List of children of Ramesses II
Encyclopedia
The Ancient Egypt
ian Pharaoh
Ramesses II
had a large number of children – 44-56 sons and 40-44 daughters –, whom he had depicted on several monuments.
He apparently made no distinctions between the offspring of his first two principal wives, Nefertari
and Isetnofret
. Both queens' firstborn sons and first few daughters had statues at the entrance of the Greater Abu Simbel
temple, although only Nefertari's children were depicted in the smaller temple, dedicated to her. Other than Nefertari and Isetnofret, Ramesses had six more great royal wives during his reign – his own daughters Bintanath
, Meritamen
, Nebettawy
and Henutmire
(who, according to another theory was his sister), and two daughters of Hattusilis III, King of Hatti
. Except the first Hittite princess Maathorneferure
and possibly Bintanath, none are known to have borne children to the pharaoh.
The first few children of Ramesses usually appear in the same order on depictions. Lists of princes and princesses were found in the Ramesseum
, Luxor
, Wadi es-Sebua
and Abydos
. Some names are known to us from ostrakons, tombs and other sources. The sons of Ramesses appear on depictions of battles and triumphs – such as the Battle of Kadesh
and the siege of the Syria
n city of Dapur – already early in his reign (Years 5 and 10, respectively), thus it is likely that several of them were born before he ascended to the throne. Many of his sons were buried in the tomb KV5
.
Ramesses' efforts to have his children depicted on several of his monuments are in contradiction with the earlier tradition of keeping royal children, especially boys in the background unless they held important official titles. This was probably caused by the fact that his family was not of royal origin and he wanted to stress their royal status..
The following sons of Ramesses are known from various sources other than lists:
From the Luxor procession of daughters: Nebetiunet (“Lady of Denderah”, 11.), Renpetnefer/Parerenpetnefer (12.), Merytkhet (13.), Nebet[…]h[…]a (14.), Mut-Tuya (15.), Meritptah (“Beloved of Ptah”, 16.)
From the Abydos procession: Nubher[…] (18.), Shehiryotes (19.), Henut[…] (20.), Merytmihapi (“Beloved like Hapi
”, 22.), Meritites (“Beloved by Her Father”, 23.), Nubemiunu (24.), Henutsekhemu (“Mistress of Powers”, 25.), Henutpahuro[…] (26.), Neferure (“Beauty of Re”, daughter of Maathorneferure
, 31.), Merytnetjer (“Beloved of the God”, 32.), […]khesbed (16. on the second Abydos procession)
From Wadi es-Sebua: Henutpare[…] (58.), Nebetnehat (59.),
From a Louvre ostrakon: […]taweret (3.), Henuttaneb (“Mistress of All Lands”, 4.), Tuya (5.), Henuttadesh (6.), Hetepenamun (“Peace of Amun”, 7.), Nebetimmunedjem (8.), Henuttamehu (“Lady of Lower Egypt”, 9.), Nebetananash (10.), Sitamun (“Daughter of Amun”, 11.), Tia-Sitre (“Daughter of Re”, 12.), Tuya-Nebettawy (13.), Takhat (probably identical with the wife of Sethi II; 14.), Nubemweskhet (15.)
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
had a large number of children – 44-56 sons and 40-44 daughters –, whom he had depicted on several monuments.
He apparently made no distinctions between the offspring of his first two principal wives, Nefertari
Nefertari
Nefertari also known as Nefertari Merytmut was one of the Great Royal Wives of Ramesses the Great. Nefertari means 'Beautiful Companion' and Meritmut means 'Beloved of [the Goddess] Mut'. She is one of the best known Egyptian queens, next to Cleopatra, Nefertiti and Hatshepsut...
and Isetnofret
Isetnofret
Isetnofret was one of the Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II and was the mother of his heir, Merneptah...
. Both queens' firstborn sons and first few daughters had statues at the entrance of the Greater Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel temples refers to two massive rock temples in Abu Simbel in Nubia, southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 230 km southwest of Aswan...
temple, although only Nefertari's children were depicted in the smaller temple, dedicated to her. Other than Nefertari and Isetnofret, Ramesses had six more great royal wives during his reign – his own daughters Bintanath
Bintanath
Bintanath was the firstborn daughter and later Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II.-Family:Bintanath was likely born during the reign of her grandfather Seti I. Her mother was Isetnofret, one of the two most prominent wives of Ramesses II...
