Duncan Ryan - Ramesses II - The Greatest Pharaoh of the New Kingdom

All images used in the this work are in the Public Domain or otherwise licensed for free commercial use per designation of Wikimedia Commons. The author of this work makes no claim to ownership of any image contained herein. Full attributions along with file URLs may be found below.

Illustration 1: By Ancient egyptian artist [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opening_of_the_Mouth_-_Tutankhamun_and_Aja.jpg

Illustration 2: By Jon Bodsworth [Copyrighted free use], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abydos_seti_16_det1.JPG

Illustration 3: By Maler der Grabkammer der Nefertari [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maler_der_Grabkammer_der_Nefertari_004.jpg

Illustration 4: By James Henry Breasted (1865-1935) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Relief_Sherden_Breasted.jpg

Illustration 5: By Publisher New York Ward, Lock [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_great_Sesostris_(Rameses_II)_in_the_Battle_of_Khadesh.jpg

Illustration 6: By Nordisk familjebok [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ramses_IIs_seger_%C3%B6ver_Chetafolket_och_stormningen_av_Dapur,_Nordisk_familjebok.png

Illustration 7: By Than217 at English Wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abu_Simbel_Temple_May_30_2007.jpg

Illustration 8: By Markh [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Khaemwaset.jpg

Illustration 9: By Various (Scan from the original work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Die_Gartenlaube_(1886)_b_831.jpg

Illustration 10: See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weihrauchopfer_RamsesIII_aus_KV11.jpg.

Illustration 11: mile Reutlinger [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Gaston_Maspero_Reutlinger_BNF_Gallica.jpg

Illustration 12: By William Henry Goodyear, Joseph Hawkes, and John McKecknie (Brooklyn Museum) [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S10.08_Abu_Simbel,_image_9489.jpg

Illustration 13: By Than217 at English Wikipedia [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nefertari_Temple_Abu_Simbel_May_30_2007.jpg

Illustration 14: William Henry Goodyear [No restrictions or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S1008_Thebes_image_9926.jpg

Illustration 15: By Markh at en.wikipedia (Transfered from en.wikipedia) [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons. File URL:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruins_of_Tanis.jpg

Illustration 16: By Neithsabes (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louxor_dromos_%26_pyl%C3%B4ne.JPG

Illustration 17: By Spitfire ch (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LuxorTemple1.jpg

Illustration 18: By Jon Bodsworth [Copyrighted free use], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hypostyle_hall,_Karnak_temple.jpg

Illustration 19: By Maler der Grabkammer der Nefertari [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maler_der_Grabkammer_der_Nefertari_001.jpg

Illustration 20: By No machine-readable author provided. Jos Ant. Snchez assumed (based on copyright claims). [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. File URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cartucho_de_Ramses_II.JPG

In the history of ancient Egypt that has so captured the imagination of both the ancient and the modern world, there is no shortage of greatness and splendor. Many rulers, such as Thutmose III, Tutankhamen, Hatsheput, Khufu and Akhenaten, step out from the pages of history with semi-mythical status. One man, however, could arguably be said to have stood even over these illustrious names in the course of the kingdom that developed alongside the banks of the Nile and grew to dominate much of the ancient world. This ruler is, of course, no other than Ramesses the Great.

Born of a family that was not of any ancient connection to the Egyptian royals, Ramesses would take power in his early to mid 20s after the passing of his father, pharaoh Seti I. The young man, suddenly finding himself in the most powerful position in the ancient world as pharaoh of Egypt, would eventually set out on a series of military campaigns, building projects, economic programs and diplomatic maneuvers that would leave his kingdom even greater than it had been when he came to power. Over the course of a reign that would last for more than six decades, Ramesses would bring Egypt to the very pinnacle of its power. His reign can easily be called one of the high water marks of the New Kingdom period of Egyptian history and was without doubt one of the most influential periods of rule by any pharaoh of any era or dynasty.

Many who are even vaguely familiar with the history of the ancient world today know some of the more important details of the reign of Ramesses the Great. His battle against the Hittites at Kadesh, most prominently, stands out as perhaps the most well-known military event from such a remote period of human history. Other achievements, such as the building of the great Ramesseum near Thebes and the Egyptian military campaigns in Canaan, are also well-known to this day. In some circles, Ramesses has achieved even more fame as a candidate for the Old Testament pharaoh who is recorded in the biblical book of Exodus to have pursued Hebrew slaves fleeing Egypt (though as we shall see later, this claim is at best highly questionable from a historical perspective). Adding still more to Ramesses great renown is the legacy of his queen and primary wife, Nefertari, one of the most famous women in Egyptian history in her own right.

In this short historical work, we will explore the background, life and rule of Ramesses the Great. This book, though brief, will endeavor to be thorough, highlighting the major known points of the reign of Ramesses and their influence on Egyptian history. It will, however, attempt to present this information in a manner that is highly accessible, even to those without extensive prior knowledge or study of Egyptian history.

Though this work will treat primarily with the history of the life of the pharaoh Ramases II, also known as Ramesses the Great, it is first important to understand the state of Egypt as it was in the time leading up to his rule. Ramesses was a member of the 19th Dynasty, rulers of Egypt during the period that is known as the New Kingdom. This period would be the last great flourishing and expansion of Egyptian power and civilization before a slow decline would set in in the aftermath of an event known as the Late Bronze Age Collapse (c. early to mid 12th century BCE). Ramesses would ultimately preside over the last great high point of the New Kingdom.

The New Kingdom began with the 18th dynasty, which itself followed upon a period known as the Second Intermediate Period. During this Second Intermediate Period, a sort of temporary dark age had fallen upon Egypt following the end of the Middle Kingdom, which had been another period of extreme prosperity. With the beginning of the 18th dynasty, this dark age ended, and Egypt regained almost all of the ground that it had lost. This dynasty would see the reign of Thutmose III, the noted warrior pharaoh who pushed Egypts borders far beyond their historical limits with a string of extremely successful military campaigns. Following the Second Intermediate Period, when Egypt had been greatly suppressed and indeed even invaded and briefly ruled by an enigmatic group of migrants known as the Hyksos, the nation found itself in a new expansionist phase of its history. With its power renewed by the pharaohs of the 18th dynasty, Egypts final great display of growth and power, the New Kingdom, had begun.