Ramesses II is the great Pharaoh, the architect of his own glory. History of ancient Egypt

Ramesses II (1303/1294-1212 BC) ruled c. 1279-1212 BC e.

Pharaoh Ramesses II of the 19th dynasty ascended the throne at the age of 20 and remained on it until his death at 90 years old. In ancient Egyptian history, there was no ruler who held this post for so long. Ramesses became famous for victorious wars, love for architecture, for wives and gods. In the name of the gods, he erected such a number of temples that none of the pharaohs, either before or after him, erected. He built the new capital of Egypt, 11er-Ramses - "The House of Ramesses". For this city, captive Jewish slaves produced special clay building blocks. Ramesses was succeeded by the 18th son of his 200 children, Minentah, who was already 60 years old and under whom the decline of the Egyptian Empire began.

The change of pharaohs aroused in many enslaved peoples the desire to get up and escape from captivity. No one expected favors from Ramesses II, who had just received the throne. Nubians from the Arab tribes, who lived in the Nile Valley, where they mined gold and ivory for Egypt, feared that the new pharaoh would oppress them even more. The uprising swept many Egyptian regions, caused serious concern in Thebes and Memphis, the then capitals of Egypt. The young and inexperienced Ramesses had to go on a campaign with the army. This campaign was successful, the rebels were defeated.

The pharaoh returned to Memphis with rich booty and many thousands of prisoners, who replenished the army of builder slaves. The name of Ramesses was glorified, he was given all sorts of honors, statues were erected. But before he could cope with one misfortune, the next one fell upon him - the Libyans came out against him from the west. Their calculation was simple: the pharaoh is inexperienced, it is easy to beat him. But the Libyans miscalculated - Ramesses learned to command troops. He skillfully lined up their ranks, called for an attack, and fought himself. The Libyans were defeated.

And soon another invasion - now from the north. Warlike Sherdans who came from the sea landed at the mouth of the Nile. Under the new conditions, Ramesses acted in a new way. He was in no hurry to attack, he studied the situation, and after waiting for a favorable moment, he deployed detachments to attack. Order! Aquarium cleaning is carried out professionally in Aquarium - Style. The Sherdans were taken by surprise. There were so many prisoners that Ramesses offered them to go to his service. The Sherdans agreed and did not regret it - they received good booty after successful campaigns.

Waging wars required a lot of money, and the gold in the Nile valley was depleted. The ministers reported that its reserves were found in the Nubian Valley, in the Wadi Alaki region, but there was no water there. Pharaoh ordered to dig deeper. And at a depth of 6-10 meters, the workers finally found water. Gold mining provided funds to pay for the troops, revived trade, and made it possible to begin preparations for a big war with the Hittites, a people who lived in Asia Minor.

According to the records found on stone steles, in the 4th year of his reign, Ramesses undertook a large military campaign in Asia Minor and captured the city of Verit, where he installed his victory stele. And in the spring of next year, he gathered a 20,000-strong army and approached Kadesh, an ancient Syrian city.

The Hittite king Mutavalli II, hostile to Ramesses, was not afraid of the Egyptians. He decided to deceive the advancing Ramesses and sent scouts to him. They managed to convince the pharaoh that the Hittite army was allegedly weakened and retreated to the north, and Mutavalli fled. Believing the scouts, Ramesses left most of his army at the Orontes River and rushed to Kadesh, hoping for a quick victory. When he began to set up camp near the fortress walls of the city, he was attacked by enemy cavalry hiding nearby, followed by thousands of chariots. They fired on the Egyptians and surrounded the pharaoh's tent. Ramesses fought along with ordinary warriors, but was doomed. A detachment of Egyptians from the crossing rescued him from captivity. They fought with great enthusiasm, freed their pharaoh, but could not break the resistance of the Hittites. Both sides suffered heavy losses. The Hittites withdrew to Kadesh and hid behind thick walls. But Ramesses no longer had the strength to take Kadesh. I had to agree to a truce, and Ramses with the remnants of the troops went to Egypt.

The pharaoh was greatly impressed by the bloody battle in which he almost died. He ordered to capture his participation in the Battle of Kadesh on the stone walls of various temples: in Abydos, Karnak, Luxor, Ramesseum and Abu Simbel. But even after this memorable battle, Ramesses continued to fight the Hittites attacking Egypt. Later, Ramesses captured their fortress of Dapur, the city of Tunip, in which he erected his own statue. He again ordered his victories to be imprinted in stone on the walls of all the same temples - Luxor, Karnak and Abydos.

In the 21st year of the reign of Ramesses, an ambassador from Hattusili, the new king of the Hittites, arrived in his capital Per-Ramses and handed over a silver plate with the cuneiform text of the treaty (in Akkadian), certified by seals depicting the king and queen Khaggi in the arms of deities. The agreement was translated into Egyptian and "written" on the walls of temples.

Ramesses sent the Hittite king Hattusili his tablet with cuneiform writing in Akkadian. The parties agreed not to attack each other, but, on the contrary, to help in the event of an attack on them by a third party or an uprising of subjects. It was the first diplomatically formalized treaty known in world history that has survived to this day.

Since that time, the military activity of Ramesses II began to subside. Obviously, the age and state of health affected. In the 34th year of his reign, he married the eldest daughter of the Hittite king Hattusili, who became known as Maathornefrura, or "seeing the beauty of the sun", who became the great wife of the pharaoh. Later, in the 42nd year of his reign, Ramesses married another daughter of Hattusili. In addition, his wives were his own daughters, as well as a lot of concubines ...

The wars on Egyptian soil have ceased. But along with them, the flow of captives, gratuitous labor force, ceased. Ramesses came to grips with architecture, completed the construction of his temples, decorated them in every possible way, erected statues to himself. This work fell on the shoulders of Jewish builders. Ramses himself, along with numerous wives, children and servants, lived in the rebuilt flourishing capital of Per-Ramesses, which became a rival to Thebes and Memphis.

In the new capital, he built a temple, over which towered his huge statue of 27 meters in height, visible from afar. In addition, during his time a canal was dug between the mouth of the Nile and the northern end of the Red Sea. Small merchant ships sailed along it. A few centuries later, the canal turned out to be unsuitable for navigation and was abandoned.

In the ancient history of Egypt, Ramesses II remained as the most revered pharaoh. Legends and songs were written about him, he was called the Conqueror of the Half World. After his death, he was buried on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes, in the mortuary complex of the Ramesseum. True, they did not manage to finish his grave. Currently, the complex is in a ruined state.

In 1881, a mummy was discovered in the cache of Deir el-Bahri, which, as experts determined, belonged to Pharaoh Ramesses II. In 1975, this mummy was brought to Paris and subjected to general conservation at the Institute of Man.

The revival of the country's military power, victories in bloody battles, the erection of majestic architectural monuments ... These events mark the era of the Ramessides, which is considered the brightest page in 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 Ramesses begins with the accession to the Egyptian throne of Ramses I. This event took place around 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. Power in the hands of the pharaoh was only a few years.

Around 1290 BC. e. the son of Ramesses I, Seti I, entered the Egyptian throne. His coming to power marked the beginning of the period of the country's revival after a temporary decline. Pharaoh managed to create the preconditions 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, was very young at the time of accession to the throne. It is impossible to name the specific individual qualities that he possessed. In Egypt, all pharaohs were considered messengers of the gods, so in all sources they, like Ramses II, were described according to a standard pattern. However, the deeds of the new ruler testify that he was an ambitious, strong and determined person.

Pharaoh Ramses II, having ascended the throne, immediately ordered his subjects to cover up 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 main enemies of Egypt were the Hittites. For several decades, the pharaohs waged a stubborn struggle with this people who lived in Ramses II, having ascended the throne, he continued the work of his predecessors. In the 4th year of his reign, the young pharaoh decided to fight the Hittites.

The first trip was successful. The Egyptians defeated the opponents and captured the city of Berit. The Egyptian pharaoh did not want to stop there. Ramses II decided to make a second campaign against the Hittites in a year and put an end to old enemies once and for all.

Trap for the pharaoh

Ramses the Great made his second campaign in Asia in the 5th year of his reign. Having gathered a twenty thousandth army, the young pharaoh advanced from Memphis. The main goal of the campaign was to capture Kadesh, which was at that time the main city of the Hittites, and annex other enemy possessions to Egypt.

Ramses II is a legendary man. The reign of the pharaoh lasted over 60 years. During these years, he did a lot for the prosperity and strengthening of the power of the Egyptian state. No subsequent ruler could surpass Pharaoh Ramses II.

Ramses (Ra-mese-s) the Second (ruled in 1279-1212 BC) is the most prominent of the pharaohs of the 19th dynasty. The incarnation of Maitreya-Morya (see P/R-24.5.38). Son of Seti the First and Queen Tuya. He was predominantly given the title A-nakhtu (Winner).

Not a single pharaoh made a greater impression on his era than Ramses (Ramses) the Second. Almost seven decades of his reign became a time of power and prosperity of the country. He led a well-organized army, which he himself led into battle. He was the highest official and supreme judge of the state. He had at least seven wives and dozens of concubines, with whom he had 40 daughters and 45 sons. (Another source says: "The large number of the family of Ramesses II is well known. In addition to the countless concubines of the harem, four of his legal spouses, 111 sons and 67 daughters are known"). In the last years of his reign, Ramesses II was deified as the "Great Soul of Ra-Khorakhte" - the incarnation of the solar god on earth. Ramesses II died in the 67th year of his reign and survived twelve of his sons. He became pharaoh at the age of twenty.

