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 A
life halfway between reality and legend.
The most famous among the pharaohs at
ancient Egypt, he was a powerful sovereign, a great warrior, an affectionate
father and a tireless builder.
With these qualities Ramses II who governed for
sixty-seven years (from 1279 to 1213 BC) could not possibly not deserve the fame
he has even today.
Feared by his enemies, loved by the people (who under his
reign lived in prosperity and well-being), protected by the gods, Ramses has
left an indelible mark in the history of humanity.
Ramses’s mystery begins with his birth-date. We only know that is was around
1290 BC, in Menfi.
His father, the pharaoh Sethi I, had taken as “Great Royal Bride”
Tuya, the
daughters of one of the most valorous generals of his army.
Tuya and Sethi I had
four children two sons and two daughters. The first born died in tender age,
clearing the way to the aseent to the throne by Ramses.
A school, the “pharaoh’s one”, that began in tender age: at ten years old he
already was at the command of the army, at fourteen years old his father took
him along in the battles, to be sure that he would become a skillfull and brave
sovereign. Ramses didn’t take long to learn, specially on his two main aims: the
military conquer and the building.
He was successful both as a conquer and as a
builder to the point that there is no place in Egypt that doesn’t have a trace
of his work.
When his father died Ramses was about 25 years old.
His family life
was above the lines: two great royal brides, Nefertari and Isisnofret, on
indefinite bumber of minor brides and concubines and at least one-hundred
children. But Ramses had to chose his successor various times.
Not for “court trouble” but because he reached over 80 years of age (when the
average life was about the hald) and many of his sons didn’t survive him.
His
successor was Merenptah, the thirteenth of the list, who ascended to the throne
at 60 years old. When Ramses died he had reached his aim: for the people he was
a legend.
Ramses II Cartouche
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