The story of Ramses 2 and Nefertari. Love and Incest: Famous Personalities Who Married Close Relatives

Getting acquainted with the history of Ancient Egypt, we usually admire the wisdom and knowledge of its inhabitants, who left us the famous pyramids as a legacy. It is hard to believe that some of the customs of the Egyptians, especially those relating to relationships between the sexes, were, to put it mildly, strange and quite capable of shocking even our seasoned contemporaries.

A woman could become the ruler of Egypt. But her subjects were under no circumstances supposed to know about this. After all, the pharaoh was the son of the supreme god Ra himself! Therefore, the female ruler tried to look like a man: when appearing in public, she wore men's clothing and wore... a false beard. This is what Queen Hatshepsut did, for example, when she ordered her name to be carved on all monuments next to the names of male pharaohs. But after her death, other kings ordered the name of Hatshepsut to be removed from everywhere in order to erase her from history.

The Egyptians also allowed marriages between close relatives. Thus, the famous Queen Nefertiti was the wife of her half-brother Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV). And an even more interesting story happened to the wife of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

The queen tried to avoid this marriage. She proposed a marriage alliance to the son of the Hittite king Zenanza. But on the way to Egypt, the prince was killed by unknown villains. Most likely, they were sent by grandfather Enkhesenamon Ai. After the death of his groom, Ai still married his own granddaughter. But just four years later he died.

Queen Cleopatra, who, however, belonged to the Greek family of Ptolemies, which originated from the associate of Alexander the Great (remember the novel by I. Efremov “Tais of Athens,” which tells about the love of the future king of Egypt Ptolemy and hetaera Thais?), from childhood was considered the wife of her younger brother of Ptolemy XIII. But this marriage turned out to be only formal: in fact, brother and sister fought for power and hated each other...

Such intra-family marriages were apparently caused by considerations of prestige: the royal blood of the pharaohs, and not mere mortals, should flow in the veins of the ruler. Such unions were considered more reliable and strong... Perhaps this is where the tradition of consanguineous marriages among the Arabs - descendants of the Egyptians - came from. In the tales of the Arabian Nights, the hero often marries “his uncle’s daughter.” And even today in Arab countries marriages between cousins ​​are common...

The ancient Romans adopted the custom of incestuous relationships from the Egyptians, although official marriages between close relatives were prohibited. Emperor Caligula cohabited with his own sister Drusilla, and Nero lived with his own mother Agrippina the Younger!

Thus, Russian tsars have long taken as wives the daughters of princes and boyars, who were often also related to them. The brother of Peter I, Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, and Peter’s son from Evdokia Lopukhina, Alexei Petrovich, bore the stamp of degeneration. Perhaps it was not for nothing that Peter married the commoner Martha Skavronskaya for a second time, making her Empress Catherine I: their daughter Elizaveta Petrovna turned out to be one of the most adequate Russian rulers, and under her many of Peter’s reforms were continued...

It was precisely because of poor heredity that the son of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, Tsarevich Alexei, suffered from hemophilia. There were also blood ties between his parents...
It is possible that ancient Egyptian culture also declined due to barbaric incest. The skinny descendants of the divine Ra simply did not have enough strength to preserve a powerful civilization in all its splendor.

One of the greatest Egyptian pharaohs was Ramses II. He achieved many victories and built many majestic temples; even during his lifetime, Ramses was recognized as a god, and his cult remained for a long time in Egypt.
Of the buildings of Ramses, the Hypostyle Hall in Karnak is striking in its scale; two majestic statues have also been preserved there - Ramses himself and his beloved wife Queen Nefertari. The Pharaoh, who had about 10 wives and an innumerable number of concubines, wanted to see her alone in the afterlife kingdom of Osiris.
Next to the statues there is an inscription:

“I put her on the left, where my heart is, so that people throughout the ages would know that I love her.”