The German Egyptologist Georg Ebers, with his novels, contributed to the development of interest in the ancient East in wide circles of society. In them, he combined fiction with a strictly scientific basis. In the novel "Warda" he perfectly illuminated the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II, skillfully using the vast material accumulated by Egyptology. The heroes of his novel are historical figures, and they appear before us in all the variety of their characters and deeds. The image of the Great Pharaoh in this novel is given convexly, reliably and helps to see him not only as a historical figure, but also as a completely extraordinary person ... Ramses is cautious, smart, prudent, fair, and also a very subtle politician: “Yes, you can learn from him how to give consent and at the same time refuse, while not forgetting to show off your nobility! - the vizier exclaimed admiringly, having read the letter of the sovereign. Here is how Ebers describes the physical portrait of his protagonist: “The figure of the pharaoh was huge, his proud head with a high forehead was covered by a diadem, in the middle of which there were two golden uraeus with the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. A wide collar necklace made of precious stones covered half of his chest, and the lower part was wrapped in a wide bandage. His beautiful body was as if cast in bronze, and the smooth skin, tight around the strong cheekbones, had a dull sheen of copper. Sitting in a circle of close associates, he looked at his sons with a fatherly look. The lion was resting, but even at rest it was a lion, and everyone knew how terrible he would be if his mighty hand, now peacefully breaking the cake, clenched into a fist. Everything in this man was majestic, but he did not inspire fear in his heart, for although his eyes sparkled authoritatively, his whole face shone with amazing softness, and a low voice that was born somewhere in the depths of his broad chest and sometimes covered the roar of battles could sound sweet and kind. Perfectly aware of his power and greatness, he nevertheless always remained a man, and the impulses of a simple heart were not alien to him.

The Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel was built in honor of him.

stay over the Hittites.

The pharaoh fought a lot, mainly with the Hittites, who also claimed Palestine, like Egypt. He extended his kingdom to the borders with Syria in the east and Sudan in the south. During the time of Ramesses II, nicknamed the Great, Egypt achieved unprecedented power and prosperity. Grandiose construction was going on inside the country - temples decorated with colossal statues of the pharaoh were erected in Thebes, Abydos, Nubia. It is known that the powerful pharaoh equipped sea expeditions that explored the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and it is possible that sailors also went beyond its borders. The most famous, and at the same time the most mysterious victory of Ramses was the battle near the city of Kadesh in 1312 BC. Ramses led the advanced "army of Ra" (2,000 people, 400 chariots), which supported the four thousandth (800 chariots) army of Ptah. The two thousandth cavalry of Arab mercenaries went by a detour to connect with the army of Ra. The army of Thoth remained in reserve - 8000 people, 2000 chariots. The tame lions of Ramesses participated in the battle.

The united enemy forces far outnumbered the forces of the Egyptian army.

In addition, before the battle, Ramesses was betrayed by Machor Paaker, a scout of the roads, and lured Ramesses into a trap for the Hittites. The traitor himself led a detachment of enemies to the army of the pharaoh in his chariot.

Ramesses was cut off from his army. His chariot was equipped with two quivers, one for arrows, the other for bows and swords. With this ridiculous weapon, Ramesses had to defeat an entire army! Picking up the reins thrown by his charioteer Menna in the rush of battle, Ramesses tied the reins around his waist to keep his hands free. Both horses were smart and brave, they rushed straight at the enemy. Nearby was an almost tame lion of Ramesses named Fighter, whose menacing growl encouraged the pharaoh. His lion remained loyal to him and fought alongside him to the end. Ramesses seemed to be mad. Endowed with incomparable strength, he cut into the enemies surrounding him and smashed them without a miss. This gave strength to the Egyptian soldiers, inspired by the example of the pharaoh. His hand did not know fatigue, he became the embodiment of a devastating flame. Ramesses shot arrow after arrow, killing the drivers of the Hittite chariots. Horses reared up, fell on each other, chariots turned over, forming a disorderly dump. The Nubian lion of Ramesses made a bloody feast. Throwing his three-hundred-kilogram body into the thick of the fight, he tore apart the enemies of his master with claws, stuck ten-centimeter fangs into their necks. His paw strikes were as strong as they were accurate.

Ebers writes: “During the battle, sowing death around him, the pharaoh saw his own inevitable death approaching. Without stopping the fight, he began to loudly pray to the god Amon, crying out for help. Before he had time to utter the last words of a prayer addressed to the lord of heaven, a tall Egyptian suddenly emerged from the thick of the dump, jumped up behind him on a chariot. For the first time in his life, Ramesses trembled... was it not a miracle that had happened here? Did Amon heed his prayers? When Ramesses looked back at his new charioteer, it seemed to him that his face was strikingly similar to his late mahor Assu. Ramesses thought that it was probably Amon himself who took the form of a deceased friend and went down to him in order to save his master from death.

Thousands of Egyptians died, even more Hittites and soldiers of the allied army lost their lives. After that, the Hittites locked themselves in the fortress itself. Emperor Muwattali sued for peace, although the Hittites did not consider themselves defeated.

Strictly speaking, the battle ended in a "draw", but it resulted in a peace treaty that greatly strengthened Egypt. It was the first ever political treaty . “Muwattali, your servant, Ramses, and I recognize you as the Son of the Sun and the offspring of Light itself. My country obeys your will, She is at your feet. But don't abuse your power. Your influence is relentless, you proved it with a great victory. But why would you destroy the people of your blown away? Why should anger continue to live in your heart? Since you are the victor, agree that peace is better than war, and give the Hittites a breath of life."

Among the sources that tell about the Battle of Kadesh, a remarkable historical and literary work stands out, the so-called "Poem of Pentaur", which tells about the remarkable courage of Ramses II and the help that the god Amun provided him during the battle in the person of the priest-poet Power.

Quotes from Pentauer's poem:

“... There is no husband equal to His Majesty the young, brave lord.

His hand is mighty, his heart fearless, he is like Montu in strength in the hour of his greatness.

He is beautiful in himself, like Atum, and those who contemplate his magnificence rejoice.

He is glorified by his victories over all countries, and they do not know the hour when he will enter the battle.

Like a wall, he encloses his army; he is his shield on the day of battle;

in archery he knows no rivals, he is more courageous than hundreds of thousands of warriors.

He goes at the head of his troops and falls on the hordes of the enemy, believing with his heart in his victory,

he is bold and valiant in the face of the enemy, and in the hour of battle he is like a devouring flame.

He is steadfast in heart, like a bull, and looks with contempt at the countries united against him.

A thousand men cannot stand before him, hundreds of thousands lose their strength at the sight of him;

he instills fear with his formidable roar in the hearts of the peoples of all countries ... ". (Full text available online).

The Battle of Kadesh greatly impressed Ramses II, and he ordered the story of this event and grandiose panoramic "illustrations" to be reproduced on the walls of many temple complexes.

Peace between Egypt and Asia has been established for more than a century, which caused an "explosion" of trade activity in the region. The war with the Hittites prompted Ramesses to move his residence to the northeastern part of the Nile Delta.

Two Urei Lords of Upper and Lower Egypt.

In the reign of Ramesses II, the cults of Amun, Ra, Ptah and Set enjoyed special reverence; however, it was at this time that Asian influence became more and more noticeable in the religious life of the country, expressed in the inclusion in the Egyptian pantheon of foreign deities associated with war or the sea element hostile to the Egyptians.

Having shown justice in relation to the religious demands of numerous foreigners living in Egypt, he went even further, forbidding encroachment on the temples of foreign gods. But along with this, he tried by all means to prove his respect for the Egyptian gods, literally falling asleep with generous sacrifices.

Ramses taught his children, saying: "A pious person is one who is grateful to the gods, but only one who remembers people is truly kind."

The betrayal that occurred during his absence in Egypt during the war shook the trust in people, and the pharaoh was often sad, which did not correspond to his cheerful character, and he endured any uncertainty and uncertainty harder than any grief. Ramesses was a man like all other people and wanted to be him. The realization that, other things being equal, he still does more than they did, pleased this extraordinary person. He said: “Priests are used to instructing even kings. Well, I don't mind! I rule as the vicegerent of a higher deity, but I myself am not a god, even if they give me divine honors. With a humble heart, I willingly hand over to them mediation between my people and the gods, and in human affairs, of course, I dispose of it at my own discretion! It’s hard for me to doubt my friends, I can’t do without trust, but if they want to destroy my country… I will trample these despicable reptiles into the sand!

The temple consists of four halls, the last of which contains statues of the gods of Amun,

Ptah and, in fact, Pharaoh Ramses II. Only twice a year the face of the pharaoh

illuminated by sunlight. February 22 and October 22 the first rays of the rising

the sun touches the statue. On other days, direct light does not penetrate this hall.

Of great importance are the events of the era of Ramses the Great for the further development of Egypt and world history as a whole. Until now, the former power of the ancient "Country of Great Hapi" surprises and amazes.

