Ramesses II claimed a great victory at Kadesh and had a scribe take down his account of the glorious battle; Muwatalli II
What did Ramesses II do in the Battle of Kadesh?
Ramesses II is perhaps best known for the battle of Kadesh fought against the Hittite Empire over the city of Kadesh in Syria. Although a military failure, Kadesh was a propaganda victory for Ramesses, and he displayed this “victory” prominently on the walls of several temples throughout Egypt. How did Ramses II defeat the Hittites?
What happened at the Battle of Kadesh in 1275 BC?
Battle of Kadesh, (1275 bc), major battle between the Egyptians under Ramses II and the Hittites under Muwatallis, in Syria, southwest of Ḥimṣ, on the Orontes River. In one of the world’s largest chariot battles, fought beside the Orontes River, Pharaoh Ramses II sought to wrest Syria from the Hittites and recapture the Hittite-held city of Kadesh.
How did Ramses defeat the Hittites?
Ramses II led his forces into an ambush by 2,500 Hittite chariots, lured by Hittite spies who gave false information to their Egyptian captors. The battle may be the earliest military action recorded in detail, mostly from Egyptian sources, which proclaimed the siege a great victory for Ramses II.
What was the Treaty of Kadesh?
The Treaty of Kadesh was the peace agreement formalized by Egypt and the Hittites Empire that marked an important event in history, as it was the first documented peace treaty between the two nations. This event took place 16 years after the battle, when Hattusili III, Muwatalli II brother, was crowned as King of Hittites after Muwatalli’s death.
Who won Battle of Kadesh?
Ramses II led his forces into an ambush by 2,500 Hittite chariots, lured by Hittite spies who gave false information to their Egyptian captors. The battle may be the earliest military action recorded in detail, mostly from Egyptian sources, which proclaimed the siege a great victory for Ramses II.
How did the Battle of Kadesh end?
Both sides claimed Kadesh as a triumph, and Ramses had his temples festooned with celebratory reliefs. In truth, the outcome was inconclusive. So much so that, fifteen years later, the two sides returned to Kadesh to agree to a nonaggression pact—the first known example in history.
Who lost the Battle of Kadesh?
Both sides claimed victory and though the Egyptians did not gain any territory in this conflict, they have been historically viewed as the victors due to Ramses' successful propaganda campaign. The two powers signed a treaty several years later.
Why was Kadesh important to Rameses II?
Background of the Battle Ramesses II resolved to take lasting measures against the Hittites and drive them from his borders. A central advantage to be achieved in this campaign was the capture of Kadesh which, as noted, was a great center of commerce at the time.
What was Ramses most famous battle?
the battle of KadeshRamesses II is perhaps best known for the battle of Kadesh fought against the Hittite Empire over the city of Kadesh in Syria.
What happened to Egypt after Ramses II died?
After his death, nine subsequent pharaohs took his name upon ascending the throne, solidifying his stature as “the great” among Egypt's rulers.
Who were Ramses II enemies?
During his reign as pharaoh, Ramses II led the Egyptian army against several enemies including the Hittites, Syrians, Libyans, and Nubians.
Who was the longest ruling pharaoh?
pharaoh Pepi IIBut the record for world's longest-ruling monarch belongs to the pharaoh Pepi II, who came to power in ancient Egypt more than four millennia ago (4293 years, to be precise) and remained in power for a full 94 years.
How long did Ramses II rule?
His tenure as sole ruler was remarkable insofar as he ruled for an astonishing 66 years—the second longest (and maybe even the longest) reign in ancient Egyptian history.
Did Moses fight in the Battle of Kadesh?
Kadesh is sometimes said to have been the largest chariot battle ever fought, with thousands of chariots on both sides. The real Rameses II commanded the Egyptian forces. There is no suggestion in the Bible or history that Moses was present.
Who succeeded Ramses II?
MerneptahRamses II's 13th son, Merneptah (ruled 1213–04 bce), was his successor.
What does Kadesh mean in the Bible?
Kadesh or Qadesh or Cades (in classical Hebrew Hebrew: קָדֵשׁ, from the root קדש "holy") is a place-name that occurs several times in the Hebrew Bible, describing a site or sites located south of, or at the southern border of, Canaan and the Kingdom of Judah in the kingdom of Israel.
When did the Battle of Kadesh end?
1274 BCBattle of Kadesh / End date
How long did the Battle of Kadesh last?
one dayThe Battle of Kadesh lasted one day, with events unfolding quickly and intensely.
How many people were killed in the Battle of Kadesh?
Consequences the Battle of Kadesh In this way, some 5,000 Egyptians perished (both armies had about 20,000 men, which gives an idea of the tragedy).
Did Moses fight in the Battle of Kadesh?