Almost nothing is known about the queen’s origins; nevertheless, she is called a "noble lady" or "hereditary nobility", that is, a very noble lady who by birth belonged to one of the court families. Judging by some sources, she belonged to the family of Ey, the penultimate pharaoh of the 18th dynasty; this fact was apparently hidden, since a family connection with the inner circle of the reformer pharaoh Akhenaten could compromise the queen... Some Egyptologists think that she was probably the daughter of Pharaoh Seti the First, and thus the sister or half-sister of Ramses II. Other Egyptologists, however, think that her designation as "Crown Princess" might have something to do with the fact that she was a member of the Tebais nobility. These Egyptologists claim that nothing is known about her parents, but it seems that she was of royal descent. Others say she is the granddaughter of Ahmose... At Gebel el-Silsileh there is a shrine to Ramses the Second, where descriptions show him and Queen Nefertari performing religious functions before various deities. This shrine contains an indication that Queen Nefertari was already married to Ramses II when he ascended the throne (1290 BC). So, the actual story of the queen:

In 1299 BC, a girl was born into the family of Ey, the penultimate pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. Her name is Nefertari Marenmut. Nefertari means “Beautiful Companion” and Märetenmut means “Beloved of the Goddess Mut.”She was born prematurely and was very weak. The mother, looking at her tiny, thin body, thought with sadness that she would also lose this child...

15 years have passed. Nefertari remained alive. But there was weakness in all her movements... One day the Sueks came to their house and announced the will of Pharaoh Seti I: Merenmut should become a fictitious wife for his eldest son, 19-year-old Ramesses. Marriage meant only a deal and after a few days the girl, dressed in wedding attire, was to be brought to the palace.

Nefertari treated this event as a gift of fate. And it is impossible to convey with what excitement she entered the chambers of Pharaoh Seti I. And the moment her eyes found the young man, her heart stopped beating. She began to fall and Ramesses rushed forward to support her. When the girl came to her senses, his strong hands were still holding her, and from their warmth, from his gaze, filled with warm sympathy for her, the blood in her veins... changed its chemical composition. And the heart, which had been beating barely for 15 years, began to beat energetically and passionately. Love illuminated her entire being with its divine radiance. And with such adoration she looked into the eyes of her savior that Ramses could not remain indifferent.

A strange, exciting feeling of tenderness took his breath away and...
- He kissed her!
- He kisses her!
-They are kissing! - the whispers of those present accompanied their first kiss.

Five years have passed. During this time, Nefertari gave Ramesses three sons, with whom the young father spent all his time. In 1279 BC. Networks I o officially declared his son his successor. From that day on, all the Egyptian’s thoughts were occupied with state issues... Ramesses reorganized the army and created a strong navy, which made it possible to repel the invasion of the peoples of the sea. The Hittite state caused a lot of trouble. In the fifth year of his reign, after the Battle of Kadesh, which ended in a draw, Ramesses II decided to send marriage arrows to the Hittite princess Maathornefrure. He hoped that his marriage to the daughter of the Hittite ruler would help strengthen good relations between the powers.
“The most beautiful, beloved Mut,” said Pharaoh Nefertari, without letting go of her small hands from his palms, “From this day on, you will not completely own my body, but as before, my heart will love only yours.” gentle hands, only your amazing eyes...
When the door closed behind her husband, Nefertari felt dizzy, her hands fell powerlessly along her body, the pendant she had embroidered slipped onto the floor, which she wanted to put on her beloved, but did not have time... he got ahead of her with his murderous speeches and now it no longer mattered. ... Her blood changed its chemical composition in a matter of seconds... Her heart, which had been beating so joyfully all these happy years, began to count the beats slower and slower...
Having learned about Nefertari's illness, Ramses visited her. When he took her small hand in his and touched his hot lips to her forehead, the Egyptian woman’s body perked up... Like a flower bud, Nefertari opened up to meet her beloved...
-You are my life! My happiness! Please stay!
But important things awaited the pharaoh. He left for several days, and when he returned, he heard terrible news: Nefertari was unconscious... Without taking off his traveling clothes, he quickly ran into the bedroom of his first wife and, falling to his knees, pressed his lips to his lifeless hand...
-My little Mut... the most beautiful... my beloved...
Ramses began to cover her body with kisses, trying to kindle the fire of life... He stroked her arms, shoulders, legs... hummed some songs... In the morning he fell asleep...
Without regaining consciousness, Nefertari Merenmut died in his arms...
Years will pass and Ramesses will erect the grandiose temple of Ibshek at Abu Simbel in Nubia. The facade of the sanctuary will be decorated on both sides of the entrance with paired colossal figures of Ramesses, between which will stand the colossi of Nefertari in the image of the goddess Hathor.