The reign of Ramesses the Great opens a new era in the history of Ancient Egypt - the era of the Remessids. All the descendants of this pharaoh took his name for themselves, wanting to be like a great ancestor. Ramesses II brought to its logical conclusion those principles of the deification of the pharaoh and his power, which since ancient times have been characteristic of the worldview of the inhabitants of the country of the Nile. , it survived the millennia of the pharaonic period of ancient Egyptian history, showing its vitality in the time of the Ptolemies and Roman Caesars. The temples built under Ramesses II represent a new type of cult architecture resulting from the interplay between Egyptian and Nubian traditions. In the process of creating temples, local schools of architects, sculptors and painters were formed. It is possible that masters from the conquered countries studied in Egypt itself.

During the reign of Ramesses II, the next stage of the development of Nubia was completed, which, unlike other countries, was carried out mainly peacefully. Of great importance was the ideological impact on the population, which was embodied in temple construction. The religious policy of Ramesses II in the conquered countries was characterized by the rise of the Egyptian gods over the local deities.

Interest in Ramesses the Great and by the time of his reign attracts people even now. Hundreds of tourists travel to Egypt to see everything with their own eyes.

Which of the Egyptian pharaohs ruled for 70 years and left the most grandiose monumental heritage? Ramesses II, beloved wife of Nefertari, military campaigns, great construction of tombs in Luxor, temple at Abu Simbel. This is a must see!

Ramses II was worshiped as a god. And he, in fact, immortalized himself in hundreds of grandiose monuments created during the years of his reign.

Decrepit and hunched over, the pharaoh was no longer able to raise his head to see his father, the Sun god Ra, when he begins his daytime journey. Arthritis made his body shriveled like a dry leaf. The narrow face with an aquiline nose is not at all like his images - the monumental busts that he ordered to be placed throughout Egypt. The arteries are affected by sclerosis, the teeth are destroyed, the gums are covered with ulcers.

In 1974, scientists discovered that the mummy of Ramesses II was deteriorating rapidly. She immediately had to be taken by plane to France, for which the mummies issued an Egyptian passport, and in the column "occupation" they wrote "king (deceased)". In Paris, the mummy was greeted with the honors due to kings.

For many years he had to endure severe pain. Then, one August day, his suffering ceased. The son of the Sun god Ra became a victim of blood poisoning - a consequence of a jaw abscess. The ninety-year-old pharaoh died.

Even his inner circle took a long time to realize what had happened: there were not so many people in all of Egypt who would remember well the times that preceded his reign.

Almost seven decades of his reign became a time of power and prosperity of the country. He led a well-organized army, which he himself led into battle. He was the highest official and supreme judge of the state. He had at least seven wives and dozens of concubines, with whom he had 40 daughters and 45 sons. None of his predecessors in the history of Egypt erected so many statues, obelisks and temples.

Beginning of the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II

From now on, Ramesses takes on the role of an intermediary between people and immortals. With his breath, he will hold heaven and earth in the places allotted to them. As the viceroy of the Sun God, he must ensure that the moral law reigned among the Egyptians, personified by the goddess Maat, the goddess of order and truth.

According to studies, Ramesses II had 160 children. The manufacturers of contraceptives joked about this by naming their brand of condoms "Ramses".

Is such a task within the power of 24 years? Moreover, Ramses II was born when his father was not yet a pharaoh - Seti I commanded a detachment of war chariots and only in adulthood became the heir, and soon the ruler of the new XIX dynasty. It was founded by Ramses I - the grandfather of Ramses II - after the birth of his grandson. Seti ruled for only 11 years, Ramesses I for less than two. What do 12 years mean in comparison with one and a half thousand years of Egyptian history?

The divine origin of the pharaoh

Ramesses II understood that he could count on the strength of the dynasty only if he himself gave it divine greatness. “I am descended from Pa,” says his speech to the high priests and courtiers, which he ordered to be carved on a stone in the tomb of his father. “The Almighty Himself gave me life and greatness. It was he who handed me the circle of the earth when I was still in the mother's womb."

Pharaoh Seti ordered to build a funeral temple for himself in Abydos. When, after the funeral, Ramesses visited Abydos, he found that the temple had not been completed and had already begun to collapse somewhere. The impression made on him by this spectacle can be judged from the inscription, which, among other things, contains a whole program of construction and public policy:

“Shouldn’t the son who replaced his father renew the monuments erected to him?” the inscription asks. “I erected a new monument of gold to my father. I ordered the restoration of his temple. Seti, you who are now one of the gods, look, I have loved your name, I guard you, for I have appeared to the nations in the form of the Sun-God.

The reign of Ramesses II was reflected in the works of many ancient historians (for example, Herodotus, who calls him Rampsinite), and in the Bible.

So Ramesses used the temple of Seti I to promote his divine essence. With the same purpose, he sought the deification of other members of his family.

At one time, Seti, taking care of the future of the dynasty, personally chose three wives and several concubines for his son. Ramesses' favorite wife was Nefertari. No other queen is celebrated so often in inscriptions. When Ramesses gave an audience or showed himself to the people from the balcony of the palace, Nefertari was almost invariably by his side.

Drawings and reliefs depict her as a slender beauty. She is "the favorite of the goddess Mut", "the great wife of the king", "the mother of God"; in addition to these official names, there are others - more personal and tender. Ramesses calls her "beautiful mistress", "beautiful-faced", his "sweet love".

Ramesses II - Co-author of the first peace treaty

Like all his predecessors, upon ascending the throne, Ramesses added four more to his name. These throne names are a kind of summary of the reign program. Two names did not bode well for Egypt's neighbors - "Rich in years, great in victories" and even more clearly - "Guardian of Egypt, commanding other countries."

At that time, Egypt's only serious rival was the kingdom of the Hittites, centered in present-day Turkey. For 58 years, the Egyptians and the Hittites fought for dominance in Asia Minor. It was against this enemy that Ramesses came out.

Presumably, Ramesses the Great was left-handed and red-haired.

In the fourth year of his reign, he for the first time goes on a campaign to the northeast and conquers the province of Amurru, which has fallen away from Egypt. A year later, the Egyptians are on the march again. And again, Ramesses himself leads the army: 20,000 people - a lot of foot soldiers armed with throwing spears, arrows, axes, swords, and a detachment of war chariots formidable in battle.

However, this campaign, unlike last year, no longer takes the Hittites by surprise. Near the city of Kadesh (in the south of present-day Lebanon), they set up an ambush. The army of the Hittites, having defeated the Egyptians, laid siege to the fortified camp, in which the pharaoh took refuge with a small detachment. According to the later account of Ramesses himself, he was the first to rush on his enemies in his war chariot. After a fierce battle, he managed to gather his forces and organized a safe retreat.

As soon as he returned to Egypt, the pharaoh ordered that hymns about the campaign be compiled - in verse and prose - and carved on a huge number of monuments. Apparently, the shock from the terrible danger and the saving intervention of the gods made an indelible impression on him: “All foreign countries took up arms against me, and I was left alone, and there is no one with me,” he says, “and my numerous army left me ... I shouted to them, but not one of them heard when I called out. And I realized that Amon of millions of soldiers, hundreds of thousands of charioteers is more beneficial to me. Here I turn to you with a prayer at the borders of foreign lands, and my voice reaches Thebes.

Ramesses places the blame for the failure of the campaign on his commanders. He portrays himself as the savior of the army - and since then he has ceased to listen to his generals.

The warlike pharaoh could afford to limit the power of the generals. But, coming from a young dynasty, Ramesses did not dare to challenge the powerful priests. At the very beginning of his reign, when the old high priest of Amun, the highest spiritual person of the country, died, Ramesses was faced with a delicate problem. And he showed considerable diplomatic dexterity in solving it.

The pharaoh evaded the appointment of any of his favorites and entrusted the choice of the high priest to the servants of Amon themselves, who took care of the correct divine direction (the statue of Amon, before which they read the list of candidates for the position of the high priest, was set in motion with the help of simple devices, showing its disagreement or agreement with the candidacy). By this, Ramesses ensured the loyalty of the priesthood for the entire duration of his reign.

Despite the failure at Kadesh, the pharaoh undertakes new campaigns in Asia Minor. Due to dynastic troubles in the Hittite kingdom, victories are easy for the Egyptians. Finally, the Hittite king Hattusilis III in 1258 BC decided to start peace negotiations with Ramesses.

Two rulers, each of whom now calls the other "brother", swear not to encroach on each other's lands, to settle all differences by peace and to provide mutual assistance in the event of an attack by a third party. Even the question of the return of refugees has been settled. The agreement is obligatory not only for Ramesses II and the king of the Hittites, but also "for the children of their children." This is the oldest of the peace treaties that have survived in history - and it has remained inviolable. (Three thousand years later, the text of the treaty, carved in stone, will again be put on display - in the lobby of the New York headquarters of the UN.)

Ramesses wants his subjects to appreciate the benefits that peace brought with a former enemy: in the Luxor temple, a huge frieze glorifies the victories of the pharaoh and recreates pictures of military disasters: a ruined city, devastated fields, dull landscapes. Possibly the first piece of fine art dedicated to the horrors of war.