, Meritamen
Meritamen
Meritamen was a daughter and later Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great.- Family :...
, Nebettawy
Nebettawy
Nebettawy was an Ancient Egyptian princess and queen, the fifth daughter and one of the eight Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II.-Life:...
and Henutmire
Henutmire
Henutmire was an Ancient Egyptian princess and queen, one of the eight Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II.-Life:She is possibly the third and youngest child of Seti I and Queen Tuya, and the younger sister of Ramesses II and Princess Tia. This theory is based on a statue of Queen Tuya, now in...
(who, according to another theory was his sister), and two daughters of Hattusilis III, King of Hatti
History of the Hittites
Hittites were an ancient people who spoke an Indo-European language and established a kingdom centered in Hattusa in northern Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite Kingdom was at its height, encompassing central Anatolia, south-western Syria as far as Ugarit, and...
. Except the first Hittite princess Maathorneferure
Maathorneferure
Maathorneferure was an Ancient Egyptian queen, the Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II.-Family:Maathorneferure was a daughter of the Hittite king Hattusili III and his wife Queen Pudukhepa...
and possibly Bintanath, none are known to have borne children to the pharaoh.
Ramesseum
The Ramesseum is the memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II . It is located in the Theban necropolis in Upper Egypt, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor...
, Luxor
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...
, Wadi es-Sebua
Wadi es-Sebua
Wadi es-Sebua, or Valley of the Lions , is the site of two New Kingdom Egyptian temples, including one impressively large temple spéos of Ramesses II, at the edge of Nasser lake in Lower Nubia. The first temple was built by Amenhotep III and subsequently restored by Ramesses II...
and Abydos
Abydos, Egypt
Abydos is one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt, and also of the eight Upper Nome, of which it was the capital city. It is located about 11 kilometres west of the Nile at latitude 26° 10' N, near the modern Egyptian towns of el-'Araba el Madfuna and al-Balyana...
. Some names are known to us from ostrakons, tombs and other sources. The sons of Ramesses appear on depictions of battles and triumphs – such as the Battle of Kadesh
Battle of Kadesh
The Battle of Kadesh took place between the forces of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River, in what is now the Syrian Arab Republic....
and the siege of the Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n city of Dapur – already early in his reign (Years 5 and 10, respectively), thus it is likely that several of them were born before he ascended to the throne. Many of his sons were buried in the tomb KV5
KV5
Tomb KV5 is a subterranean, rock-cut tomb in the Valley of the Kings.It belonged to the sons of Ramesses II. Though KV5 was partially excavated as early as 1825, its true extent was discovered by Dr Kent R. Weeks and his exploration team. The tomb is now known to be the largest in the Valley of the...
.
Ramesses' efforts to have his children depicted on several of his monuments are in contradiction with the earlier tradition of keeping royal children, especially boys in the background unless they held important official titles. This was probably caused by the fact that his family was not of royal origin and he wanted to stress their royal status..
Sons
- Amun-her-khepeshefAmun-her-khepeshefAmun-her-khepeshef or Amonhirkhopshef or Amun-her-wenemef was the firstborn son of Pharaoh Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari.-Name:...
(“AmunAmunAmun, reconstructed Egyptian Yamānu , was a god in Egyptian mythology who in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt...
Is with His Strong Arm”), firstborn son of Nefertari; crown prince until his death in Year 25.. He is likely to be the same person as Seth-her-khepeshef or Sethirkopshef. - RamessesRamesses BRamesses was an Ancient Egyptian prince, the eldest son of Pharaoh Ramesses II and Queen Isetnofret.-Family:Ramesses was the eldest son of Ramesses II and Queen Isetnofret. He had at least two sister and two brothers. His sister Bintanath was elevated to the position of great royal wife later in...
(“Born of RêReRe, bre, moré is an interjection common to Cypriot Greek, the languages of the Balkans, Turkish, and Venetian, with its "locus... more in the Greek world than elsewhere". It is used in colloquial speech to gain someone's attention, add emphasis, insult, or express surprise or astonishment, like...