Nefertari, the beloved Queen of Ramses II, is known for the myriad of images of her on the walls of the temples and colossi of the great pharaoh that were dedicated to her, together with the goddess Hathor, these images show her great influence on Ramses II.

Nefertari was not the only wife of Ramses II. Four of his other wives are attested in inscriptions of his reign, and they are known to have been crowned queens. She was not an ordinary queen, but her situation was superior to that of the previous ones. Her name translated as “The Most Beautiful of Them”; a superlative that denotes her most exclusive position, while the designation "Crown Princess", listed for her on several occasions, is a sign of her high-ranking origins in society. Her involvement in the affairs of the state is unprecedented outside the Amarna Period and is reflected in her titles applied to her: "Wife of the Great King". Her political role also reflected by the current designation "Lady of Upper and Low Egypt" and "Lady of the Two Lands".

Nefertari's title meant "wife of the god", emphasized by the obvious emulation of Queen Ahmes-Nefertari, who was also the wife of the god... Her title and name show, obviously, that Nefertari played a special role in her time. The fact that Ramses II sought to show her accompaniment, an unusual feature, suggests that she could influence his position in the country.

None of the Egyptian queens, as far as we know, were given the honor of having a temple, as Nefertari had in Abu Simbel... A hundred meters north of the great temple of Ramses II, a sanctuary was created in honor of the great wife of the pharaoh, Queen Nefertari, “She for whom the sun shines.” Six 10 m high colossi, frozen in motion, as if emerging from a rock, form an amazing facade. Two statues depict the queen, four - the king. Nefertari is crowned with a crown of two tall feathers and horns, between which there is a solar disk. She is the incarnation of Hathor, the sky goddess and patroness of Nubia. Next to Ramses are small statues of the sons of the pharaoh; next to Nefertari - the daughter of the pharaoh. Both are represented in the images of priests and priestesses.

The plan of the temple is simple: the hall rests on six square supports, a passage from it leads to a vestibule located across the main axis, and then to the sanctum sanctorum.

The walls of the temple are decorated with various scenes; some represent the pharaoh defeating his enemies while the queen supports him, others represent the king and queen bearing offerings to goddesses and deities, asking for their blessings. The most interesting scene represents the coronation of Nefertari Isis and Hathor.

Ramesses is present in the sanctuary of his wife, he performs two functions there: a military leader, conqueror of the forces of darkness, and a high priest who performs sacrifices. But the atmosphere in the queen's temple is different from the atmosphere in the pharaoh's temple. The columns here are crowned with the faces of the goddess Hathor, the ruler of love and joy, there are many images of flowers around, the tall silhouette of Nefertari sanctifies everything around with its noble beauty. Those who enter are enchanted by the invisible presence of the great queen.

At the entrance to the temple, the pharaoh is depicted offering flowers to Hathor and the queen in the image of the goddess Isis. On back side Ramesses protects the gate of Nefertari, he defeats the Nubians and Asians, imposes tribute on enemies and pays honor to Amon-Ra and Horus.

The pillars depict offerings of flowers to deities. On the left wall of the hall, when looking from the entrance towards the altar, it is depicted how the pharaoh receives a menat necklace from the hands of Hathor. The Horus and Set then crown him. This scene emphasizes the creative nature of royal power. The queen hands the sistrum and flowers to the goddess Anuket, the pharaoh offers Maat to Amun-Ra.

On the right wall of the hall there is a queen with a sistrum and flowers, behind her is the figure of Hathor; Pharaoh brings flowers to the ram-headed god, Harsafes. Next, the queen appears before Hathor of Dendera, the wife of Horus of Edfus, and the pharaoh offers wine to Ra-Horakhty.