In subsequent years, caravans regularly set off on the thousand-kilometer path between the royal courts of the Egyptians and the Hittites. Gifts are brought in both directions: golden vessels, slaves, sculptures, precious fabrics.

Minor misunderstandings only bring some liveliness into the relations of neighboring powers. So, once Hattusilis III asked the pharaoh to send him a famous Egyptian doctor. The fact is that the king of the Hittites married his sister to one of his vassals, and she is already 50 years old, and she is a strange thing! - will never give birth to a child.

Ramesses II answers: "Matanatsi, my brother's sister, the king, your brother, knows! Is she 50 years old? No! She is 60! No medicine will give her children." From the directness of the letter, it is clear that the peace between the former enemies is lasting. In the end, Ramesses nevertheless sent a doctor and a magician to his “brother”. And the eldest daughter of the Hittite king became the seventh wife of Ramesses II.

The ruler of Egypt is a great muralist

Probably, Ramesses II was born on February 22, and ascended the throne on October 20. In the temple of Abu Simbel these days the light falls on the chest and crown of his statue.

In the very first year of his reign, the new pharaoh began building his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. He expanded the Luxor temple in Thebes, built a huge colonnade in Karnak, began the construction of new sanctuaries in Abydos, laid a memorial temple complex in Thebes, now known as the Ramesseum. And He was depicted everywhere - in colossal statues and on reliefs, as the founder, ruler, warrior, favorite of the gods. At the same time, the image of no god should not exceed the images of Ramesses himself. And this is just the beginning.

For example, a stonemason is working on a statue that is over 600 years old. This is a life-size depiction of one queen of the twelfth dynasty. The sculptor, who is also a destroyer, hews black granite, cuts off the stone hairstyle of the queen, grinds her face and carves new features in the stone - the face of Tui, His mother. What difference does it make that traces of the former image are visible under the arms and legs of Tui sitting on the throne? The main thing is that the work was done quickly, and the statue has a majestic appearance.

1270 BC. Ramesses is 33 years old and has been ruling for nine years. Per-Ramses in the Nile Delta becomes the new capital of the ancient kingdom, the "House of Ramesses, rich in victories". The city is surrounded by branches of the Nile and fish ponds, penetrated by a network of canals and streets. Merchants from Asia Minor and Mycenae flock to Per Ramesses, so it is more cosmopolitan than the traditional old cities up the Nile.

It is here that Ramesses II lives, in chambers glittering with turquoise and lapis lazuli. The people see Him only in those cases when He deigns to appear in the "windows of the apparition" - in the richly decorated openings of the palace wall.

Meanwhile, in Nubia, two sanctuaries are being completed, which Ramesses ordered to be laid, probably even during his accession to the throne. By the will of the pharaoh, Mount Fur was turned into a monument to his greatness, known today under the name "Abu Simbel".

The large temple is carved into the rock 63 meters deep, its facade is decorated not with images of the gods, but with four colossal - each 22 meters high - statues of the ruler. The reliefs show his victories. Carved into the rocks a little deeper, the Small Temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and at the same time - Nefertari, the wife of the pharaoh.

Abu Simbel - Nubian stronghold

Here in Nubia, on the outskirts of Egypt, temples like Abu Simbel serve a dual purpose. On the one hand, these are symbols of His boundless superiority. The very sight of them was intended to suppress any thoughts of rebellion and evasion of tribute in the local residents. And yet this megalomania cannot be reduced only to imperial politics - here, of course, Ramesses' personal vanity also played a role.

His peculiar aesthetic sense comes through, for example, in such an inscription: "It is beautiful to erect a temple on a temple, two beautiful things together." Even when Ramesses was heir, he was instructed to oversee the construction throughout the state. Noteworthy is the inscription on one stele, referring to the eighth year of the reign of Ramesses and conveying his speech to the builders:

"Oh, builders, select, strong, with strong hands, you who raise for me as many monuments as I please, experienced in working with expensive stones, knowing granite deposits and knowledgeable in limestone. Oh, you who erected for me numerous dwellings of the gods, I will live while they live! It pleases me to take care of you and support you! For I know that your work is truly hard; a worker cannot be cheerful when his belly is not full. "

Not a single pharaoh, before Ramesses, or after, addressed the workers with such speeches.

Ramesses II - the father who outlived his children

Of course, no one doubted the divine essence of Ramesses. Indeed, there has never been a pharaoh like him in greatness and longevity. Only Pepi II (sixth dynasty) seems to have lived to a slightly more advanced age. Ramesses has surpassed all.

But even He had to understand that the mercy of the Sun-God is not infinite. Shortly after the consecration of the Small Temple at Abu Simbel, Nefertari, the beloved wife of Ramesses, died. To preserve the "purity of blood", the pharaoh married two daughters from Nefertari.

And the gods of the underworld, meanwhile, demanded more and more tribute from among his household; it seemed they had forgotten about him. In the thirty-fourth year of his reign, another of his spouses, Isisnefret, died, and three years later, the crown prince Amonherhepe-chef; then the second son of Nefertari, the two eldest sons of Isisnefret, and at least ten concubines and their children. The pharaoh is orphaned.

After Ramesses II himself, who had retained a clear mind to the end, departed on his last journey (this happened in 1213 BC), the country passed to his thirteenth son, Merenptah. The new pharaoh was already over 60. The time of his reign was vague for Egypt. The country was shaken by uprisings. The grandchildren of Ramesses (and the pharaoh with many children had so many that would be enough for a small army) claimed their rights to the throne.

Then there was the invasion of the "peoples of the sea" - the "great migration" of the tribes, the origin of which is still not clear. Around 1200 they destroyed the Hittite kingdom. The Egyptians managed to repel the onslaught of the aliens, but the previously powerful empire could not recover from these shocks.

The greatest of the pharaohs is now a museum piece. His withered body is on display in a glass case at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The mummy of the pharaoh was found in 1881, and at the beginning of the 20th century it was examined by the British anatomist Sir Grafton Elliot Smith. When he unswaddled the body, which had remained under a tight shroud for three thousand years, some kind of muscle unbent in it - and in front of the shocked Smith, the pharaoh raised his hand. That was the last royal gesture of the great Ramesses.

Kai Rademacher
Geo #11 2000.

Children and wives of Ramses

what is written is not true, except that my father was hunched over and my name was not entered, but they wrote that I am Hatshepsut 1 amon --- ra is a lie my name is 3rd century and the body of the 1st century mother is Ramsess 1 and my name is lppissiiiishlpp --- name 3 centuries, I died in 2013 and Hatshepsut my fictitious name
15.09.16 lppsiiiiiishlpp---daughter of ramsess1

Hello Sergey. In a past life, she was one of the members of the Ramses 2 family. I don’t know who exactly. Another one of my reincarnations is the mother of Moses. Will this information help you?
22.04.13 Julia

it turns out that the one who was found in the water, in a half-bent state, and Rames 2, who lies straight, are the same person?
If so, how could that half-bent mummy be so straightened without damaging it?
26.12.11 basha

Hello. From dynasty to dynasty, the pharaohs passed on the key to activate the transition of epochs. Ramses the second was the last pharaoh who possessed it! Looking for information on this topic? Who has multidimensional experience, respond!
24.11.11 Sergey

Hello. I'm from Sirius. Ramses II had 4 incarnations, and this is not the same thing! I know that Sety is the first incarnated on earth now! we work here! I am looking for people who incarnated during the reign of Ramses II and are now on earth! There are such? Respond!
24.11.11 Sergey

Sergey, it seems I was the pharaoh of the First Network. Can you double check this? If you read the message, write to me at [email protected]
17.12.14 Dmitriy

Hello Sergey, my name is Tatyana, I would like to talk, but not on the Internet, you can call me at 8 982 670 85 25 or tell me your own.
23.02.14 Tatiana

Tatyana Good afternoon, on the topic of Ramses II, you can write to me by e-mail. [email protected]
02.03.16 Sergey

