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Ramses II

© Copyright 2001, Jim Loy

Ramses II (his names are on the right) is also called Ramses the Great, and Usermaatra-Setepenra. He is most famous as the greatest builder of monuments and temples in history. On the left, we see four colossal statues of him at Abu Simbel. He was the son of Seti I and Tuya. He came to power at about the age 25, the third king of the 19th Dynasty. He ruled for 67 years (about 1279 to 1212 B.C.E.) He had eight principal wives (including Nefertari whose beautiful tomb, in the Valley of the Queens, has been recently restored), more than 100 sons, and many daughters.

In the fifth year of his reign, Ramses began his war against the Hittites (from what is now southern Turkey), who had invaded Syria. He was ambushed at Kadesh. He apparently held off the enemy, almost single-handed, until reinforcements arrived. He called the battle a great victory, but it seems to have been a draw. The war went on for about 16 years; then the two nations signed a treaty to protect each other from the growing menace of Assyria.

Ramses is considered by many the Pharaoh of the Biblical Exodus. Apparently the dates are about right. There is apparently no known Egyptian account of the Exodus.

Ramses died at about the age 92, having outlived most of his wives and children and other important people of his life. He was buried in the tomb which is now called KV7. He was succeeded as king by his son Merenptah, who was then more than 60 years old. In 1881, Ramses' mummy was found in the royal cache at Deir el-Bahari, where numerous kings had been reburied in antiquity, to save them from robbers.

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