Carved on the wall of the vestibule is a scene of great artistic value - Hathor and Isis crowning Nefertari. Nearby, the queen holds out flowers to Hathor, depicted as a cow with a solar disk between her horns.

Offering flowers to the goddess Ta-Uret, the “great,” the royal couple asks that the heavenly powers protect everything they created on earth. Pharaoh brings flowers to Hathor so that their subtle fragrance will appease the goddess.

On both sides of the gate leading to the Holy of Holies, the pharaoh is depicted offering flowers to the three hypostases of Horus and wine to Amon-Ra, flowers to Khnum, Satis and Anuket (the divine triad worshiped in Nubia) and wine to Ra-Horakhty. The fragrances of flowers are perhaps associated with the mysteries of Hathor, wine - with the mysteries of Osiris.

In the sanctum sanctorum, the royal couple is in the company of two divine mothers, Hathor and Mut. On the walls of the main, most sacred part of the temple, the cow Hathor is depicted. She appears as if from another world, crossing the border between worlds...

By order of Ramses II, a grave was created for Nefertari, carved in the Valley of the Queens, called the “Place of Beauty” by the ancients. This tomb is the most beautiful in the Valley of the Kings, and is generally worthy of its position in history. The decorative motifs on the walls and ceilings are mythological and tell of life in hell, encounters with gods, deities, spirits and monsters, and entry into the realm of eternity. In these scenes, Nefertari is always shown wearing long, transparent white garments, with two long feathers on a gold headdress. She wears rich jewelry, in addition to royal items and a wide golden collar...

In 1904, Ernesto Schiaparelli made his greatest discovery, discovering the famous tomb of Nefertari, carved into the rocks of the Valley of the Queens; her painted reliefs, covering an area of ​​520 m2, are rightfully considered one of best works art of the entire era of the New Kingdom.

Alas, the tomb was robbed in ancient times and the little that was left to archaeologists - a broken lid of a granite sarcophagus, reed sandals, a fragment of a gold bracelet and several amulets - is currently kept in the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Turin. The reliefs of the tomb, covered with unfading colors, illustrate some chapters of the book “Sayings of the Day of Exit” (“Book of the Dead”) and show the path of the queen, led by the gods to the afterlife for the judgment of Osiris.

Eighteen steps lead from the entrance carved into the rocks to the inner chambers of the tomb. The portico of the door in front of the first chamber is badly damaged, but on its right side the titles of the queen can still be read:
"Hereditary nobility, Great in grace, beauty, sweetness and love, Lady of Upper and Lower Egypt, deceased, Lady of Both Lands, Nefertari, Beloved of Mut, Righteous before Osiris."

The first chamber of the tomb (5x5.2 m) is equipped with an offering table carved into the wall. Its walls are covered with images - fragments of the 17th chapter of the Book of the Dead. The queen is represented in three incarnations: playing senet, in the form of the soul of Ba and, finally, worshiping Aker, the lion-headed god of the earth, who is also the horizon - a symbol of the rebirth of the solar deity.

Nearby are shown the “soul of Ra” - the snow-white phoenix Benu, symbolizing the eternal cyclical return of life, as well as a kiosk, inside of which the mummy of Nefertari reclines on a lion-headed bed; At the head and at the feet, the mummy is accompanied by two mourning falcons - Nephthys and Isis.
The god of the Nile water, Hapi, gives Nefertari a palm leaf, symbolizing millions of years and the syncretic sign shen-udjat, guaranteeing eternity and resurrection for the deceased. Nearby are the Heavenly Cow Nut and the four sons of Horus - the guardians of the deceased and her entrails, placed in canopic jars. To the right of the entrance to the tomb, Nefertari appears before Osiris and Anubis.

She is depicted entering the room, and the faces of the gods, the “lords of the Duat,” the true inhabitants of this place, are shown facing the exit and the queen walking towards them.
Nefertari is dressed in magnificent snow-white linen clothes, for which Egypt was so famous in ancient times; they are tied under the chest with a red belt in the form of a tet amulet - the knot of Isis. On Nefertari's shoulders is a rich necklace of usekh. On the queen's head is a ceremonial shuti dress, consisting of a dark blue wig decorated with the golden wings of the kite of the goddess Mut, a stand, a golden solar disk and two ostrich feathers.