Maurice Bouquet (Maurice Bukay) was born into a French family and raised in the Christian faith. He graduated with honors from the French University, Faculty of Medicine, thanks to which he became the most outstanding and skillful surgeon in modern France. However, in his highly professional surgical activity, something happened to him that turned his whole life upside down.
It is widely known that France is one of the countries that pays a lot of attention to historical monuments and archaeological finds. Therefore, in 1981, the French government asked the Arab Republic of Egypt for the pharaoh's mummy for scientific experiments and archaeological research. Professor Maurice Bouquet was appointed head of the surgeons and responsible for the research.
The main concern of the doctors was to restore the body of the mummy, while the goal of their leader (Maurice Bouquet) was fundamentally different from their intentions. He was interested in the cause of the death of the pharaoh. Late at night, the latest test results came out, which showed sea salt, which was evidence that the pharaoh died by drowning in the sea, after which his body was immediately removed from the water and embalmed to preserve his remains.
However, there was one circumstance that haunted the professor: how this mummy was better preserved than the rest of the bodies of the pharaohs, despite the fact that it was removed from the sea. When Maurice Bouquet was preparing the final report on the research and on his scientific discovery, one of his friends in a personal conversation restrained him from haste, saying that Muslims had been talking about it for a long time.
However, at that moment he did not believe the words of his friend, considering them impossible, since it was unthinkable to know this without the help of modern sciences and the latest high-precision computer technologies. But a friend told him that the news of the death of the pharaoh at sea and the salvation of his body was reported by the Koran. This news shocked him even more, because he could not understand how this became known if this mummy itself was found in 1898, more than a hundred years ago, while their Koran is already more than 1400 years old. And how can it fit into the head that the whole of humanity learned about the embalming of their pharaohs by the Egyptians only relatively recently?
All night Maurice Bouquet sat staring at the pharaoh's body and thinking deeply that the Qur'an mentions that the pharaoh's body was saved after he drowned, while the Gospel of Matthew and Luke only talks about his death at sea during the pursuit of Moses (peace be upon him) and nothing is said about the fate of his body. In his soul, he constantly asked himself: is this the body of the same pharaoh who persecuted Moses (peace be upon him)? And how could Muhammad have known more about this than he did a thousand years ago?
That night, Maurice could not sleep, asking for the Torah to be brought to him. In it, he began to read the chapter "Exodus", which said that the water in the sea closed up and covered all the army of the pharaoh that followed Moses, and that no one was left of them. Even in the Gospel nothing was reported about the preservation of the body of the pharaoh.
After the mummy was restored, France returned it to Egypt. But since Maurice heard about the knowledge of the Muslims about saving the body of the pharaoh, he could no longer return to his quiet life, and then the opportunity turned up to go to Saudi Arabia to participate in a medical conference. In a conversation with Muslim doctors, Maurice spoke about his discovery - the body of the pharaoh was preserved after his death at sea. Then one of the interlocutors opened the Koran and read to him the words of Allah Almighty: “And We brought the Israelites across the sea, and Pharaoh and his army pursued them treacherously and hostilely. And when the flood overtook him (Pharaoh), he said: “I believe that there is no deity, except for the one in whom the sons of Israel believe, and I am from among the betrayed!” Just now?! And earlier you disobeyed and were a distributor of wickedness. And today We will save you with your body, so that you will be a sign for those who are behind you (i.e. future generations of people). Indeed, many of the people of Our signs are neglected! (Yunus: 90–92). This verse shocked Maurice Bouquet, and at the same moment, in the presence of everyone, he loudly exclaimed: "I converted to Islam and believed in this Koran!"
So Maurice Bouquet returned to France as a completely different person. For ten years, he was engaged in research only in the field of compliance of scientific discoveries with the Holy Quran, trying to find at least one contradiction between science and the words of the Almighty, but the result of his search coincided with the statement of Allah: “Truly, this is a great book! Lies do not come to her either from the front or from behind - the sending of the Wise, the Praiseworthy. (Clarified: 41.42)
The fruit of the labors of Maurice Bouquet during these years was a book on the Holy Qur'an, which shocked the entire Western world and caused great excitement in the circles of scientists. The book was published under the title “Quran, Torah, Gospel and Science. The Study of the Scriptures in the Light of Modern Science. The book was reprinted several times and was translated into many languages ​​of the world.
However, despite the strength of scientific arguments, some scientists have tried to make desperate and at the same time ridiculous arguments against this book.
But the most surprising thing in this whole story is that some Western scientists, in search of a refutation of the facts set forth in this book, after a deep study and detailed consideration of scientific arguments, themselves converted to Islam, publicly uttering the words of evidence.
Maurice Bouquet, in the preface to his book, writes that the scientific aspects that distinguish the Qur'an struck him, and he never imagined that so many diverse scientific facts, so accurately described in the Qur'an, which is more than thirteen centuries old, could correspond to modern knowledge to such an extent. .
“If I had known the Koran before,” said Maurice Bouquet, “I would not have gone blindly in search of a scientific solution, I would have had a guiding thread!”
30.04.09 Abusoli

Those interested in the history of the ancient world are well aware of the Pharaoh, the ruler of Ancient Egypt, who declared himself a god. There is a story about this in the Koran, in particular, in Surah Yunus. As an echo of the terrible events that took place thousands of years ago, one of the museums in England contains material evidence that does not leave visitors indifferent.
The exhibit, near which people linger for a long time, is located in the famous British Museum. This is the mummified body of a man who fell prostrate. The surprising thing is that it differs from other similar exhibits that are collected in the same museum; this mummy has preserved all the organs of the body in its original form.
The fact that a dead body has already been decomposing within a week is a well-known truth, but why did this particular mummy survive, after all, three thousand years have passed? Even mummified bodies begin to smolder after a certain period of time, which has been proven by science. What is the secret of the safety of this body?
This secret is revealed to us by the Holy Book - the Quran. Thus, its greatness and divinity are once again confirmed. The verses of the Koran in an instructive form set out the struggle of the prophet Moses, peace be upon him, with the Pharaoh.
Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, lived in 1200 BC, that is, three thousand years ago. It is known that the Pharaoh was an implacable opponent of Moses, peace be upon him. Once the Pharaoh dreamed that a certain boy born in his country, becoming an adult, would overthrow him from the throne; and then he gave the order to kill all newborn male babies. But the Lord took under his protection the then-born Moses, peace be upon him, and subsequently declared him a prophet.
The people of the Banu Israel tribe were subjected to severe oppression in Egypt. Allah sent down a revelation, through which he allowed Moses, peace be upon him, and the people of Banu Israel to leave Egypt. Pharaoh, having heard that Moses, peace be upon him, set off on the road with his fellow tribesmen, sent a large army after them (sura 26 "Poets", verses 52, 53; sura 20 "Taha", verse 79).
Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, and his people, fleeing persecution, by the will of Allah, reached the shore of the Red Sea. Ahead - like an enemy - the sea, behind - like a pestilence - enemies. Then the prophet Moses, peace be upon him, following the revealed revelation of Allah, struck the sea with his staff. At the same moment, the sea opened up into two parts, and each part was like a mountain, a path appeared between the two waters, through which the prophet Moses, peace be upon him, passed safely with his people (sura 26 "Poets", verses 62-64).
Pharaoh and his army, seeing a miracle - the open sea, experienced fear and surprise. However, anger and enmity prevailed, and, having stepped on the path that ran between the waters, they continued the pursuit. When the Pharaoh's army reached the middle of the path, by the will of Allah, the waters of the sea closed and swallowed the Pharaoh and all his people (Surah 26 "Poets", verses 65, 66).
In the 90th ayat of Surah Yunus, this event is described as follows: “We transferred the sons of Israel across the sea, Pharaoh and his army swiftly pursued them until then, as they themselves were overtaken by the sinking. He said:“ I believe that there is no God but Him in whom the sons of Israel believe, and I am one of those who obey Him." However, the Almighty does not accept the repentance of Pharaoh, who hitherto called himself "God." The next verse reads: "Now only? And before that, you persisted, you were one of the distributors of wickedness!" After which the waters of the sea closed over the pursuers.
In the 92nd verse of the same sura, the continuation of this event is described. Allah says to the Pharaoh drowned in the sea: "Today We command you to emerge - your body, so that you are a sign for those who will come after you, although many of the people are inattentive to Our signs" (that is, they do not draw conclusions).
Yes, indeed the Qur'an is divine and the Truth is in it. Not a single judgment in it has lost its relevance to this day. An example of this is the events related to the Pharaoh set out in the verses. They cannot but surprise us. These events, which took place 3000 years ago, are directly related to the exhibit exhibited in the British Museum. Allah created a miracle for the edification of mankind!
The place where the future museum exhibit was found is amazing, which in itself is also proof of the divinity of the miracle that happened. The fact is that the body, so well preserved, was underground on the shores of the Red Sea in a place called Jabalain. English explorers dug it up in the hot sands of the coast and took it home.
The results of a study conducted to establish the antiquity of the find showed that the mummies are three thousand years old. This suggests that the person whose body was found by scientists lived during the time of the prophet Moses, peace be upon him.
Meanwhile, the content of the verses of the Koran and their interpretation confirm the authenticity of the events. For example, al-Zamakhshari (let his name be blessed) who died in 1144, in his interpretation of the 92nd verse of Surah Yunus, gives a description of the body that will be found eight centuries after his (az-Zamakhshari) death.
The description is surprisingly reliable, as if the scientist saw it with his own eyes: "Let's throw you on the seashore in a secluded place. We will guard your body, preventing it from spoiling, safe and sound, naked, without clothes, for those who will come after you through several centuries, to be an example to them "(Kashshoff's interpretation, volume 2, pp. 251-252).
Statements in the verse and interpretations of the Qur'an about the integrity and safety of the body indicate that it was not mummified. As you know, when mummifying a dead body, some of its internal organs are removed. And here everything is in place. It also coincides with the descriptions in the Koran and interpretations of the position of this miraculously preserved body. 10.01.09 Inessa

Hello Ines. From the point of view of the distribution of the energy of Ramses the second, Meritamon was its primary incarnation, and therefore is considered the only one in this capacity.
24.11.11 Sergey

