King Ramses II, the Great Pharaoh
King Ramesses II (1303–1213 BC) was the 3rd king of Egypt’s 19th dynasty. Many people regard him as the greatest, most famous, and most powerful king of the New Kingdom, which was Ancient Egypt’s most powerful period. King Ramses II, often known as Ramesses The Great, was one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs. One of his most famous titles is Ozymandias, which is Greek meaning “The Matt of Ra is Powerful, Chosen of Ra,” which means “The Matt of Ra is Powerful, Chosen of Ra.
His legacy began when he was born in 1303 BC to his father Pharaoh Seti I and his mother Queen Tuya as the third monarch of the 19th dynasty (1292-1186 BCE). When he was 14 years old, he was second-in-command during his father’s military operations in Nubia, Libya, and Palestine, and by the age of 22, he was directing his own campaigns with his sons Khaemweser and Amunhirwenemef. He was a legendary emperor who was known for his boundless ambition, wisdom, and foresight.
Ramses II becomes Egypt’s king
Ramses was a brilliant military leader who protected his empire against various enemies such as Hittites, Libyans, Syrians, and Nubians after his father (King Seti 1st) died in 1279 BCE at the age of 25. His reign lasted for 67 years until 1213 B.C., and he was a brilliant military leader who protected his empire against various enemies such as Hittites, Libyans, Syrians, and Nubians.
He led his army, which numbered 100,000 men during his reign, on numerous campaigns to Nubia and the Levant to expand his empire and restore the Egyptian empire’s glory by capturing many cities in the Levant, as well as warning the Hittites about their unwise hostile actions toward Egypt, which culminated in the battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC between Ramses II and the Hittites in the city of Kadesh. The fight is regarded as the most well-documented in all of ancient history. In this fight, no one won, but both sides claimed victory, resulting in the first documented peace pact in history.
King Ramses II’s Best Works
Ramses II was at war with the Hittites. He built a new city in the Nile River delta. It was named Per Ramess and served as his home. Ramses II was Egypt’s second-longest-reigning monarch. He ruled for 67 years. Pharaoh Pepi II ruled for 90 years.
During his reign, Ramses built many temples. He also rebuilt and expanded many of his ancestors’ structures. These include the Amenhotep III Temple in Luxor and the Hall of Columns in Karnak Temple.
Ramses wanted to immortalize his legacy. He built his own temples, like the Ramesseum on the west side of the river. It showed his travels to Nubia and his great accomplishments. Time, however, has destroyed most of it. Only a few remains exist today.
He also built the Abu Simbel Temples. They served as Egypt’s back gate and final frontier from the deep south. The complex has two temples. The larger one is for Ramses and shows his battle victories. The smaller one is for his wife, Nefertari. During his rule, he carved his name on every temple. He also built huge sculptures and monuments.
His Death
Ramses II was a powerful king. He had over 200 wives. His favorite was his primary wife, Nefertari. He also had about 105 sons and 54 daughters.
We found Ramses II’s mummy near Hatshepsut’s temple in Luxor in 1213 BCE and moved it to the Egyptian Museum and later to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo. We also moved his great statue from Ramses Square to the new Grand Egyptian Museum.
I hope you enjoyed learning about King Ramses II. If you want to see his amazing monuments, check out our Egypt tour packages and Nile river cruises. They are designed for you to see the best of his work and other wonders of Egypt.
