Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt

Egypt
1292 BC–1189 BC
Egypt and the Hittite Empire around the time of the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BC)
Capital		Thebes, later Memphis and Pi-Ramesses
Languages		Egyptian language
Religion		Ancient Egyptian Religion
Government		Absolute monarchy
Historical era		Iron Age
•	Established	1292 BC
•	Disestablished	1189 BC
Preceded by Succeeded by Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt Twentieth Dynasty of Egypt

The Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt (notated Dynasty XIX, alternatively 19th Dynasty or Dynasty 19) is classified as the second Dynasty of the Ancient Egyptian New Kingdom period, lasting from 1292 BC to 1189 BC. The 19th Dynasty and the 20th Dynasty furthermore together constitute an era known as the Ramesside period. This Dynasty was founded by Vizier Ramesses I, whom Pharaoh Horemheb chose as his successor to the throne.

Dynasties of Ancient Egypt
All years are BC
Early First Dynasty I c. 3150–2890 Second Dynasty II 2890–2686
Old Kingdom Third Dynasty III 2686–2613 Fourth Dynasty IV 2613–2498 Fifth Dynasty V 2498–2345 Sixth Dynasty VI 2345–2181
First Intermediate Seventh Dynasty VII spurious Eighth Dynasty VIII 2181–2160 Ninth Dynasty IX 2160–2130 Tenth Dynasty X 2130–2040 Early Eleventh Dynasty XI 2134–2061
Middle Kingdom Late Eleventh Dynasty XI 2061–1991 Twelfth Dynasty XII 1991–1803 Thirteenth Dynasty XIII 1803–1649 Fourteenth Dynasty XIV 1705–1690
Second Intermediate Fifteenth Dynasty XV 1674–1535 Sixteenth Dynasty XVI 1660–1600 Abydos Dynasty 1650–1600 Seventeenth Dynasty XVII 1580–1549
New Kingdom Eighteenth Dynasty XVIII 1549–1292 Nineteenth Dynasty XIX 1292–1189 Twentieth Dynasty XX 1189–1077
Third Intermediate Twenty-first Dynasty XXI 1069–945 Twenty-second Dynasty XXII 945–720 Twenty-third Dynasty XXIII 837–728 Twenty-fourth Dynasty XXIV 732–720 Twenty-fifth Dynasty XXV 732–653
Late Period Twenty-sixth Dynasty XXVI 672–525 Twenty-seventh Dynasty (1st Persian Period) XXVII 525–404 Twenty-eighth Dynasty XXVIII 404–398 Twenty-ninth Dynasty XXIX 398–380 Thirtieth Dynasty XXX 380–343 Thirty-first Dynasty (2nd Persian Period) XXXI 343–332
Ptolemaic (Hellenistic) Argead Dynasty 332–305 Ptolemaic Kingdom 323–30
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Contents

• 
  1 History
  
  • 
    1.1 Background
    
  
  
  • 
    1.2 19th Dynasty
    
    • 
      1.2.1 Seti and Ramesses II
      
    
    
    • 
      1.2.2 Merneptah
      
    
    
  
  


• 
  2 Pharaohs of the 19th Dynasty
  


• 
  3 Timeline of the 19th Dynasty
  


• 
  4 Gallery of images
  


• 
  5 See also
  


• 
  6 References
  

History

Background

The warrior kings of the early 18th Dynasty had encountered only little resistance from neighbouring kingdoms, allowing them to expand their realm of influence easily, but the international situation had changed radically towards the end of the Dynasty. The Hittites gradually extended their influence into Syria and Canaan to become a major power in international politics, a power that both Seti I and his son Ramesses II would need to deal with.

19th Dynasty

Seti and Ramesses II

New Kingdom Egypt reached the zenith of its power under Seti I and Ramesses II ("The Great"), who campaigned vigorously against the Libyans and the Hittites. The city of Kadesh was first captured by Seti I, who decided to concede it to Muwatalli of Hatti in an informal peace treaty between Egypt and Hatti. Ramesses II later attempted unsuccessfully to alter this situation in his fifth regnal year by launching an attack on Kadesh in his Second Syrian campaign in 1274 BC; he was caught in history's first recorded military ambush, but thanks to the arrival of the Ne'arin, Ramesses was able to rally his troops and turn the tide of battle against the Hittites. Ramesses II later profited from the Hittites' internal difficulties, during his eighth and ninth regnal years, when he campaigned against their Syrian possessions, capturing Kadesh and portions of Southern Syria, and advancing as far north as Tunip, where no Egyptian soldier had been seen for 120 years. He ultimately accepted that a campaign against the Hittites was an unsupportable drain on Egypt's treasury and military.^[1] In his 21st regnal year, Ramesses signed the first recorded peace treaty with Urhi-Teshub's successor, Hattusili III, and with that act Egypt-Hittite relations improved significantly. Ramesses II even married two Hittite princesses, the first after his second Sed Festival.

Merneptah

This dynasty declined as internal fighting between the heirs of Merneptah for the throne increased. Amenmesse apparently usurped the throne from Merneptah's son and successor, Seti II, but he ruled Egypt for only four years. After his death, Seti regained power and destroyed most of Amenmesse's monuments. Seti was served at Court by Chancellor Bay, who was originally just a 'royal scribe' but quickly became one of the most powerful men in Egypt gaining the unprecedented privilege of constructing his own tomb in the Valley of the Kings (KV17). Both Bay and Seti's chief wife Twosret had a sinister reputation in Ancient Egyptian folklore.^[2] After Siptah's death, Twosret ruled Egypt for two more years, but she proved unable to maintain her hold on power amid the conspiracies and powerplays being hatched at the royal court. She was likely ousted in a revolt led by Setnakhte, founder of the 20th Dynasty.

Pharaohs of the 19th Dynasty

Main article: List of pharaohs

The Pharaohs of the 19th dynasty ruled for approximately 110 years: from c. 1292 to 1187 BC. Seti I's reign is today considered to be 11 years and not 15 years by both J. von Beckerath and Peter Brand, who wrote a biography on this pharaoh's reign.^[3] Consequently, it will be amended to 11 years or 1290-1279 BC. Therefore, Seti's father and predecessor would have ruled Egypt between 1292-1290 BC. Many of the pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes (designated KV). More information can be found on the Theban Mapping Project website.^[4]

Pharaoh	Image	Throne Name / Prenomen	Reign	Burial	Consort(s)	Comments
Ramesses I		Menpehtyre	1292–1290 BC	KV16	Sitre
Seti I		Menmaatre	1290–1279 BC[5]	KV17	(Mut-)Tuya
Ramesses II		Usermaatre Setepenre	1279–1213 BC	KV7	Nefertari Isetnofret Maathorneferure Meritamen Bintanath Nebettawy Henutmire
Merneptah		Baenre Merynetjeru	1213–1203 BC	KV8	Isetnofret II
Seti II		Userkheperure Setepenre	1203–1197 BC	KV15	Twosret Takhat Tiaa
Amenmesse		Menmire Setepenre	1201–1198 BC	KV10	Unknown
Siptah		Sekhaienre Meryamun, later Akhenre Setepenre	1197–1191 BC	KV47	Unknown
Twosret		Sitre Meryamun	1191–1189 BC	KV14	None

Timeline of the 19th Dynasty