Ramases II - The Greatest of Egypts Pharaohs Essay -- Biography Biogr

Ramases II - The Greatest of Egypt's Pharaohs Rameses II, he was the third of his line in the Nineteenth Dynasty, son of Seti I, and grandson of Rameses I. He ruled for nearly seventy years in the middle of a Period known, as the New Kingdom when Egypt was at it’s most powerful. During His reign 1279-1213, Egypt enjoyed an era of prosperity and stability, not only internally, but externally as well. He is responsible for the building of more Monuments and famous structures than any other pharaoh, having many Structures and statues renamed as if he commissioned them himself. By the end of his unusually long sixty-six-year long reign, he was famous throughout the then known ancient world. Ramses I was chosen as heir to King Horemheb, the last king of the Eighteenth Dynasty after serving as general, vizier, Commander of the Army of the Ruler of Two Lands, High Priest of all the Gods and Hereditary Prince of the Entire Land. King Horemheb chose Ramses as his successor as he had no children of his own, he too was chosen by the previous pharaoh. Ramses I not only had a son, Seti, a soldier who was married to Tuya, also from a military family, but a grandson, also called Rameses as well. A strong military background was important and all of these factors probably helped in Horemheb’s decision. Having sons and grandsons ensured Rameses of having heirs to carry on the new dynasty. In 1295, BCE, Horemheb died, Rameses I first royal act, the overseeing of his secret burial rites in the Valley of the Kings. Rameses I took this time to pick out his own burial tomb and began preparations to be buried next to his friend Horemheb. Rameses I and his son Seti planned fabulous buildings, and had existing buildings and monuments redone wi... ...alley of the Golden Mummies. (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2000) Menu, Bernadette Ramesses II Greatest of the Pharaohs (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 1999) Thomas, Susanna Rameses II Pharaoh of the New Kingdom (New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 2003) Wallenfels, Ronald and Sasson, Jack M. The Ancient Near East (New York, Detroit, San Francisco, London, Boston, Woodbridge CT.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, The Gale Group 2000) World Book Encyclopedia Volume R (Chicago: Scott Fetzer Company 2003) McMahan, Ian Secrets of The Pharaohs (New York: Avon Books, Inc. 1998) Bunson, Margaret The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (New York: Facts of File, Inc. 1991) Johnson, Paul The Civilization of Ancient Egypt (New York: Harper Collins Publishers 1978,1998 and 1999) Tiano, Olivier Ramses II and Egypt (New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. 1995)