The passage from the first chamber leads to an additional room on this level. The passage is flanked on both sides by the standing figures of Osiris and Anubis; above the door there is a frieze consisting of uraei, ostrich feathers, symbols of the goddess Maat, and a human figure in the center, resting on the already mentioned syncretic amulets of shen-udjat. On the sides of the passage are depicted two goddesses - Neit and Selket, granting Nefertari "protection, life, steadfastness, power, all protection, like Ra, forever." The goddesses pronounce magical spells and sayings to protect the queen:
“Said by Selket, Lady of Heaven, Queen of all gods. I go before you, O (...) Nefertari (...), Right-voiced before Osiris, who resides in Abydos; I granted you residence in the sacred land (Ta-Jesert) so that you could appear victorious in the heavens like Ra.”

Further the passage widens; The pilasters formed during the expansion are decorated with images of an anthropomorphic djed pillar - a symbol of Osiris, a sign of inviolability and constancy. On the left side of the passage, the goddess Isis, wearing a menat necklace, leads the queen by the hand to the morning sun god Khepri, who has a scarab-shaped head. On the right, Horus, the son of Isis, leads the deceased to the thrones of Ra-Horakhte and Hathor, the mistress of the Theban necropolis. Between the thrones of Khepri and Hathor there is a door to the side chamber. The kite goddess Nekhbet, the patroness of Upper Egypt, hovers above the door, clutching the shen symbols of eternity.

Two great deities - the personification of immortality and the creator of the universe - are united here in an almost symmetrical composition. The next scene, illustrating chapter 148 of the Book of the Dead, occupies the entire southern wall of the chamber. Framed by the sign of the sky and the scepters, seven cows and a bull are depicted in two registers, in front of each of which there is a small altar with offerings. All animals “walk” towards the queen, who is standing in a pose of adoration.
The text of chapter 148 talks about the purpose of these seven cows to supply the spirit of the deceased with milk and bread. Steering oars are also mentioned here, which help the deceased to sail among the stars. None of the queen’s enemies will recognize her thanks to these “named” oars and the god Ra, the helmsman of the boat.

Next to the figure of the queen is one of the most famous scenes of the tomb: a deity in the form of a mummy with the head of a ram, crowned with a solar disk, stands on a small podium; he is supported on both sides by Nephthys and Isis. Each wears a white afnet wig with a long end, tied with red ribbons. Between the figures of the goddesses and the ram-headed deity are two columns of text “This is Osiris, resting in Ra” and “This is Ra, resting in Osiris.”

The scene is different highest quality execution and is very important from a theological point of view, illustrating, as already mentioned, the central idea of ​​the Egyptian funeral texts - the union of Ra and Osiris in the form of a single eternal deity.

A descending passage leads from the chamber to lowest level rooms of the tomb. On both sides of the door of the passage, on paired djed pillars, cartouches of the queen are depicted, accompanied by the goddesses Wadjet and Nekhbet in the form of snakes with the heraldic attributes of Lower and Upper Egypt, respectively. The staircase itself is 7.5 meters long. The images of each wall are divided into two triangular registers. The upper left register shows the queen's offering of the sacred nemset vessels to the goddesses Hathor, Selket and the winged Maat.

In a similar scene on the right register there are Isis, Nephthys, and a symmetrically located Maat, between whose wings a shen is shown - a symbol of eternity and the name of the queen in a cartouche, the shape of which, as is known, is derived from this sign. On the “shelves” formed in the rock at both doors of the corridor there are images of two anthropomorphic symbols of Osiris, Djed (upper level of the stairs) and the goddess Neit and Selket (lower level of the stairs). Djed, as a sign of inviolability and constancy, is in this case a powerful pillar of “heaven” - a dark blue ceiling covered with golden stars of the night sky. In the lower registers of the walls there is the god Anubis in the form of a jackal and Isis and Nephthys kneeling on the signs of gold heaven.