”), eldest son of Isetnofret, crown prince between Years 25 and 50. - PareherwenemefPareherwenemefPareherwenemef was an ancient Egyptian prince of the 19th dynasty, the third son of pharaoh Ramesses II, the second by Queen Nefertari.-Family:...
(“Re Is with His Right Arm”), Nefertari's second son. Appears on depictions of the triumph after the Battle of KadeshBattle of KadeshThe Battle of Kadesh took place between the forces of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River, in what is now the Syrian Arab Republic....
and in the smaller Abu Simbel temple. He was never crown prince, it is likely he predeceased his elder brothers. - Khaemwaset (“He who appears/appeared in ThebesThebes, EgyptThebes is the Greek name for a city in Ancient Egypt located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the river Nile within the modern city of Luxor. The Theban Necropolis is situated nearby on the west bank of the Nile.-History:...
”), Isetnofret's second son, “the first Egyptologist”, crown prince until about the 55th year. - Mentu-her-khepeshef or Montuhirkhopshef or Mentuherwenemef (“MenthuMenthuIn Ancient Egyptian religion, Monthu was a falcon-god of war. Monthu's name, shown in Egyptian hieroglyphs to the right, is technically transcribed as mntw...
Is with His Strong/Right Arm”) was mentioned on a stela from BubastisBubastisBubastis , also known as Tell Basta or Egyptian Per-Bast was an Ancient Egyptian city, the capital of its own nome, located along the River Nile in the Delta region of Lower Egypt...
. A statue of him is in CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He was present at the siege of Dapur. - Nebenkharu
- Meryamun or Ramesses-Meryamun (“Beloved of Amun”) was present at the triumph and the siege; was buried in KV5 where fragments of his canopic jars were found.
- Amunemwia or Sethemwia (“Amun/SethSethSeth , in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is the third listed son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, who are the only other of their children mentioned by name...
in the Divine Bark”) also appears at Dapur. He changed his name from Amunemwia to Sethemwia around the same time when his eldest brother changed it. - Sethi was also present at Kadesh and Dapur. He was buried in KV5 – where two of his canopic jars were found – around Year 53. On his funerary equipment his name is spelled Sutiy. He might have been identical with another Sethi, mentioned on an ostrakon which is now in the Egyptian MuseumEgyptian MuseumThe Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo, Egypt, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms....
in CairoCairoCairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. - Setepenre (“Chosen of Re”) was present at Dapur too.
- Meryre (“Beloved of Re”) was the son of Nefertari. It is likely that he died at a young age; a brother of his (19th on the list of princes) was probably named after him.
- Horherwenemef (“HorusHorusHorus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
Is with His Right Arm”) - Merenptah (“Beloved of PtahPtahIn Ancient Egyptian Religion, Ptah was the deification of the primordial mound in the Ennead cosmogony, which was more literally referred to as Ta-tenen , meaning risen land, or as Tanen, meaning submerged land, though Tatenen was a god in his...
”), son of Isetnofret, crown prince after the 55th year, then pharaoh. - Amenhotep (“Amun Is Pleased”)
- Itamun (“Amun Is The Father”)
- MeryatumMeryatumMeryatum was an Ancient Egyptian prince and High Priest of Re, the son of Pharaoh Ramesses II and Nefertari.He is shown as 16th on the processions of princes, and is likely to have been the last child born to Ramesses and Nefertari...
(“Beloved of AtumAtumAtum, sometimes rendered as Atem or Tem, is an important deity in Egyptian mythology.- Name :Atum's name is thought to be derived from the word 'tem' which means to complete or finish. Thus he has been interpreted as being the 'complete one' and also the finisher of the world, which he returns to...
”), son of Nefertari. High Priest of Heliopolis. - Nebentaneb/Nebtaneb (“Lord of All Lands”)
- Meryre
- Amunemopet (“Amun on the Opet FeastOpet FestivalThe Beautiful Feast of Opet was an Ancient Egyptian festival, celebrated annually in Thebes, during the New Kingdom period and later....
”) - Senakhtenamun (“Amun Gives Him Strength”) is likely to have been resided in MemphisMemphis, EgyptMemphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo.According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an...
