Ramesses III, The Final Warrior Pharaoh: Savior of Egypt in Her Darkest Hour—Part I

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Ramesses III, The Final Warrior Pharaoh: Savior of Egypt in Her Darkest Hour—Part I

Ramesses III, The Final Warrior Pharaoh: Savior of Egypt in Her Darkest Hour—Part I

The reign of Ramesses III proved to be unprecedented in more ways than one. While most of his predecessors often had to thwart the designs of Egypt’s enemies one at a time, he had to quell invasion attempts by a coalition of savage forces on land and water. As the marauding Sea Peoples set their sights on the grandest prize, Ramesses realized that he had to make a bold statement as Pharaoh and prove that he was God on earth by annihilating their foes.

A damaged relief from his palace-cum-mortuary temple at Djamet shows King Ramesses III making offerings to the gods. Medinet Habu. This edifice played a vital role during the king’s reign and was the place where he breathed his last following an attempt on his life. (Photo: Elena Pleskevich/CC BY-SA 2.0)

A damaged relief from his palace-cum-mortuary temple at Djamet shows King Ramesses III making offerings to the gods. Medinet Habu. This edifice played a vital role during the king’s reign and was the place where he breathed his last following an attempt on his life. (Photo: Elena Pleskevich/CC BY-SA 2.0)

A Robust Dynasty Withers Away

Egypt entered an era of extreme uncertainty at the close of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Down to this day, the mystifying power tussle that played out between two kings – Amenmesse and Seti II – when they ruled Upper Egypt and the Delta region up to Memphis, respectively – after the death of Pharaoh Merenptah (ca. 1202 BC) the 13th son of Ramesses II; continues to confound scholars. In due course, Seti II, the rightful heir to the throne ousted Amenmesse and decreed a damnatio memoriae against the usurper. However, he was to rule for no longer than a couple of years. Upon his demise, young Merenptah Siptah was placed on the throne by chancellor Bay – a master manipulator or ‘kingmaker’ of Syrian origin. It is possible that Siptah was the son of the rebel ruler Amenmesse and not of Seti II. A statue of Siptah in Munich shows the Pharaoh seated on the lap of his father, whose image has been thoroughly destroyed.


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