The Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt (notated Dynasty XIX), also known as the Ramessid dynasty, is classified as the second Dynasty of the
Ancient Egyptian
New Kingdom period, lasting from 1292 BC to 1189 BC. The 19th Dynasty and the 20th Dynasty furthermore together constitute an era known as the ''Ramesside period''. This Dynasty was founded by
Vizier Ramesses I
Menpehtyre Ramesses I (or Ramses) was the founding pharaoh of ancient Egypt's 19th Dynasty. The dates for his short reign are not completely known but the time-line of late 1292–1290 BC is frequently cited as well as 1295–1294 BC. While R ...
, whom
Pharaoh
Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian: '' pr ꜥꜣ''; cop, , Pǝrro; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') is the vernacular term often used by modern authors for the kings of ancient Egypt who ruled as monarchs from the First Dynasty (c. 3150 BC) until th ...
Horemheb chose as his successor to the throne.
History
Background
The warrior kings of the early
18th Dynasty had encountered only little resistance from neighbouring kingdoms, allowing them to expand their realm of influence easily, but the international situation had changed radically towards the end of the dynasty. The
Hittites
The Hittites () were an Anatolian people who played an important role in establishing first a kingdom in Kussara (before 1750 BC), then the Kanesh or Nesha kingdom (c. 1750–1650 BC), and next an empire centered on Hattusa in north-cent ...
had gradually extended their influence into Syria and
Canaan
Canaan (; Phoenician: 𐤊𐤍𐤏𐤍 – ; he, כְּנַעַן – , in pausa – ; grc-bib, Χανααν – ;The current scholarly edition of the Greek Old Testament spells the word without any accents, cf. Septuaginta : id est Vetus T ...
to become a major power in international politics, a power that both
Seti I
Menmaatre Seti I (or Sethos I in Greek) was the second pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt during the New Kingdom period, ruling c.1294 or 1290 BC to 1279 BC. He was the son of Ramesses I and Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II.
The ...
and his son
Ramesses II
Ramesses II ( egy, rꜥ-ms-sw ''Rīʿa-məsī-sū'', , meaning "Ra is the one who bore him"; ), commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Along with Thutmose III he is often regarded a ...
would confront in the future.
19th Dynasty
Seti and Ramesses II
The New Kingdom of Egypt reached the zenith of its power under Seti I and Ramesses II ("The Great"), who campaigned vigorously against the
Libyans and the Hittites. The city of
Kadesh was first captured by Seti I, who decided to concede it to
Muwatalli of
Hatti Hatti may refer to
*Hatti (; Assyrian ) in Bronze Age Anatolia:
**the area of Hattusa, roughly delimited by the Halys bend
**the Hattians of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC
**the Hittites of ''ca'' 1400–1200 BC
**the areas to the west of the Euphr ...
in an informal peace treaty between Egypt and Hatti. Ramesses II later attempted unsuccessfully to alter this situation in his fifth regnal year by launching an
attack on Kadesh in his Second Syrian campaign in
1274 BC; he was caught in history's first recorded military ambush, but thanks to the arrival of the Ne'arin (a force allied with Egypt), Ramesses was able to rally his troops and turn the tide of battle against the Hittites. Ramesses II later profited from the Hittites' internal difficulties, during his eighth and ninth regnal years, when he campaigned against their Syrian possessions, capturing Kadesh and portions of Southern Syria, and advancing as far north as
Tunip, where no Egyptian soldier had been seen for 120 years. He ultimately accepted that a campaign against the Hittites was an unsupportable drain on Egypt's treasury and military. In his 21st regnal year, Ramesses signed the earliest recorded peace treaty with
Urhi-Teshub's successor,
Hattusili III, and with that act Egypt-Hittite relations improved significantly. Ramesses II even married two Hittite princesses, the first after his second
Sed Festival.
Merneptah
This dynasty declined as infighting for the throne between the heirs of
Merneptah increased.
Amenmesse
Amenmesse (also Amenmesses or Amenmose) was the fifth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt, possibly the son of Merneptah and Queen Takhat. Others consider him to be one of the innumerable sons of Ramesses II. Very little is kn ...
apparently usurped the throne from Merneptah's son and successor,
Seti II
Seti II (or Sethos II) was the fifth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt and reigned from 1203 BC to 1197 BC. His throne name, Userkheperure Setepenre, means "Powerful are the manifestations of Re, the chosen one of Re." H ...
, but he ruled Egypt for only four years. After his death, Seti regained power and destroyed most of Amenmesse's monuments. Seti was served at court by
Chancellor Bay, who was originally just a 'royal scribe' but quickly became one of the most powerful men in Egypt, gaining the unprecedented privilege of constructing his own tomb in the
Valley of the Kings (
KV13). Both Bay and Seti's chief wife,
Twosret, had a sinister reputation in Ancient Egyptian folklore. After
Siptah's death, Twosret ruled Egypt for two more years, but she proved unable to maintain her hold on power amid the conspiracies and powerplays being hatched at the royal court. She was likely ousted in a revolt led by
Setnakhte, founder of the
20th Dynasty.
