Ramses II, often called Ramses the Great, ruled Egypt for 66 years, from 1279 to 1213 BC. He built more monuments than any other pharaoh, fought one of the most famous battles of the ancient world, signed one of the earliest known peace treaties, and fathered more than a hundred children. To later generations of Egyptians he was simply “the great ancestor”.
The Battle of Kadesh
In about 1274 BC, Ramses led his army into Syria against the Hittites at Kadesh. His forces were ambushed, and he claimed to have saved the day almost single-handed. In truth the battle ended in a draw, but Ramses had it carved as a great victory on temple walls at Abu Simbel, Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Ramesseum. About 15 years later, Egypt and the Hittites agreed a peace treaty. A copy hangs at the United Nations in New York.
His monuments
Ramses built the temples of Abu Simbel, his memorial temple, the Ramesseum, a new capital in the Delta called Pi-Ramesses, the great hypostyle hall at Karnak with his father Seti I, and the pylon of Luxor Temple, and he put his name on many older monuments too. His colossal statue greets visitors at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
His family
His favorite wife was Queen Nefertari, for whom he built the smaller temple at Abu Simbel and one of the most beautiful tombs in Egypt. He outlived many of his children, and was succeeded by his 13th son, Merenptah.
His mummy
Ramses’s mummy is now in the Royal Mummies Hall of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo. In 1976 it was flown to Paris for conservation, and it is said he was issued an Egyptian passport for the trip.
