Home › New Kingdom › 19th Dynasty
_01.jpg){kind=link}
New Kingdom · 19th Dynasty
Ramesses II
- Reign
- 1279–1213 BC
- Throne name
- User-maat-Re
- Dynasty
- 19th Dynasty
- Period
- New Kingdom, c. 1550–1070 BC
- Capital at the time
- Thebes, Memphis, at times Akhetaten (Amarna) and Pi-Ramesses
Ramesses II is listed in the king list under ‘19th Dynasty’ and so belongs to this period: New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC). Reign: 1279–1213 BC. The throne name is User-maat-Re.
Ramesses II in portrait
Reigned for around 66 years, fought the Hittites at Kadesh and concluded the oldest known peace treaty in history.
Ramesses II came to the throne around 1279 BC at the age of about 25 and lived to almost 90. The Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites in 1274 BC ended in what was effectively a military draw, but was celebrated in Egypt as a great victory. In 1259 BC the two empires signed the Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty — the oldest peace treaty in world history to survive in writing. According to the sources, he had more than 100 children.
What is known about Ramesses II
Ramesses II was one of the most important pharaohs. After conflicts with the Hittites, the first known peace treaty in world history was drawn up under his rule. His building activity was the most extensive of all the pharaohs.
From the German Wikipedia list of pharaohs, CC BY-SA 4.0, translated and edited.
During this reign
- 1274 BCBattle of Kadesh between Ramesses II and the Hittites.
- 1259 BCEgyptian–Hittite peace treaty, the oldest surviving peace treaty in the world.
- c. 1250 BCRock temples of Abu Simbel. In 1964–1968 they were cut into blocks and moved to safety from the rising waters of Lake Nasser.
Other events of the period
- c. 1323 BCDeath of Tutankhamun. His almost intact tomb, KV62, is discovered by Howard Carter in 1922.
- c. 1180 BCRamesses III repels the ‘Sea Peoples’ and has the victory depicted at Medinet Habu.
More about this period: New Kingdom
19th Dynasty: all rulers
This site is free and has no banner ads. Here is how you can support it