, as it is suggested by a votive plaque belonging to his servant Amenmose. - Ramesses-Merenre
- Djehutimes/Thutmose (“Born of Thot”)
- Simentu (“Son of Mentu”) was the overseer of the royal vineyards in Memphis. He was married to Iryet, daughter of a Syrian captain, Benanath.
- Mentuemwaset (“Mentu in Thebes”)
- Siamun (“Son of Amon”)
- (Ramesses)-Siptah (“Son of Ptah”) was probably the son of a secondary wife called Sutererey. A relief of them is in the LouvreLouvreThe Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
. A Book of the DeadBook of the DeadThe Book of the Dead is the modern name of an ancient Egyptian funerary text, used from the beginning of the New Kingdom to around 50 BC. The original Egyptian name for the text, transliterated rw nw prt m hrw is translated as "Book of Coming Forth by Day". Another translation would be "Book of...
, which was probably his, is now in FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. - Unknown
- Mentuenheqau ("Mentu is with the rulers")
The following sons of Ramesses are known from various sources other than lists:
- Astarteherwenemef (“AstarteAstarteAstarte is the Greek name of a goddess known throughout the Eastern Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to Classical times...
Is with His Right Arm”) is shown on a stone block originally from the RamesseumRamesseumThe Ramesseum is the memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II . It is located in the Theban necropolis in Upper Egypt, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor...
, reused in Medinet HabuMedinet Habu (temple)Medinet Habu is the name commonly given to the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III, an important New Kingdom period structure in the location of the same name on the West Bank of Luxor in Egypt...
. His name shows Asian influence like that of Bintanath and Mahiranath. - Geregtawy (“Peace of the Two Lands”) is known from a stone block, from the Ramesseum, reused in Medinet Habu.
- Merymontu (“Beloved of Menthu”) was depicted in Wadi es-Sebua and Abydos.
- Neben[…] is mentioned on an ostrakon in Cairo.
- [Ramesses-…]pare is the 20th on the Abydos procession of princes, which shows a slightl different order of them.
- Ramesses-Maatptah (“Justice of Ptah”) is only known from a letter, in which the palace servant Meryotef rebukes him.
- Ramesses-Meretmire ("Loving like Re") is the 48th on the Wadi es-Sebua procession.
- Ramesses-Meryamun-NebwebenRamesses-Meryamun-NebwebenRamesses-Meryamun-Nebweben was an Ancient Egyptian prince, a son of Pharaoh Ramesses II.Since he is not shown or mentioned anywhere among the children of Ramesses, he is likely to have been one of the youngest of Ramesses' sons. He is known to us only from the inscriptions of his coffins. The...
is known from his coffin's inscriptions. - Ramesses-Meryastarte (“Beloved of Astarte”) is the 26th in the Abydos procession.
- Ramesses-Merymaat (“Beloved of MaatMaatMaat is a naval rank of the German navy equivalent to the army rank of Unteroffizier. A Maat is considered the equivalent of a junior Petty Officer in the navies of many other nations....
”) is the 25th in the Abydos procession. - Ramesses-Meryseth (“Beloved of Seth”) is known from a stone block from the Ramesseum, reused in Medinet Habu. He is the 23rd in the Abydos procession and is named on a stela, a door lintel and on a doorjamb.
- Ramesses-Paitnetjer ("The priest") is known from a Cairo ostrakon.
- Ramesses-Siatum (“Son of Atum”) is the 19th in the Abydos procession.
- Ramesses-Sikhepri ("Son of Khepri") is the 24th in the Abydos procession.
- (Ramesses)-Userkhepesh (“Strong of Arm”) is the 22nd in the Abydos procession.
- Ramesses-Userpehti ("Strong of strength") is probably a son of Ramesses II. He is mentioned on a Memphis statue and on a plaque.
- Seshnesuen[…] and Sethemhir[…] are mentioned on a Cairo ostrakon.
- [Seth]emnakht ("Seth as the champion") and Shepsemiunu ("The noble one in Heliopolis") are known from stone blocks from the Ramesseum, reused in Medinet Habu. [Seth]emnakht is also mentioned on a doorway.
- Wermaa[…] is mentioned on a Cairo ostrakon.