Question to everyone. When visiting Sharm El Sheikh a couple of years ago, I saw a papyrus depicting Akhenaten and Hathor. The guide said that it was the "Great meeting of the King and the Deity". Hathor did something useful for Akhenaten (after all, the daughter of the Sun-God). And on the trail. a year, already in Hurghada, I came across a papyrus with Ramses and Hathor, and this was also called the Great Meeting. About the same image, but with Akhenaten, local guides did not know anything .. That is. According to the Hurghada version, the Daughter of the Sun God Hathor favored Ramses, and according to the SHESH version, the same Hathor instructed Akhenaten. So how was it really? On the papyri, you can clearly see who is who, sorry, I don’t have any pictures. I am very surprised by these so different interpretations of the stories.
30.11.08 Alexander

I really liked everything about the great Pharaoh Ramses write more about his wife Nifertari. Thank you very much.11,12,2007
12.12.07 Olga

I would very much like to learn more about Nefertari - the "Light of Egypt". And so I really liked it.
18.05.06 , Olga

I read in one book about the mysterious figures on the ceiling of the temple of Seti in Abydos, which allegedly depict "modern military aviation." I would like to receive some information in this regard. I would be very grateful for the photos of these figures, which caused such associations among the researchers.
24.08.05 , [email protected], Valery

I also have a small request for you, if you can send me poems about the statue of Ramses the Second Great, I accidentally heard them on TV and I really liked them. Thank you in advance.
12.08.05 , [email protected], Alexei

If you want to know more about Ramesses II, read the book "Ramses" by Christian Jacques, Phoenix Publishing House, 5 volumes
16.04.05 , [email protected], Konstantin

Very interesting article. Thanks to the person who worked on it. I have only one request, nowhere can I find complete information about Nifertari and her common children with Ramses. This is the only one of the wives of the pharaohs so glorified by her husband and so little information. Help me learn more. Thanks in advance!
31.03.05 , [email protected], Pauline

I have a big request for you! If possible, send me a list of names that existed at that time.
16.02.05 , [email protected], Anna

I saw a large statue of Ramses - it seemed to me that something was wrong with his knees ... some kind of unnatural. Maybe he was wounded in the war? Interesting...
31.03.04 , [email protected] Lena

All my life I have been fond of Egypt, an amazing country! I would like to know more about its rulers, send, please!
16.02.04 , [email protected], Verest

I am studying in Switzerland and we are going through the history of Ramsess in History. I urgently need to write about him briefly, but touch on a lot, help ...
16.02.04 , [email protected], Satyrn

I recently accidentally saw a program about Ramses the Great and from there I began to look for various information about him. If it's not difficult, please send more information. I will be very grateful
09.06.03 , [email protected], Volodya

I have long been interested in the history of ancient Egypt. Ramses II is one of the most colorful personalities in it. Here you gave this great pharaoh a very complete and reliable characterization. The design of this work is also impressive. Thank you.
29.04.03 , [email protected], Olga

Ramesses II the Great The pharaoh of ancient Egypt, who ruled from about 1279-1212 BC. e., from the 19th dynasty. Son of Seti I and Queen Tuya. One of the greatest pharaohs of ancient Egypt. He was mainly given the honorary title of A-nakhtu, that is, "Winner". Monuments and papyri often call him the popular nickname Sesu or Sessu. This is undoubtedly the same name that is mentioned in the tradition of Manetho in this way: "Setosis, which is also called Ramesses." Among the Greeks, this name turned into Sesostris, the hero and world conqueror of legendary tales. The number of his monuments of various degrees of preservation in Egypt and Nubia is extremely large.

Accession to the throne

Ramesses II ascended the throne on the 27th day of the third month of the Shemu season (i.e. Drought). The young king was at that time about twenty years old. Despite the huge number of monuments and documents bearing the name of Ramses II, the history of his more than 66-year reign is covered rather unevenly in the sources. Dated documents exist for each year of his reign, but they are extremely heterogeneous: from religious monuments to honey pots from Deir el-Medina.

Victory over the Nubians and Libyans

The change of pharaohs could, as in former times, inspire the hopes of successful uprisings among the oppressed peoples. From the first months of the reign of Ramesses, the image of the bringing of the Canaanite captives to the pharaoh has been preserved, but it is somewhat arbitrary. But the uprising in Nubia was, apparently, so significant that it took the personal presence of the pharaoh to suppress it. The country was pacified. During this campaign, only in one sparsely populated region of Irem, 7 thousand people were captured. The governor of Ramesses in Nubia was able to deliver him a rich tribute in the first months of his reign, and was made happy for this with awards and royal goodwill. It is possible that at the very beginning of his reign, Ramesses also had to deal with the Libyans. In any case, an image of his triumph over his western neighbor has been preserved, referring to the first months of his reign.

Defeat of the Sherdans

Not later than the 2nd year of his reign, Ramesses defeated the Sherdans - representatives of one of the "peoples of the sea" (it is believed that they subsequently settled the island of Sardinia). Egyptian inscriptions speak of enemy ships and their defeat during sleep. From this we can conclude that the case took place at sea or on one of the Nile branches and that the warlike Sherdans were taken by surprise by the Egyptians. The captured Sherdans were included in the ranks of the Egyptian army. They seemed to feel quite well in the service of the pharaoh, as later images show them fighting in Syria and Palestine in the forefront of Ramesses' soldiers.

Successes in domestic affairs

Certain successes have been achieved in domestic affairs. In the autumn of the 1st year of his reign, in the vacant place of the first priest of Amon, Ramesses appointed the faithful Nebunenef (Nib-unanaf), who previously held the post of the first priest of the Tini god Onuris (An-Khara). In the 3rd year of the reign of Ramesses, only at a depth of 6 meters, water was finally found in the gold mines in Wadi Alaki, which significantly increased gold production there.

War with the Hittites

First trip

Having thus strengthened the state, Ramesses began to prepare for a big war with the Hittites. Since Ramesses referred to the "second expedition" as the campaign that ended with the Battle of Kadesh in the 5th year of his reign, it can be assumed that the stele erected in the 4th year at Nahr el-Kelb, north of Beirut, is a reminder of the first campaign. . Despite the fact that almost the entire text has been lost, the image of Ra-Horakhti stretching out his hand to the king leading the captive, allows us to talk about some kind of military event. Apparently, in the 4th year of his reign, Ramesses undertook his first campaign in Asia Minor, aimed at subjugating the sea coast of Palestine and Phenicia, as a necessary prerequisite for further successful struggle against the Hittites. During this campaign, Ramesses took the city of Berit and reached the Eleutheros River (El-Kebira, "Dog's River"), where he set up his memorial stele. The fact that Nahr el-Kelb is located on the territory occupied by the Amurru tribes probably indicates the subordination of the Amurru king Benteshin to the Egyptian authorities. This happened, first of all, due to the intensification of the Hittite raids, while the Egyptian presence guaranteed at least some calmness. It was this event that became the reason for declaring war between Ramesses II and the Hittite king Muwatalli: this is quite clear from the text of the treaty signed by Shaushkamuya, the son of Benteshin and Tudhaliya, the son of Muwatalli.

Battle of Kadesh

Egyptian army

In the spring of the 5th year of his reign, Ramesses, having gathered more than 20,000 troops, set out from the border fortress of Chilu on the second campaign. After 29 days, counting from the day of the departure from Chilu, four military units of the Egyptians, named after Amon, Ra, Ptah and Set, each of which had about 5 thousand soldiers, set up camp at a distance of one transition from Kadesh. One of the formations, called in Canaanite “well done” (non-arim), and composed by the pharaoh, apparently from the best warriors, was sent along the sea coast even earlier, for subsequent reunion with the main forces at Kadesh. The next day, in the morning, an army of thousands of Egyptians began crossing the Orontes at Shabtun (later known to the Jews as Ribla). Misled by Hittite scouts sent to the Egyptian camp, who assured that the Hittites had retreated far to the north, to Aleppo, Ramesses with one detachment of "Amon" that had already crossed, without waiting for the crossing of the rest of the army, moved to Kadesh.

Hittite army

In the north, on a small headland at the confluence of the Orontes with its left tributary, battlements and towers of Kadesh were piled up. And in the trans-river plain, to the north-east of the fortress, hidden by the city, the entire army of the Hittite kingdom and its allies stood in full combat readiness. According to Egyptian sources, the Hittite army consisted of 3,500 chariots with three warriors each and 17,000 infantry. The total number of soldiers was approximately 28 thousand. But the Hittite army was extremely mixed and largely mercenary. In addition to the Hittite warriors, almost all the Anatolian and Syrian kingdoms were represented in it: Artsava, Lucca, Kizzuvatna, Aravanna, Euphrates Syria, Karchemish, Halab, Ugarit, Nukhashshe, Kadesh, nomadic tribes and so on. Each of these multi-tribal allies appeared under the command of their rulers and, consequently, it was extremely difficult for Muwatalli to manage all this crowd. King Hatti Muwatalli had every reason to avoid fighting the Egyptians in open battle. It was difficult to count on such hordes to defeat the Egyptian army in open battle, united, well-trained and guided by a single will. The ensuing sixteen-year struggle showed that Hatti's troops avoided battles in the open field and holed up more in Syrian fortresses. In any case, none of the innumerable monuments of Ramesses II shows a single major battle with the kingdom of Hatti outside the city walls after the battle of Kadesh. But the battle of Kadesh itself proves that the Hittites relied more on deceit and surprise attacks than on their military strength.