Pharaohs of the 19th Dynasty
The
pharaoh
Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian: '' pr ꜥꜣ''; cop, , Pǝrro; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') is the vernacular term often used by modern authors for the kings of ancient Egypt who ruled as monarchs from the First Dynasty (c. 3150 BC) until th ...
s of the 19th Dynasty ruled for approximately 110 years: from c. 1292 to 1187 BC. Many of the pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes (designated KV). More information can be found on the Theban Mapping Project website.
Timeline of the 19th Dynasty
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from: -1292 till: -1290 color:PA text:"Ramesses I
Menpehtyre Ramesses I (or Ramses) was the founding pharaoh of ancient Egypt's 19th Dynasty. The dates for his short reign are not completely known but the time-line of late 1292–1290 BC is frequently cited as well as 1295–1294 BC. While R ...
( 1292 BC – 1290 BC)"
from: -1290 till: -1279 color:PA text:"Seti I
Menmaatre Seti I (or Sethos I in Greek) was the second pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt during the New Kingdom period, ruling c.1294 or 1290 BC to 1279 BC. He was the son of Ramesses I and Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II.
The ...
( 1290 BC – 1279 BC)"
from: -1279 till: -1213 color:PA text:"Ramesses II
Ramesses II ( egy, rꜥ-ms-sw ''Rīʿa-məsī-sū'', , meaning "Ra is the one who bore him"; ), commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Along with Thutmose III he is often regarded a ...
( 1279 BC – 1213 BC The 1210s BC is a decade which lasted from 1219 BC to 1210 BC.
{{Decadebox BC, 121 Events and trends
* 1213 BC– 1203 BC—Merneptah Stele makes the earliest recorded mention of Israel.
* 1213 BC—Theseus, legendary King of Athens, is deposed ...
)"
from: -1213 till: -1203 color:PA text:" Merneptah (1213 BC The 1210s BC is a decade which lasted from 1219 BC to 1210 BC.
{{Decadebox BC, 121 Events and trends
* 1213 BC– 1203 BC—Merneptah Stele makes the earliest recorded mention of Israel.
* 1213 BC—Theseus, legendary King of Athens, is deposed ...
– 1203 BC The 1200s BC is a decade which lasted from 1209 BC to 1200 BC.
Events and trends
* 1207 BC
**Pharaoh Merneptah claims a victory over the Israelites.
**October 30 – Earliest known dateable solar eclipse.
* 1206 BC: Approximate starting date ...
)"
from: -1203 till: -1199 color:PA text:"Amenmesse
Amenmesse (also Amenmesses or Amenmose) was the fifth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt, possibly the son of Merneptah and Queen Takhat. Others consider him to be one of the innumerable sons of Ramesses II. Very little is kn ...
(1203 BC The 1200s BC is a decade which lasted from 1209 BC to 1200 BC.
Events and trends
* 1207 BC
**Pharaoh Merneptah claims a victory over the Israelites.
**October 30 – Earliest known dateable solar eclipse.
* 1206 BC: Approximate starting date ...
– 1199 BC
The 1190s BC is a decade which lasted from 1199 BC to 1190 BC.
Events and trends
* 1197 BC—The beginning of the first period (1197 BC–982 BC) according to Shao Yong's concept of the I Ching and history.
* 1194 BC—The beginning of the legen ...
)"
from: -1203 till: -1197 color:PA text:"Seti II
Seti II (or Sethos II) was the fifth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt and reigned from 1203 BC to 1197 BC. His throne name, Userkheperure Setepenre, means "Powerful are the manifestations of Re, the chosen one of Re." H ...
(1203 BC The 1200s BC is a decade which lasted from 1209 BC to 1200 BC.
Events and trends
* 1207 BC
**Pharaoh Merneptah claims a victory over the Israelites.
**October 30 – Earliest known dateable solar eclipse.
* 1206 BC: Approximate starting date ...
– 1197 BC)"
from: -1197 till: -1191 color:PA text:" Siptah ( 1197 BC – 1191 BC)"
from: -1191 till: -1189 color:PA text:" Twosret ( 1191 BC – 1189 BC)"
barset:skip
Gallery of images
File:Sethos I 01.jpg, Seti I
File:Abu Simbel 008.jpg, Ramesses II
File:Twosret.jpg, Twosret
File:Shabti of Siptah MET DP109391.jpg, Shabti of Siptah
File:BayIrsu.jpg, Chancellor Bay
File:Turin statue of Seti II.jpg, Seti II
See also
*
List of children of Ramesses II
References
{{Authority control
States and territories established in the 13th century BC
States and territories disestablished in the 12th century BC
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New Kingdom of Egypt
13th century BC in Egypt
12th century BC in Egypt
13th-century BC establishments in Egypt
12th-century BC disestablishments in Egypt
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