Kadesh is sometimes said to have been the largest chariot battle ever fought, with thousands of chariots on both sides. The real Rameses II commanded the Egyptian forces. There is no suggestion in the Bible or history that Moses was present.
Where was the Battle of Kadesh?
The Battle of Kadesh or Battle of Qadesh took place between the forces of the New Kingdom of Egypt under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River, just upstream of Lake Homs near the modern Lebanon–Syria border.
What were the antecedents of the Battle of Kadesh?
The immediate antecedents to the Battle of Kadesh were the early campaigns of Ramesses II into Canaan. In the fourth year of his reign, he marched north into Syria, either to recapture Amurru or, as a probing effort, to confirm his vassals' loyalty and explore the terrain of possible battles.
Where was Ramesses in the land of Aleppo?
As Ramesses and the Egyptian advance guard were about 11 kilometers from Kadesh, south of Shabtuna, he met two Shasu nomads who told him that the Hittite king was "in the land of Aleppo, on the north of Tunip " 200 kilometers away, where, the Shasu said, he was " (too much) afraid of Pharaoh, L.P.H., to come south".
How many divisions did Ramesses have?
Ramesses led an army of four divisions: Amun, Re (P're), Seth (Suteh) and the apparently newly formed Ptah division.
Why did Ramesses leave Amurru?
There was also a poorly documented troop called the nrrn (Ne'arin or Nearin), possibly Canaanite military mercenaries with Egyptian allegiance or even Egyptians, that Ramesses II had left in Amurru, apparently in order to secure the port of Sumur. This division would come to play a critical role in the battle.
How many vehicles were in the Egyptian army at Kadesh?
It is not possible to be precise about the size of the Egyptian chariot force at Kadesh though it could not have numbered less than 2,000 vehicles spread through the corps of Amun, P'Re, Ptah and Sutekh, assuming that approx. 500 machines were allocated to each corps. To this we may need to add those of the Ne'arin, for if they were not native Egyptian troops their number may not have been formed from chariots detached from the army corps.
Who was the leader of the Egyptians at the Battle of Khadesh?
Rameses II in the Battle of Khadesh. Muwatalli had positioned his troops behind "Old Kadesh", but Ramesses was misled by two spies whom the Egyptians had captured to think that the Hittite forces were still far off, at Aleppo, and ordered his forces to set up camp.
Who was the king of Egypt at the Battle of Kadesh?
Battle of Kadesh: a battle between the armies of Ramses II, the young pharaoh of Egypt, and Muwatal II, king of the Hittites Empire, plus the latter’s allies; When was the battle of Kadesh?
What was the significance of the Battle of Kadesh?
The Battle of Kadesh or Battle of Kadesh It is also the first to generate a documented peace treaty. Moreover, Kadesh has the added importance of being the last great battle in history fo ught entirely with the Bronze Age.
What was the first peace treaty between Egypt and the Hittites Empire?
Treaty of Kadesh. The Treaty of Kadesh was the peace agreement formalized by Egypt and the Hittites Empire that marked an important event in history, as it was the first documented peace treaty between the two nations. This event took place 16 years after the battle, when Hattusili III, Muwatalli II brother, was crowned as King ...
What was the name of the battle that Ramses fought in?
Ramses ii battle of Kadesh 1274 bc. Ramses entered Syria with four divisions called Amun, Ra, Ptah, and Seth, composed of Egyptian battalions, some fierce black warriors recruited in Nubia, and a large contingent of Amorites who deeply detested the Hittites. He thus reached Kadesh and flanked the city from the west to the north, ...
How many Egyptians died in the Battle of Kadesh?
Consequences the Battle of Kadesh. In this way, some 5,000 Egyptians perished (both armies had about 20,000 men, which gives an idea of the tragedy). The Amun division, for its part, was desperately struggling. The divisions Ptah and Seth continued to advance, even ignorant of the danger they were about to fall.
Where did Rameses go after the Battle of Damascus?
After the battle, Rameses retreated south to Damascus, from where he was forced to return to Egypt without any victory to his credit, and even with great material losses. However, this did not prevent him from writing a glorious epic poem to order ( The Poem of Pentaur ), in which he describes the battle as a glorious victory of his own (which is false, as can be seen in the Hittite chronicles).
Which river did the Hittites cross?
The Hittites, who unlike the Egyptians were very well organized and developed a plan on firm and concrete steps, crossed the Orontes River from east to west, through southern Kadesh, and launched a fierce attack. The Egyptians, hungry and tired from the march, barely managed to defend themselves. The Ra division was attacked.
What did Ramses do with the battalion he was in charge of?
Ramses, who took action with the battalion he was in charge of, could not prevent the battalions from opening so much that they could disrupt the communication while moving towards Kadesh. In 4 battalions, their distance increased and they continued to walk.