Daughters
It is harder to determine the birth order of the daughters than that of the sons. The first ten of them usually appear in the same order. Many of the princesses are known to us only from Abydos and from ostrakons. The six eldest princesses have statues at the entrance of the Greater Abu Simbel temple.- BintanathBintanathBintanath was the firstborn daughter and later Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II.-Family:Bintanath was likely born during the reign of her grandfather Seti I. Her mother was Isetnofret, one of the two most prominent wives of Ramesses II...
(“Daughter of Anath”), daughter of Isetnofret, later Great Royal Wife. - Baketmut (“Handmaid of Mut”)
- Princess Nefertari, possibly the wife of Amun-her-khepeshef.
- MeritamenMeritamenMeritamen was a daughter and later Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great.- Family :...
(“Beloved of Amun”) is Nefertari's daughter, later Great Royal Wife. She is probably the best known of Ramesses' daughters. - NebettawyNebettawyNebettawy was an Ancient Egyptian princess and queen, the fifth daughter and one of the eight Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II.-Life:...
(“Lady of the Two Lands”) later became Great Royal Wife. - Isetnofret (“The beautiful IsisIsisIsis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
”) is also known from a letter in which two singers inquire after her health. It is possible she was identical with Merenptah's wife Isetnofret, but it is also possible that Merenptah's wife was Khaemwaset's daughter, also called Isetnofret. - HenuttawyHenuttawy (19th dynasty)Henuttawy was an ancient Egyptian princess of the 19th dynasty.- Biography :Henuttawy was a daughter of Pharaoh Ramesses II and the Great Royal Wife Nefertari and half-sister of Merneptah...
(“Mistress of the Two Lands”) was Nefertari's daughter. - Werenro
- Nedjemmut (“MutMutMut, which meant mother in the ancient Egyptian language, was an ancient Egyptian mother goddess with multiple aspects that changed over the thousands of years of the culture. Alternative spellings are Maut and Mout. She was considered a primal deity, associated with the waters from which...
is Sweet”) - Pypuy is likely to be identical with a lady who was the daughter of Iwy and was reburied with a group of 18th dynastyEighteenth dynasty of EgyptThe eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt is perhaps the best known of all the dynasties of ancient Egypt...
princesses in Sheikh Abd el-QurnaSheikh Abd el-QurnaThe necropolis of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna is located on the West Bank at Thebes, Egypt.Named after the doomed tomb of the local saint. This is the most frequently visited cemetery on the Theban west bank, with the largest concentration of private tombs....
.
From the Luxor procession of daughters: Nebetiunet (“Lady of Denderah”, 11.), Renpetnefer/Parerenpetnefer (12.), Merytkhet (13.), Nebet[…]h[…]a (14.), Mut-Tuya (15.), Meritptah (“Beloved of Ptah”, 16.)
From the Abydos procession: Nubher[…] (18.), Shehiryotes (19.), Henut[…] (20.), Merytmihapi (“Beloved like Hapi
Hapi
Hapi, sometimes transliterated as Hapy, is one of the Four sons of Horus in ancient Egyptian religion, depicted in funerary literature as protecting the throne of Osiris in the Underworld. He is not to be confused with another god of the same name...
”, 22.), Meritites (“Beloved by Her Father”, 23.), Nubemiunu (24.), Henutsekhemu (“Mistress of Powers”, 25.), Henutpahuro[…] (26.), Neferure (“Beauty of Re”, daughter of Maathorneferure
Maathorneferure
Maathorneferure was an Ancient Egyptian queen, the Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II.-Family:Maathorneferure was a daughter of the Hittite king Hattusili III and his wife Queen Pudukhepa...
, 31.), Merytnetjer (“Beloved of the God”, 32.), […]khesbed (16. on the second Abydos procession)
From Wadi es-Sebua: Henutpare[…] (58.), Nebetnehat (59.),
From a Louvre ostrakon: […]taweret (3.), Henuttaneb (“Mistress of All Lands”, 4.), Tuya (5.), Henuttadesh (6.), Hetepenamun (“Peace of Amun”, 7.), Nebetimmunedjem (8.), Henuttamehu (“Lady of Lower Egypt”, 9.), Nebetananash (10.), Sitamun (“Daughter of Amun”, 11.), Tia-Sitre (“Daughter of Re”, 12.), Tuya-Nebettawy (13.), Takhat (probably identical with the wife of Sethi II; 14.), Nubemweskhet (15.)