Merenptah
Merenptah, the thirteenth son of the renowned Pharaoh Ramses II, ascended to the throne at an advanced age after his father's lengthy reign. He ruled for approximately ten years, during which a significant event was a conflict with the Libyans, notably marked in his fifth year. His victory stele highlights this triumph and includes a hymn celebrating his success over the Libyans, as well as an account of a campaign in Palestine. Of particular historical significance is the mention of "Israel," which appears as the earliest reference to the nation in a contemporary source and is unique within Egyptian records.
Merenptah's tomb, located in the Valley of the Kings, contained multiple nested sarcophagi, but intriguingly, his mummy was not initially found there, leading to speculation about his fate. However, his remains were later discovered in a 1898 cache of royal mummies. As the last significant pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty, Merenptah's reign marked a period of transition, followed by a time characterized by dynastic instability. His victory stele is crucial for understanding the historical context of Israel's emergence and reflects the interactions between ancient civilizations.
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Subject Terms
Merenptah
Related civilization: Pharaonic Egypt
Major role/position: Pharaoh
Life
Merenptah (MEHR-ep-tah), the thirteenth son of Ramses II, was advanced in age when he ascended to the throne after his father’s long reign. The major event of his ten-year reign was a war with the Libyans in Merenptah’s fifth year. Inscriptions at the temple of Amun at Karnak name elements of the Aegean Sea Peoples among the Libyans’ allies. Merenptah’s great victory stele records a hymn commemorating victory over the Libyans. An account of a campaign to Palestine was added to this stele. Of particular interest is the statement, “Israel is laid waste, his seed is not.” This is the earliest mention of Israel in a contemporary source and the only one in Egyptian records.
Merenptah’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings contained four nested sarcophagi. Merenptah’s mummy was not found therein, nor in the cache of royal mummies discovered in 1881. This caused speculation that he was the pharaoh of the Exodus, drowned and lost in the Red Sea. His body, however, was found in a later cache of royal mummies in 1898.
Influence
Merenptah was the last great pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty; his reign was followed by dynastic uncertainty and weak rulers. His victory stele remains important in research concerning the emergence of Israel. A series of scenes on a wall at Karnak, formerly attributed to Ramses II, have been correlated with the Israel passage on the victory stele and reassigned to Merenptah.
Bibliography
Clayton, P. Chronicle of the Pharaohs. London: Thames and Hudson, 1994.
Redford, D. Egypt, Israel and Canaan in Ancient Times. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1992.