Both hands are placed on the shen signs. Nearby are voluminous spell texts, which are unique examples of calligraphy:
“Words spoken by Anubis Imiut, the great god residing in the sacred land (Ta-Jesert). I go before you, O great royal wife, mistress of both lands, mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Reposed One, Nefertari, beloved Mut, rightful before Osiris, the great god who dwells in the West. I go before you and I have given you a place in the sacred land so that you can appear triumphant in the heavens, like your father Ra. Place diadems on top of your heads. Isis and Nephthys rewarded you and created your beauty, like that of your father, so that you could appear triumphant in the heavens, like Ra, so that you could illuminate Igeret with your rays. The great host of gods on earth has given you a place. Nut, your mother, greets you, just as she greets Ra-Horakhte. May the souls of Pe and Buto rejoice, just as they rejoiced at your father who is in the West... Come to your mother and sit on the throne of Osiris. May the rulers of the sacred land receive you. May your heart rejoice forever, O great royal wife... Nefertari... rightful before Osiris.”
A grandiose image of the flying goddess Maat crowns the space above the door leading to the “Golden Chamber” - the burial chamber of the tomb (10.4 x 8.2 m). Low “benches” along the entire perimeter of the room were once intended for burial goods. The walls of the chamber are covered with images illustrating chapters 144 and 146 of the Book of the Dead, and contain a description of the kingdom of Osiris. The queen appears before the guards of the underworld and correctly names the names of the spirits and the names of the gates of the otherworldly regions.

The top of the walls is decorated with a hecker frieze; Countless stars of the night sky cover the ceiling. recess, former place for the sarcophagus was in the middle of the room, framed by four pillars. Sixteen planes of the pillars preserved magnificent scenes of Nefertari standing before the deities - Anubis, Isis, Hathor, the mighty pillars of the Djed, as well as the figures of two priests of the funerary cult - Horus Iunmutef ("Hor-Support-of-His-Mother") and Horus Nejitef ("Hor-Protector" -His Father").

Incarnations of Horus, son of Isis, priests in leopard skins, present Nefertari to Osiris:
“Words spoken by Hor Iunmutef. I am your beloved son, my father Osiris. I came to honor you. I have forever defeated your enemies for you. May you allow your beloved daughter, the great royal wife... Nefertari, beloved Mut, right-voiced, to remain in the host of great deities, those who accompany Osiris...”
On two planes of the pillars, facing towards the entrance to the chamber, Osiris, the king of the host of gods, is depicted. In both stages he stands on a small pedestal inside a yellow pump. On his head is the atef crown, in his hands is the heket scepter and the nehehu whip. The great god wears a necklace on his shoulders, and he is tied with a red belt, a symbol of his wife Isis. Inside the naos next to Osiris are the emblems of Anubis Imiut, consisting of wooden stand and leopard skin.

A small niche for canopics was carved into the left wall of the chamber. Its walls are decorated with images of Anubis and the spirits, the sons of Horus, the patrons of canopics; on the central wall there is an image of the winged sky goddess Nut with signs eternal life ankh in hands.
On three sides of the burial chamber there are passages to small side rooms intended for storing burial goods. The decoration has been preserved almost completely in only one chamber. The doorway is flanked by images of the goddesses Wadjet and Nekhbet in the form of snakes resting on djed pillars. On the walls are images of the anthropomorphic Osiris-Djed with scepters in his hands, Nefertari herself in the form of a mummy, Isis and Nephthys with the four sons of Horus. Under their protection, the queen “follows” the image of the legendary house of Osiris in Abydos.

On the walls of the second chamber there are badly damaged images of the queen saying prayers to Hathor, the Lady of the West. On the right side, Nefertari appears before Isis and Anubis, seated on thrones. Two altars with flowers and bread stand in front of the deities. The central wall is filled with the winged figure of Maat. A surviving fragment of text on behalf of the goddess speaks of “the creation of a place for the queen in the house of Amon.” Perhaps there was a statue of Nefertari here.

The decoration of the third chamber has practically not been preserved. The figure of Isis on the southern wall, fragments of the procession of the gods, the djed pillar between two amulets of Isis tet - these are the main images from this room that have survived to our time.