What was the battle between the Hittites and Egyptians?
The Battle of Kadesh between the Hittites and Egyptians in Anatolia, the two superpowers of the Bronze Age period, has marked the world’s political and military history.
Why did Muwatalli move the capital of Hattusa to Tarhuntassha?
Although Muwatalli, who made his brother Hattusili the army commander and king of the Upper Country Hakpish, is not known exactly, has been a radical decision to move the capital from Hattusa to Tarhuntassha in order to create a field of action against Egypt’s attempts against Syria’s. This situation is also described in Hattusili’s apolagya (CTH 81) as follows.
Where does Qadesh come from?
Qadesh, which comes from the root “Q-D-Š” in Semitic spelling, A city on the banks of the Orontes (Asi) river in the Land of Amurru, which was called Kinza in Hittite, Qidshu in Akkadian, Kodeşu by the Egyptians. The region was an indispensable land between Egypt and the Hittite, which always had aspiring on Syria.
What did Muwatalli do to the Egyptian army?
Muwatalli cleverly devised a plan and sent two Bedouin spies to be captured by the Egyptian army. These Bedouins gave Ramses false information about the Hittite army. Relying on this information, Ramses began to wait for the battalions to gather. The Hittite army went on a sudden attack. Amon divisional disbanded. The defeat of the Ra battalion and the weakness of the other two battalions left Ramses in a difficult situation.
Overview
The Battle of Kadesh or Battle of Qadesh took place between the forces of the New Kingdom of Egypt under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River, just upstream of Lake Homs near the modern Lebanon–Syria border.
The battle is generally dated to 1274 BC from the Egyptian chronology, and is t…
Background
After expelling the Hyksos' 15th Dynasty around 1550 BC, the Egyptian New Kingdom rulers became more aggressive in reclaiming control of their state's borders. Thutmose I, Thutmose III and his son and coregent Amenhotep II fought battles from Megiddo north to the Orontes River, including conflict with Kadesh.
Many of the Egyptian campaign accounts between c. 1400 and 1300 BC reflect the general dest…
Contending forces
Ramesses led an army of four divisions: Amun, Re (pRe), Set, and the apparently newly-formed Ptah division.
There was also a poorly documented troop called the nrrn (Ne'arin or Nearin), possibly Canaanite military mercenaries with Egyptian allegiance or even Egyptians, that Ramesses II had left in Amurru, apparently in order to secure th…
Battle
Muwatalli had positioned his troops behind "Old Kadesh", but Ramesses was misled by two spies whom the Egyptians had captured to think that the Hittite forces were still far off, at Aleppo, and ordered his forces to set up camp. The false intelligence caused Ramesses to march hastily towards Kadesh, where the Egyptians were caught off-guard.
Aftermath
Logistically unable to support a long siege of the walled city of Kadesh, Ramesses gathered his troops and retreated south towards Damascus and ultimately back to Egypt. Once back in Egypt, Ramesses then proclaimed victory since he had routed his enemies, but he did not even attempt to capture Kadesh. In a personal sense, however, the Battle of Kadesh was a triumph for Ramesse…
Documentation
There is more evidence in the form of texts and wall reliefs for this battle than for any other in the Ancient Near East, but almost all of it is from an Egyptian perspective. Indeed, the first scholarly report on the battle, by James Henry Breasted in 1903, praised the sources that allowed the reconstruction of the battle with certainty. However, some historians argue that the battle was a draw at best and that Egyptian influence over Amurru and Qadesh seems to have been lost forev…
See also
• Chariotry in ancient Egypt
• Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty
• Battle of Megiddo
Further reading
• Ockinga, Boyo (1987), "On the Interpretation of the Kadesh Record", Chronique d'Égypte, 62 (123–124): 38–48, doi:10.1484/J.CDE.2.308740
• Roaf, Michael (1990). Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. Equinox. ISBN 0-8160-2218-6. includes information of the clash of the Egyptians and Hittites including the battle of Kadesh and maps of the regions controlled by the peoples named in the accounts.
The Battle of Kadesh 1274 BC
Summary of Battle of Kadesh
Why Did The Battle of Kadesh Happen?
Ramses II Battle of Kadesh 1274 BC
- Ramsesentered Syria with four divisions called Amun, Ra, Ptah, and Seth, composed of Egyptian battalions, some fierce black warriors recruited in Nubia, and a large contingent of Amorites who deeply detested the Hittites. He thus reached Kadesh and flanked the city from the west to the north, unaware that the Hittites had done the same, flanking th...
Consequences The Battle of Kadesh
Ramses’ Retreat in The Battle of Kadesh
Treaty of Kadesh