BY DAVE RANKIN

Seti the 1^st returned home from battle against the “vile” Kheta with captives and “the choicest items their country has to offer.” Reliefs from the exterior wall of the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak provide us with some details. It depicts Seti the 1^st “crowned by a solar disk, standing upon his chariot firing arrows.”

On the home front, Seti the 1^st began to rewrite history in his own way. To legitimize his own dynasty, Seti had himself and his son Rameses the 2^nd showing adoration to the shenu or cartouche of sixty-seven previous nesew. A shenu is an oval shaped carving with a vertical line at the end of it. Usually, a name is inscribed within the shape. The word cartouche is French in origin, and was first used by soldiers who said the symbol reminded them of a ‘paper powder cartridge’ used for loading their firearms. The depiction included the list of sixty-seven names beginning with Menes and ending with Seti the 1^st. It is here that I mention that the great nesew Hatshepsut was not mentioned in this list.

Around year three of his reign, Seti the 1^st fought the Libyans who had encroached upon the borders. The reliefs show a number of detailed inscriptions. In one scene, Seti the 1^st threatens a Libyan chieftain. In another, he restrains two other Libyan chieftains while holding a weapon similar to a javelin. Also, there is a mention of the name ‘Horthema’, loosely meaning ‘avenging Heru’ or Horus inscribed among the reliefs. Again, there is a wonderful carving of Seti victoriously returning home, standing in his chariot, adorned with the heads of his captives.

All of this seemed to be a precursor for one of his greatest battles in the city of Qadesh, sometimes spelt Kadesh. Around the 4^th year of his reign, Seti set out on a major campaign to retake the city from the Hittites. Again, we have to give thanks for his war correspondents that the reliefs etched along the north wall of the Hypostyle hall in the temple of Amun located at Karnak.

There is one scene where a ‘fleeing ox driver… is begging for mercy.’ While it’s recorded that Seti was victorious, this was relinquished quickly as the Hittites retook the city. In another scene, a Hittite king, presumably king Muwatallis, stands before Seti like a ‘pylon’ as one author put it. This very important scene informs us of the peace treaty was signed between the two forces. The details are fragmented; however, they do advise that the cities of Qadesh and Amurru were retained by the Hittites as long as they did not interfere with the Kemetian interests in Canaan and other neighboring cities.

Near home, Seti the 1^st held control of the turquoise mines in Sinai. There were also gold mines to the east of Edfu that were under the empire. The construction of wells in Wadi Mia and Wadi Abbad took place in his ninth year. In Nubia, Seti launched a minor campaign into Irem, which is located in Upper Nubia, to confiscate the gold mines of Wadi Allaqi.

BY DAVE RANKIN

If a pharaoh has no heir, it’s his position as leader of the nation to appoint a successor. This has to happen for a number of reasons. For starters, a nation without a leader would crumble. Second, states under the empire would rebel without consequences. As we have read, there have been numerous occasions where nation-states under the empire have rebelled as soon as the nesew passed, only to be brought in line by the succeeding pharaoh.

Stability would have been a major factor as Pharaoh Horemheb was approaching his twilight years. He knew he had to choose someone who would bring that stability to the nation. It is here where I welcome our next feature in this series, the nesew who ushered in the 19th Dynasty, Rameses the 1st.

Upon researching the life and times of Rameses the 1st, the first question that came to mind was why would he be chosen to be the next nesew? Similar to his predecessor Horemheb, Rameses the 1st was a career military man and most likely served in the army with him. As Horemheb became the nesew, Rameses was given several titles until he selected as Vizier. A likely choice since Rameses was already married. He had a son, whom we will expound upon later in the series.

Coming from a long line of soldiers, Rameses was born of non-royal blood somewhere near the Delta region. His father, Seti was a troop commander and his uncle Khaemwaset was also an army officer. So, following their footsteps he also joined the military from an early age.

When Horemheb had passed and Rameses ascended to the throne, he was advanced in years. Although no definite age was given, I’ve read reports that he was well into his fifties when he finally became the nesew. Upon coronation Rameses added the name Menpehtyre, which meant “Born of Ra, Established by the strength of Ra” to his name.

