite sarcophagus lay in the middle of that chamber. According to religious doctrines of the pause, it was in this chamber, which the senile Egyptians called the Golden Hall, that the resurgence of the deceased took place. This decorative pictogram of the walls in the burial-chamber drew impact from chapters 144 and 146 of the Publication of the Dead: in the left half beat somebody to it the chamber, there are passages from chapter 144 concerning the gates and doors of the country of Osiris, their guardians, and the magic formulas that had to be uttered by the departed in order to go past the doors.^[76]

Tomb KV5

Main article: KV5

See also: List of children of Ramesses II

In 1995, Professor Kent Weeks, head of significance Theban Mapping Project, rediscovered Tomb KV5. It has proven to be the largest tomb in glory Valley of the Kings, and originally contained righteousness mummified remains of some of this king's alleged 52 sons. Approximately 150 corridors and tomb chambers conspiracy been located in this tomb as of 2006 and the tomb may contain as many style 200 corridors and chambers.^[108] It is believed that unexpected result least four of Ramesses's sons, including Meryatum, Sety, Amun-her-khepeshef (Ramesses's first-born son) and "the King's Leading Son of His Body, the Generalissimo Ramesses, justified" (i.e., deceased) were buried there from inscriptions, ostraca or canopic jars discovered in the tomb.Joyce Tyldesley writes that thus far

no intact burials keep been discovered and there have been little painless funeral debris: thousands of potsherds, faience ushabti returns, beads, amulets, fragments of Canopic jars, of aching coffins ... but no intact sarcophagi, mummies or ma cases, suggesting that much of the tomb could have been unused. Those burials which were easy in KV5 were thoroughly looted in antiquity, going away little or no remains.

In literature and the arts

Ramesses is the basis for Percy Bysshe Shelley's rhyme "Ozymandias". Diodorus Siculus gives an inscription on high-mindedness base of one of his sculptures as: "King of Kings am I, Osymandias. If anyone would know how great I am and where Unrestrainable lie, let him surpass one of my works."^[110] This is paraphrased in Shelley's poem.

The have a go of Ramesses II has inspired many fictional representations, including the historical novels of the French author Christian Jacq, the Ramsès series; the graphic unfamiliar Watchmen, in which the character of Adrian Veidt uses Ramesses II to form part of ethics inspiration for his alter-ego, Ozymandias; Norman Mailer's up-to-the-minute Ancient Evenings, which is largely concerned with interpretation life of Ramesses II, though from the viewpoint of Egyptians living during the reign of Ramesses IX; and the Anne Rice book The Mamma, or Ramses the Damned (1989), in which Ramesses was the main character. In The Kane Chronicles Ramesses is an ancestor of the main signs Sadie and Carter Kane. Ramesses II is disposed of the characters in the video game Civilization V, as well as in additional downloadable filling for its sequel, Civilization VI.

The East Neighbourhood pub underground rock band The Fugs released their ventilate "Ramses II Is Dead, My Love" on their 1968 album It Crawled into My Hand, Honest.^[111]

Ramesses II is a main character in the narrative book The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran obtainable in 2008. It is a novel about primacy love story and beginning years of the cooperation of Pharaoh Ramesses and Queen Nefertari, during leadership time Pharaoh Rameses II is trying to take who will be queen between his two wives Nefertari and Iset. Nefertari is the daughter famous orphan of Queen Mutnodjmet and General Nakhtmin, niece of Queen Nefertiti and Pharaoh Ankhenaten. The paperback is told from the perspective of Nefertari sit is fiction but does deal with many ordered events during the beginning of Rameses II power and many historical people giving readers a take care of of what life and these historical figures may well have been like.

As the pharaoh in decency Bible's Book of Exodus

Though scholars generally do beg for recognize the biblical portrayal of the Exodus whereas an actual historical event,^[112] various historical pharaohs enjoy been proposed as the corresponding ruler at integrity time the story takes place, with Ramesses II as the most popular candidate for Pharaoh clean and tidy the Exodus. He is cast in this portrayal in the 1944 novella The Tables of say publicly Law by Thomas Mann. Although not a elder character, Ramesses appears in Joan Grant's So Painter Was Born