It is known that the masters who created ordinary tools in the light of special, non-smoking oil lamps of the tomb of Ramesses II, Nefertari and their children were the “chief of work” Neferhotep the Elder, Nebnefer, Neferhotep the Younger, Kakha and his son Inerhau. The work was supervised by the scribes Ramose, Kenherkhepeshef, Amenemope and Khevi.

The poor quality of the limestone in which the tomb was carved, as well as salty soil waters, led to the fact that by the 70s of our century the paintings of the unique monument were in danger of disappearing. The special restoration project "Nefertari" of the Egyptian Antiquities Service and the Paul Getty Conservation Institute, carried out from 1986 to 1992, became one of the most important works XX century for the preservation of the heritage of antiquity. Unique methods restorations allowed the tomb to be reopened to visitors in November 1995.

In the Ramesseum, the imposing mortuary temple of Ramesses II at Thebes, at the top of the second pylon at a height of more than 10 m, there is an unusual image of the Ming festival, in which Nefertari dances in front of a sacred bull. Was this a tribute to the bride's father, Tutankhamun's successor? Although she gave birth to Ramses 5 or 6 sons, some of whom, like the most beloved - the first-born Amun-Khi-Venemef, died in their youth. Fate would have it that none of them ascended the throne. Ramesses II was succeeded by his son (Prince Merneptah) from another royal bride, Queen Isis-Nofret, whose tomb has not yet been discovered and is supposedly located in the necropolis of Saqqara. The time and cause of Nefertari's death are unknown, but it happened before the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the reign of Ramses - the name of his beloved wife is no longer mentioned in the memorial inscription of this and subsequent periods.

General view of the Valley of the Queens

The Valley of the Queens, known in ancient times as the “valley of the children of Pharaoh,” is an archaeological zone on the west bank of the Nile, next to the Valley of the Kings, on the opposite bank from Luxor (ancient Thebes). In the valley, up to seventy rock-cut tombs of the wives and children of the pharaohs, as well as priests and nobles, were discovered. All burials belong to the 18th, 19th or 20th dynasties (c. 1550-1070 BC). More impressive than others is the tomb of the wife of Ramses the Great, Nefertari, in which an extensive complex of polychrome fresco painting is perfectly preserved.

Ramses II was one of the greatest pharaohs of Ancient Egypt who ruled during the 19th Dynasty. He was hailed as "Ramses the Great" for his successful and long reign over the state. His reign spanned a period of more than 90 years. His achievements surpassed in scale all the results of previous generations and those who inherited power.

Pharaoh of ancient Egypt Ramses II

He became famous in the history of ancient Egypt as a great warrior, builder, family man and deeply religious man. He succeeded in everything he did. Pharaoh Ramses II became famous thanks to the writings on the walls of massive temples that have survived to this day. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs are engraved on their walls, telling about life and political events this time.

Most recently, the mummy of a pharaoh was discovered, as a result of which scientists were able to learn more information about the period from 1279 BC. to 1213 BC

They gave us an idea of ​​the tsar, the state structure and his military merits.

The architectural monuments of ancient Egypt, erected under the orders of Ramses II, testify to the greatness of this man and his ability to withstand economic instability and territorial disputes.

In addition to his royal regalia, it can be added that he was the father of more than 100 children and had about 300 wives. He was survived by his 12 sons, countless wives and grandchildren.

IN modern literature narrating the history of existence ancient civilization, the name of the pharaoh is mentioned as Ramses or Ramesses. He is the only pharaoh who occupies a key place in the biblical parable of Moses. This fact gives special importance to his historical figure.

Family of Ramses II

Ramses II's father, Seti I, handed over power to him when the young man was just 14 years old. After the death of the pharaoh, the great ruler began to rule as the pharaoh of ancient Egypt.

The reign of Ramses II is believed to begin in 1279 BC. and ends 1213 BC. and is a total of 66 years old.

During his reign, the pharaoh held 14 sed festivals, each marking the end of a 30-year reign, and then every 3 years thereafter. They were carried out with the aim of further successful reign and were supposed to give strength and rejuvenate the pharaoh.