Battle

Having crossed the Orontes, the “Ra” unit did not wait for the parts of “Ptah” and “Set”, which had not yet even approached the ford, and went north to meet with the pharaoh. Meanwhile, south of Kadesh, out of sight of the Egyptians, the bulk of the enemy's chariot troops concentrated. The crossing of his chariots across the Orontes, obviously, was carried out in advance and passed unnoticed by the Egyptians. The “Ra” unit in marching order, not ready for battle, was attacked by enemy chariots, and was dispersed with lightning speed, and the chariots fell on the “Amon” unit, which was engaged in setting up the camp. Part of the Egyptian soldiers fled, and part, along with the pharaoh, was surrounded. The Egyptians suffered huge losses. Ramesses managed to rally his guard around him and take up a circular defense. Only the fact that the Hittite infantry could not cross the stormy waters of the Orontes and did not come to the aid of their chariots contributed to the salvation of Ramesses from inevitable defeat. A happy accident - the unexpected appearance on the battlefield of another detachment of the Egyptians, the same one that was walking along the seashore, somewhat corrected the situation, and the Egyptians were able to hold out until the evening, when the Ptah detachment approached Kadesh. The Hittites were forced to retreat behind the Orontes, receiving, in turn, damage while crossing the river. In this battle, two brothers of the Hittite king Muwatalli, several military leaders and many other notable Hittites and their allies died. The next day, in the morning, Ramesses again attacked the Hittite army, but it was not possible to break the enemy in this battle either. In any case, no source says that the pharaoh took possession of Kadesh. The bloodless opponents were clearly unable to defeat each other. The Hittite king Muwatalli offered the pharaoh a truce, which gave Ramesses the opportunity to honorably retreat and return safely to Egypt. The Hittite king successfully continued his actions in order to subjugate Amurra and, as a result, removed the ruler Benteshin. The Hittites even moved further south and captured the country of Ube (i.e., the oasis of Damascus), formerly belonging to Egypt.

Sources for the Battle of Kadesh

The Battle of Kadesh greatly impressed Ramesses II, who ordered the story of this event and grandiose panoramic "illustrations" to be reproduced on the walls of many temple complexes, including those in Abydos, Karnak, Luxor, Ramesseum and Abu Simbel. The main sources of what happened are three different texts: a long detailed story with included lyrical digressions - the so-called "Pentaur's Poem"; a short story dedicated to the events of the battle itself - "Report" and comments on relief compositions. Several Hittite documents also mention the Battle of Kadesh.

Capture of Dapur

Sources regarding the further course of the war with the Hittites are very scarce, and the order of events is not entirely reliable. The wars in Asia that Ramesses II waged after the 5th year of his reign were caused, first of all, by the new strengthening of the Hittite kingdom, the hostility of the Syrian north and the loss of Amurru. In the 8th year of his reign, Ramesses again invaded Asia Minor. The result of this campaign was the capture of Dapur. With the assistance of his sons, Ramesses besieged and took this strategically important fortress. The capture of Dapur, depicted on the walls of the Ramesseum, Ramesses considered one of his most glorious deeds. He gave this feat second place after the "victory" at Kadesh. Dapur, located according to the Egyptian texts “in the country of Amur, in the region of the city of Tunip”, probably by this time had already entered the Hittite Empire, since some sources mention its location at the same time “in the country of Hatti”. As usual, the attack was preceded by a battle on the plain under the fortress, and soon she herself was taken, and a representative of the king of Hatti came out to Ramses, leading a calf intended as a gift to the pharaoh, accompanied by women carrying vessels and baskets of bread.

Defeat of Syria and Phoenicia

By the time of Ramesses II, the military art of the Egyptians had stepped far ahead compared to the time of the slow methods of Thutmose III, who founded the "Egyptian world power" two centuries earlier. He preferred to starve the fortified cities and often, having not achieved his goal, in impotent rage devastated the surrounding gardens and fields. On the contrary, the wars of Ramesses II turned into a continuous assault on large and small fortresses. With the difficult situation in which the Egyptians found themselves in Syria-Palestine, the pharaoh could not waste time on a long siege. A list of cities "captured by His Majesty" in Asia is preserved on the wall of the Ramesseum. Many toponyms are poorly preserved, some are still not localized. In the country of Kede, possibly located on the outskirts of Anatolia, a fortified city with a magnificent princely palace was taken. Apparently, at the same time, Akka on the Phoenician coast, Yenoam on the border with southern Lebanon, and other northern Palestinian cities were taken and plundered, are also mentioned in the Ramesseum list. Although none of the documents speak of the capture of Kadesh, but in view of the fact that Ramses made conquests far north of this city, the latter was undoubtedly captured by the Egyptians. Ramesses also took the city of Tunip, where he erected his own statue. But when Ramesses returned to Egypt, the Hittites again occupied Tunip, and in the 10th year of his reign, Ramesses was again forced to take this city. Moreover, during this, some incident happened to him again; Ramesses, for some reason, even had to fight without armor, but information about this feat, unfortunately, is too fragmentary to accurately form an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat happened to him. This event is mentioned in the text of a stele in the Nahr el-Kelb valley.

Continuation of hostilities

Apparently, during the struggle of Ramesses in Syria or somewhat later, there were some unrest in Palestine. An undated scene at Karnak depicts the subjugation of the city of Ascalon. In the 18th year, Ramses conducted military operations in the area of ​​the city of Beit Shean. Between the 11th and 20th years of his reign, Ramesses was busy consolidating Egyptian rule in Palestine. Undated military campaigns are depicted on the walls of Luxor, Karnak and Abydos. Among the reliefs of Luxor, a military campaign in the region of Moab is mentioned; it is also known that Ramesses fought with the Shasu tribes in the south of the Dead Sea in the region of Seir, later renamed Edom. To the east of the Lake of Gennesaret, Ramesses erected a slab to commemorate his visit to the area. The Ramesseum List mentions Beth Anat, Kanach, and Merom, cities that, by biblical tradition, are located in Galilee. The inscriptions of Ramesses claim that he conquered Naharin (the Euphrates regions), Lower Rechen (Northern Syria), Arvad, Keftiu (Cyprus Island), Katna. However, despite the large number of victories, the “world” power of Thutmose III was not fully restored: in all endeavors, the kingdom of Hatti interfered with Ramses, being the support of the petty princes of Syria-Palestine. Ultimately, Northern Syria and even the kingdom of Amurru remained under the kingdom of Hatti. Only in the coastal strip, according to Egyptian sources, did the pharaoh's possessions reach at least as far as Simira.

Peace treaty between Egypt and the Hittites

With the death of Muwatalli, which probably took place in the 10th year of the reign of Ramesses II, the climate of relations between Egypt and Hatti became noticeably warmer. The son of Muwatalli, Urhi-Teshub, inherited the throne under the name of Mursili III, but was soon replaced by his uncle Hattusili III, who made peace with Egypt. It may be that the formation of a strong Assyrian state and the fears associated with it gradually contributed to the reconciliation of rivals.

At the beginning of the winter of the 21st year of the reign of Ramesses II, the ambassador of Hattusili, accompanied by an Egyptian translator, arrived in the capital of the pharaoh Per-Ramses and handed the Egyptian king on behalf of his sovereign a silver tablet with a cuneiform text of the treaty, certified by seals depicting the king and queen of Hatti in the arms of their deities. The treaty was translated into Egyptian and subsequently immortalized on the walls of Karnak and the Ramesseum. The text of the treaty, which the pharaoh sent to Hattusili in exchange for his tablet, was also in cuneiform, drawn up in the then international Akkadian language. Its fragments are preserved in the archives of Bogazkoy. Basically, the agreement was aimed at ensuring the mutual inviolability of possessions and providing assistance, infantry and chariots, in the event of an attack on one of the contracting parties or an uprising of subjects. Both sides pledged to hand over the defectors. It was the first diplomatically formalized treaty in world history that has survived to this day.

Whether due to the signing of this treaty or due to poor health, the period of active military campaigns of Ramesses II came to an end. The time of active diplomatic correspondence between the two countries began. Messages from Ramesses II, his family and the vizier Paser, addressed to King Hattusili III and his wife Puduhepa, were found in the archives of Bogazkey. Egyptian doctors were often sent to the Hittite court.

Marriage of Ramesses to Hittite Princesses

The consequence of the agreement, thirteen years after its signing, in the 34th year of the reign of the Egyptian pharaoh, was the marriage of Ramesses II and the eldest daughter of Hattusili, who took the Egyptian name Maathornefrura. Maatnefrura (Ma-nafru-Ria, "Seeing the beauty of the Sun", that is, the pharaoh). The princess became not one of the minor wives of the king, as was usually the case with foreign women at the Egyptian court, but the “great” wife of the pharaoh. The meeting of the future queen was arranged very solemnly. The princess was accompanied by her father's warriors. A lot of silver, gold and copper were carried in front of her, slaves and horses stretched "endlessly", whole herds of bulls, goats and sheep moved. From the Egyptian side, the princess was accompanied by the "royal son of Kush." The daughter of the king Hatti "was brought to his majesty, and she fell in love with his majesty." On the reliefs of the stele in Abu Simbel, which tells about this event, Hattusili III is depicted accompanying his daughter to Egypt; indeed, a letter from Ramesses II was found in the archives of Bogazkey with an offer to visit Egypt for his father-in-law, but whether such a trip was made is not known for certain. The second daughter of Hattusilis III also became the wife of Ramesses. The exact date of this marriage is unknown, but it happened already shortly before the death of the Hittite king, approximately in the 42nd year of the reign of Ramesses II.