One of the first orders of business Rameses completed was to appoint his son, and future successor Seti 1, vizier and next in line to the throne. This proved to be wise since Rameses the 1st was only on the throne for about two years. The next order of business was to have an expedition sent into Palestine. Again, there are very little details pertaining to what happened during this time. What we do know is that his son Seti 1 would also lead an expedition into the same area years later.

Like all nesew before him, Rameses the 1st was able to add his mark by completing the second pylon of the Temple of Amun at Karnak. His son later finished his other piece of construction, a temple and chapel.

While there are no reports of how he died, his mummy was buried in an unfinished tomb and placed in the Valley of the Kings under KV16. The Italian archaeologist Giovanni Battista Belzoni around 1817 first discovered it. The tomb was decorated with scattered pieces of scriptures from The Book of Gates.

During political upheaval, the mummy was removed to a secret resting place until rediscovered later on in the 19th century. In a strange twist, Rameses’ mummy became part of a collection that was located in Niagara Falls, Canada at the Niagara Falls Museum and the Daredevil Hall of Fame during the mid-19th century. It wasn’t until 2003 that Rameses body was returned back home to his final resting place.

BY DAVE RANKIN

The passing of Aye left a power vacuum, which needed to be filled, and only one person had the gall to finally sit upon the throne and bring Kemet under order.

Horemheb’s vast years of military experience and loyalty to the throne would serve him well. Especially since he was dubbed “Deputy of the Two Lands.” He was a direct successor to the throne by Tutankhamun himself. Only through a mix up with the previous nesew Aye, who also claimed direct divination, did he bide his time. It is here that I would like to introduce this week’s muse, the last nesew of the 18^th Dynasty, Horemheb.

Aside from the fact that he was born of a commoner, probably near the west bank of the Nile, there is very little information about the early life and times of Horemheb. What we do know is that Horemheb was a part of the Royal Armed Guards under nesew Akhenaten. Even though the French scholar Nicolas Grimal disputes this fact. Most references I have come across solidify the position that it was under Akhenaten where Horemheb was appointed Commander of the Army. It was under Tutankhamun where the distinction of “Deputy of the Two Lands” as a direct successor was bestowed upon him. There are also reports the title of “Deputy of the Two Lands” has been inscribed in Horemheb’s Memphis tomb near Saqqara.

While serving under the “boy king” Horemheb was able to conduct military campaigns in Syria, where Kemet had lost territories due to Hittite uprising. He was able to regain the Qadesh and Nuges areas to once again cement the domination of the region. However, these areas were won back by the Hittites after prince Zennanza died. As a point of reference, these events happened around the time of the famous “Hittite Letters” we mentioned in the past several entries.

Horemheb took the throne around 1319 BCE, approximately four years after the passing of Aye. As soon as he got there, he went to work. First, he married Mutnodjmet, Nefertiti’s sister. (Please note here, that the way through the throne has always been through the woman). With Mutnodjmet being of royal blood, the tradition was upheld. Next, Horemheb lived up to his Heru or Horus name “Powerful bull with wise decisions,” when he began erecting laws that would prevent the abuse of power. At that time certain officials had a number of privileges that they enjoyed under Akhenaten. So Horemheb set out to ensure a balance was established. He also was a favorite of the priests of Amun considering some of the reforms benefited them as well.

Like other nesew, Horemheb built a number of monuments. He enlarged a mortuary temple of Aye for his personal use. Horemheb also dedicated a rock temple to Amun & Tehuti near Gebel el-Silsila. However, it was at Karnak where Horemheb would devote his time towards his most prestigious projects. His work on the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak and setting up three pylons is what he is most known for. Officially, the pylons were numbered as the second, ninth, and tenth. It was at the tenth pylon where a stele was built which had a decree that officially restored order to the nation.

Horemheb died with no male heirs after approximately thirteen years of rule and was buried in KV57. Thus bringing an end to the 18^th Dynasty. The late Theodore M. Davis discovered his tomb on February 22^nd, 1908. His findings were recorded in his book The Tombs of Harmhabi and Touatankhamanou.