lol... and I thought nobody cares for posting in the appropriate topic any more
About Ramesses II: He was one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs. He was 3rd ruler of the 19th dynasty, ruled between 1279-1213 BC. Coronation name: Usermaatre-Setepenre. His parents were Pharaoh Sethi I and Queen Tuya who was a commoner. His family was relatively new in power: his grandfather was the first of the family who became pharaoh. Ramesses was probably co-regent with his father for a while.
His greatest achievements:
- New capital (Pi-Ramesses) at the place in the Nile delta where the old Hyksos capital Avaris used to be.
- Military campaigns to Nubia and Syria
- the Battle of Kadesh, against the Hittites; due to the inscriptions on temple walls this is the battle of which we know the most details, we only don't know who was the victor
- First known peace treaty (between Ramesses and the Hittite king Hattusilis)
- The Ramesseum, a beautiful temple-complex
- Temples built at Abou Simbel (one for him and one for Nefertari)
- Building of hypostyle hall at Karnak
- Restoring old monuments (then "stealing" them by writing his own name on them). This was supervised by his 4th son Khaemwase.
Ramesses had several wives (the most famous are Nefertari and Isetnofret) and over 150 children. He outlived his first 12 sons so the 13th, Merenptah became pharaoh after him. (who says 13 isn't a lucky number?
) Ramesses was an ideal for the pharaohs following him; in the 20th dynasty almost all kings took on his name. However, neither of them could surpass him.
His mummy has been found and is now exhibited in the Museum of Cairo.
I hope this is enough.
