Ramses the Great - ‘Ra has fashioned him Beloved of Amun.’ - The Battle of Kaddesh

Ramses 11 came to power at the age of 25, his popular title is ‘Ramses the Great,’ but his Pharonic name was ‘Ra has fashioned him Beloved of Amun.’  Ramses reigned for 67 years, and during his long reign he probably erected the most statues temples and obelisks of all the pharaohs, although he was also known to write over previous pharaoh’s inscriptions to embellish his own reign. Some of his most impressive works included the Hypostyle hall at Karnack Temple that he finished after the death of his father Seti 1, and his extension of Luxor temple, he was also responsible for completing one of the most unusual and impressive of all temples at Abu Simbel in Nubia. 

From an early age of ten Ramses was known as  ‘Eldest Kings Son',  he was brought up in the same military tradition as his father and his grandfather Ramses 1 after whom he was named. The mummy of his grandfather Ramses 1 can now be seen in the military wing of Luxor Museum.


Ramses can be seen driving his chariot at the battle of Kaddesh, which started in the 5th year of his rule and is portrayed on the front pylons of Luxor Temple which celebrates Ramses victory. Ramses is shown in Large relief while his enemies are symbolically shown in small relief to inspire his people of their Kings invincible power unquestionable supremacy, and invincible strength against all the enemies of Egypt. In faint relief on the right side of the pylon, is a depiction of the King's encampment before the battle, his large tent stands in the center surrounded by smaller tents of his troop, cavalry horses and chariots, whilst a lion tamer controls the beast that is anchored to a ring in the ground, the pharoh always took a lion into battle with him, it is a representation of the Goddess Sekhmet, the Goddess of War and Protector of the King. An enemy is being beaten for information in the top corner of the encampment whilst soldiers continue with their normal chores and duties. |On the highest level of the left pylon, Ramses charges fearlessly across the battle ground, his bow is taught and the arrows ready to fly as his chariot recklessly hurtles into th midst of his enemies, he is alone and completly surrounded by the enemy, he is cut off from his troops, he has compromised himself with his actions, and yet like Sekhmet the raging lion his strength is increased, as he tears into his enemies scattering and maiming them beneath the wheels of his chariot. The Battle of Kaddesh is also portrayed  in Karnack Temple the earthly home of the God Amun, and also in Ramses Mortuary Temple, The Rammessium where  his magnificent plumed horses fearlessly charge across the battle ground, trampling his enemies underfoot. In large relief he becomes the fearsome warrior with his bow drawn, whilst at the side of his chariot his trained panther springs high into the air for the kill, chaos ensues across the battleground and as the scene progresses across the wall his enemies are mercilessly driven into the River Orontes where their helpless bodies drown within the swirl of the tide.

Ramses likes to portray the battle of Kaddesh as his victory, like many men of great power  he preferred his own version of the events to be recorded on his temple walls  to inspire his people of his invincibility, an opposite version of events of the battle of Kaddesh was portrayed by the Hittites, and according to their reports Ramses was lucky to survive the battle, the walls at Karnack temple record that his majesty found himself alone on the battlefield surrounded by the enemy as he had driven his chariot fearlessly into the enemy.  After the battle Ramses recognized the benefit of diplomacy, and he became the first known king to agree a peace treaty, which was drawn up between himself and the Hittite King, where respect and honor was paramount and each king would embrace the other as a brother striking down with a swift justice any person that would break their alliance. To seal the treaty Ramses also married a Hittite princess while his wife Nefertari also continued to strengthen the alliance by exchanging friendly letters to the Hittite queen herself.

In the large first courtyard of Karnack Temple, the earthly home of the God Amun Ra stands an enourmous statue of Ramses with his daughter Bintaha who later became his wife after the death of her mother Nefertari. Ramses ruled for 67 years and had over 100 children!