Expansion of world trade

Peace between Egypt and Asia has been established for more than a century, which caused an "explosion" of trade activity in the region. For many cities, such as, for example, Ugarit, this era was a time of unprecedented growth and strengthening of economic well-being. Since that time, relations between Egypt and Asia have undergone qualitative changes. If earlier the participants of the Egyptian military campaigns with booty returned to the banks of the Nile, now some of them remained to live in many Syrian-Palestinian cities. In any case, such a population was recorded under Ramesses III (XX dynasty).

Construction activity

Founding of Per Ramesses

Ramesses is characterized by an extremely wide construction activity. The war with the Hittites prompted Ramesses to move his residence to the northeastern part of the Delta, perhaps on the site of the former capital of the Hyksos, Avaris, the city of Per-Ramses was built (the full name is Pi-Ria-mase-sa-Mai-Amana, "House of Ramses, beloved by Amun"), the later Tanis. Per Ramses grew into a large and prosperous city, with a magnificent temple. Above the huge pylons of this temple towered a monolithic colossus of Ramses made of granite, more than 27 m high and weighing 900 tons. This colossus was visible for many kilometers from the flat plain surrounding the Delta.

Wadi Tumilat, through which the Nile Canal, which constituted the natural route of communication between Egypt and Asia, probably already passed east to the Bitter Lakes, was also the object of careful care on the part of Ramesses. Pharaoh built on it, halfway to the Isthmus of Suez, a "storage yard" by Pete or "House of Atum". At the western end of Wadi Tumilat, he continued the construction of the city founded by his father, known as Tel el Yehudiyeh, and located just north of Heliopolis. Ramesses built temples in Memphis, of which only meager remnants have survived; buildings in Heliopolis, of which nothing remains at all. Ramesses also built in Abydos, where he completed the magnificent temple of his father, but he was not honored with this and erected his own mortuary temple not far from the temple of Seti. Ramesses ordered another memorial temple to be built in Thebes. This temple (the so-called Ramesseum), built by the architect Penra, was surrounded by a brick wall, inside which there were storerooms, outbuildings and dwellings for an entire army of priests and servants. Granite monolithic statue in front of the Ramesseum pylons, although it was somewhat lower than in Per-Ramesses, but weighed 1000 tons. Ramesses expanded the Luxor Temple, adding a vast courtyard and pylons there. He also completed the colossal Hypostyle Hall of the Temple of Karnak, the largest building in size, both ancient and modern. This hall covered an area of ​​5000 sq. m. The twelve columns on the sides of the middle aisle of the Hypostyle Hall were 21 m high, and together with the tops (architraves) and crossbeams resting on them - 24 m. At the top of such a column, 100 people could accommodate. The remaining 126 columns, arranged in 7 rows on each side of the middle aisle, had a height of 13 m.

In Nubia, in Abu Simbel, a huge cave temple was carved into a sheer rock. The entrance to this temple, carved in the form of a pylon, was decorated with 4 twenty-meter statues of Ramesses, embodying the idea of ​​glorifying the power of the pharaoh. A cave temple dedicated to his wife, Queen Nefertari (Naft-era) was carved nearby.

However, during the construction, Ramesses destroyed the ancient monuments of the country. Thus, the buildings of King Teti (VI Dynasty) served as material for the temple of Ramses in Memphis. He plundered the pyramid of Senusret II at El Lahun, destroyed the paved area around it, and smashed to pieces the magnificent buildings that stood in this area in order to obtain material for his own temple in Heracleopolis. In the Delta he used the monuments of the Middle Kingdom with equal arrogance. In order to obtain the necessary space for the expansion of the Luxor Temple, Ramesses tore down the exquisite granite chapel of Thutmose III and used the materials obtained in this way.

Wars and huge funds spent on the construction and maintenance of temples ruined the working people, enriching the nobility and priests. The poor became enslaved, the middle strata gradually lost their economic independence. Ramesses had to resort to the help of mercenaries, which weakened the military potential of the country.

Wives of Ramesses

The large family of Ramesses II is well known. Besides countless harem concubines are known his four legal spouses, at least 1 11 sons and 67 daughters.

The first legal wife of the young Ramesses II was the famous beauty Nefertari, who was considered a queen, as evidenced by the inscription in the tomb of the priest Amon Nebunenef, already in the 1st year of her husband's independent reign. Surprisingly, almost nothing is known about the origin of the queen.

During his long reign, rightfully considered one of the eras of the highest flowering of Egyptian civilization, a huge number of temple complexes and monumental works of art were created, including the unique rock temples of Nubia - in Abu Simbel, Wadi es-Sebua, western Amar, Bet el-Wali, Derre, Gerf Hussein, Anibe, Kaveh, Buhene and Gebel Barkale.
Even more striking in its scope building program of the king in Egypt itself:
- several temples and the famous colossi in Memphis;
- the courtyard and the colossal first pylon of the temple in Luxor, decorated with royal colossi and obelisks;
- Ramesseum - a memorial complex on the western bank of the Nile in Thebes;
- temple in Abydos;
- Completion of construction and decoration of the grandiose hypostyle hall of the temple of Amun-Ra in Karnak.

In addition, the monuments of Ramses II are recorded in Edfu, Armant, Akhmim, Heliopolis, Bubastis, Athribis, Herakleopolis. Under Ramesses II, part of the temple of the goddess Hathor was built at Serabit el-Khadim in Sinai. In general, Ramesses II built many statues and temples in his honor in various parts of Egypt. The largest to date are two 20-meter statues of a seated Ramesses II in Abu Simbel in the south of the country.

The “marriage stelae” of Ramesses II that have come down to our time testify not only to the strengthening of good relations between the powers, two marriages of Ramses II and Hittite princesses, one of which occupied a very high place at the court and received the Egyptian name Maathornefrura.

The first main wife of Ramesses II was the famous beauty Nefertari Merenmut, to whom the small temple in Abu Simbel was dedicated; after the premature death of the queen, buried in a tomb of unique beauty in the Valley of the Queens (QV66), her eldest daughter, Princess Meritamon, took her place. Among the other wives of the king, the most famous are queens Isitnofret I, her daughter Bent-Anat, as well as queens Nebettawi and Khenutmir. Ramesses II himself had at least seven wives and dozens of concubines, from whom he had 40 daughters and 45 sons.

In the northeast of the Nile Delta, where his family came from, Ramesses II founded a new capital, Per-Ramses (modern Kantir and Tell ed-Daba), on the site of the old palace of his father Seti I. This city remained the main residence of the kings of the XIX-XX dynasties. Nevertheless, the religious capital of the country remained in Thebes, and royal burials were still carved in the rocks of the Valley of the Kings. The tomb of Ramesses II (KV7) was not completed and is currently in extremely poor condition due to the damaging effects of groundwater and rainstorms; superbly preserved, the royal mummy was discovered in 1881 among other royal bodies in the cache of Deir el-Bahri 320. In September 1975, the mummy of Ramesses II was subjected to a unique general conservation process at the Institute of Man in Paris.

In the reign of Ramesses II, the cults of Amun, Ra, Ptah and Set enjoyed special reverence; however, it was precisely at this time that Asian influence became more and more noticeable in the religious life of the country, expressed in the inclusion in the Egyptian pantheon of foreign deities associated with war or the sea element hostile to the Egyptians.

In the last years of the reign of Ramesses II was deified as " Great Soul of Ra-Khorakhte”, thus declaring himself the incarnation of the solar god on earth. Ramesses II died in the 67th year of his reign and survived twelve of his sons, among whom two - the military leader Amenherkhepeshef and Khaemuas, the high priest of the god Ptah in Memphis, bore the title of heir to the throne for a particularly long time. The Egyptian throne was inherited by the thirteenth son of the king - Merneptah, the son of Queen Isitnofret I, by this time - a middle-aged man. He was the first of several successors of Ramesses II, whose brief reigns ended the 19th dynasty.

Millennia after the reign of Ramesses II, his cult flourished in Memphis and Abydos.. The legacy of the image of the king and his sons in ancient Egyptian and ancient tales and legends has become very indicative. In Thebes around 300 BC. e. to maintain the authority of their temple, the priests of the god Khonsu even erected a massive stele in the sanctuary of the god, the text of which, telling about the journey of the healing statue of the god Khonsu to the country of Bakhtan, was inspired by the Asian campaigns of Ramses II and his wedding with the Hittite princesses.

The text of the treaty of Ramses II with the Hittite king Hattusili III carved on stone (this is the oldest peace treaty preserved in history) is on display in the lobby of the New York headquarters of the UN.

In September 2008, during excavations in the Ain Shams area in eastern Cairo, a group of Egyptian archaeologists discovered the ruins of the temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, and fragments of a giant statue of Ramesses II were also found in the area.