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Dynasty Notes

The 19th Dynasty is best remembered for the pharaoh Ramesses II -- Ramesses the great, or, as our guides insisted on calling him, "The Coca-Cola Pharaoh" becuase of his penchant for putting his name and face on everything. The Ramesside royal families claimed direct descent from the god Seth.

The family of Ramesses founded an extremely prosperous period in Egyptian history. Their international affairs were successful, the economy and adiminstration were thriving, and a blooming of Egypt occured under the 19th and 20th Dynasties.

As did all the earlier dynasties, a primary enemy rose: the HIttites becamse the dominant power in Asia and an uneasy balance of power was reached between the two powers with the two meeting in frequent military campaigns. Most of the pharaohs have military campaigns against the HIttites as well as the continued struggle against the Nubians to the south.

While most contemporary Egyptian sources considered Horemheb (the last pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty) to be the founder of the 19th Dynasty, modern chronologies begin the dynasty with the first Ramesses. The chronology of the 19th Dynasty is:

Ramesses I
Seti I
Ramesses II
Merenptah
Amenmesse
Seti II
Siptah
Tawosret
Bay

 

pharaohs

Ramesses I
Seti I
Ramesses II
Merenptah
Amenmesse
Seti II
Siptah
Tawosret
Bay