Yr 12 2U Ancient History

Yr 12 2U Ancient History

Katie Jameson

Prominent Queens and Diplomatic marriage

Explain and asses the importance of prominent queens and diplomatic marriage for NK society in the Ramesside period, dynasties XIX – XX.

Change in role of queens and prominent women in the royal family are an indicator of the changes in power of the pharaoh and Egypt’s wider position.

Prominent queens discussed:

Nefertari (great royal wife of Ramesses II, Dyn. 19)

  • Played a part in diplomatic matters, inc. treaty with Hittites.
  • Depiction in art and architecture:

-scenes from book of the dead normally reserved for pharaoh in tomb

-beauty and quality of artwork in the tomb

-Depicted wearing royal regailia associated with gods – vulture headdress (Nekhbet), Ureaus (cobra goddess Wadjet), double shuty feather + cow horns + sun disk (Hathor)

-Represented as goddess

-Depicted on Ramesses temple at Abu-Simbel in miniature

-On façade of temple to Hathor at Abu Simbel depicted as same size as the pharaoh, also depicted same size on statue at CairoMuseum

Queen Twosret (wife of Sety I, regent for Siptah, Queen regnant, Dyn. 19)

  • Last queen known to have taken throne of Egypt in her own right.
  • Representative of change in domestic situations and power structures.
  • Ruled as regent for Siptah, then adopted full titulary of a male king of Upper and Lower Egypt.
  • Tomb in KV parallels rise to power.
  • Twosret a prime example of how disintergrating pharonic power in later Ramesside period allowed for increasing power and recognition of other influential individuals, inc. queens.

Tiy (lesser wife of Ramesses III who attempted an assassination plot against the king)

  • Plotted an assassination attempt on Ramesses III in effort to gain throne for her own son.
  • Twenty-eight men (including palace official Paibekkamen, army commandder’s and a captain stationed in Nubia) and also women of Harem involved.
  • Attempted to instigate rebellion.
  • Guilty caught arrested and tried, as well as those who knew about plot but didn’t say anything.
  • It is suggested most guilty were made to commit suicide, or buried alive, others involved loss hands or ears.
  • Although women involved not mentioned in trial accounts, it is assumed that they also met with harsh punishments.
  • Attempt at assassination obviously shows decline in pharonic power and immortal image of pharaoh.

The Harem

  • Financed by royal taxes, its own land and cattle.
  • Queens resided their, along with children, any attendants and staff of male administrators.
  • Grew in size, largest at time of Ramesses II – may have had over 100 children.
  • Diplomatic marriage
  • Married daughters of foreign equals to maintain friendly relationship and daughters of rulers of Vassal states to ensure their loyalty to Egypt.
  • E.g. Hittite princess played diplomatic role as part of sealing peace treaty.
  • Pharaoh never sent any of his own daughters away as brides for foreign ruler, hence maintaing superiority over neighbours and assured continuation of power and supremacy of pharaoh and Egypt.

Secondary Sources:

  • Tyldesley, J, Daughters of Isis –

- Queens of the Ramesside era were “far les conspicuous” than their 18th Dynasty counterparts.

- On debate over whether Twosret married step-son/regent to gain more power: “ Twosret obviously preferred to be associated with the memory of her prestigious first husband than her less impressive stepson.”

- Heaps of other information

  • Robins, G, Women in Ancient Egypt – chapter on royal women and women of power useful.
  • Montet, P, Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt in the days of Ramesses the great – provides some detailed information on the harem rebellion, as well as some good points on other queens, plus other information.
  • Watterson, B, Women in Ancient Egypt – the title of kings great wife ha fallen into disuse during later Ramesside society to “become little more than the title of the queen”, plus other information.
  • Donadoni, S (ed.), The Egyptians – chapter on women contains some relevant information.
  • Callender, G, Eye of Horus – good basic outline / overview of Dyn. 19 and 20 that mentions queens.

Primary Sources:

  • The Tomb Of Nefertari (from book by Nsar, M and Tosi, M) – detailed chronicle of images of Neferatri’s tomb.
  • The Treaty of Alliance between Hattusili, King of the Hittites and the Pharaoh Ramesses II of Egypt (from textbook Studies in Ancient Egypt), talks of Queen Neferari’s role in diplomatic matters

-a letter from Nefertari to wife of the Hittite King: “To thee my sister be peace, to thy land be peace.”

-Hittite princesses part in diplomatic marriage: “… with my oldest daughter in front of them, let us carry peace offerings to the Good God (King of Egypt) thatmhe might give us peace, that we might live…”

  • Wilbur Papyrus – mentions royal harem as an independent financial institution.
  • Archaelogical Medinet el-Ghurab – example of a Harem palace.
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