The wife of Seti I and the mother of Ramses the Great was Queen Tuya. The main wife of the pharaoh was Nefertari. She was followed by Isetnofret and Maatornefere. After the death of the king, he was succeeded by his thirteen-year-old son Merenptah. The reign lasted approximately ten years.

Mummy of Ramses II

Thanks to the recent discovery of the mummified remains of Ramses II, Egyptology has brought together scattered information about the life of this pharaoh of ancient Egypt. So, when analyzing DNA, scientists found that he had red hair. Since this hair color was not typical for the ancient Egyptians of that time, it is worth assuming that he was significantly different in appearance from his compatriots.

According to the religious beliefs of that time, it was believed that this shade indicated the followers of the sun cult of Set. As for other characteristics of the mummy of Ramses II, studies have shown that he had a “hooked” nose and was distinguished by severe lower jaw. It was also determined that he suffered from arthritis.

Hieroglyphic inscriptions on the linen covering the pharaoh's mummy contain detailed information about how the priests protected the king's tomb from marauders. Records indicate that Ramses II was originally buried in tomb KV7 in the Valley of the Kings. But then his mummy was replaced and moved to a room next to the tomb of Queen Inhapi. The body was then taken to the tomb of the chief priest Pinujem II. Today, the mummy of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt is kept in the National Museum in Cairo.

Some of the most beautiful architectural monuments in Egypt, created by the Pharaoh of Egypt Ramses II, were dedicated to Queen Nefertari.

It is a known fact that after his death at least ten pharaohs took his name and continued the dynastic line. The most famous of them was Ramses III.

Video Ancient Egypt Pharaoh Ramses II

The revival of the country's military power, victories in bloody battles, the construction of majestic architectural monuments... These events mark the era of the Ramessids, which is considered the brightest page in its chronological framework - the XIII-XI centuries. BC e. During this era, there were 18 pharaohs on the Egyptian throne. The most powerful ruler was Ramses the Great. He made a significant contribution to the history of the state.

Ancestors of the great pharaoh

The Ramesside era begins with the accession of Ramesses I to the Egyptian throne. This event occurred around 1292 BC. e. The pharaoh did not leave a bright mark on history. This is due to the fact that the period of his reign was very short. Power was in the hands of the pharaoh for only a few years.

Around 1290 BC. e. The son of Ramesses I, Seti I, ascended the Egyptian throne. His rise to power marked the beginning of a period of revival of the country after a temporary decline. The pharaoh managed to create the preconditions for the future prosperity of the state. Seti I ruled Egypt for about 11 years. Around 1279 BC. e. power passed into the hands of Ramses II. He was the son of Seti I.

New ruler

Ramses, whose biography contains a lot interesting facts, was very young at the time of his accession to the throne. It is impossible to name specific individual qualities that he possessed. In Egypt, all pharaohs were considered messengers of the gods, therefore in all sources they, like Ramses II, were described according to a standard model. However, the actions of the new ruler indicate that he was an ambitious, strong and determined person.

Pharaoh Ramses II, having ascended the throne, immediately ordered his subjects to cover up the names of their predecessors on the monuments. The ruler wanted the Egyptian people to remember only him. Ramses II also ordered everyone to call himself the chosen one of Amon, the benefactor of the Egyptian state and the invincible hero.

First trip to Asia

The Hittites were considered the main enemies of Egypt. For several decades, the pharaohs waged a stubborn struggle against these people who lived in Ramses II, having ascended the throne, he continued the work of his predecessors. In the 4th year of his reign, the young pharaoh decided to fight the Hittites.

The first campaign was successful. The Egyptians defeated their opponents and captured the city of Berith. The Egyptian pharaoh did not want to stop there. Ramses II decided to make a second campaign against the Hittites a year later and put an end to the old enemies once and for all.

Pharaoh's Trap

Ramses the Great made his second trip to Asia in the 5th year of his reign. Having gathered an army of twenty thousand, the young pharaoh set out from Memphis. The main goal of the campaign was to capture Kadesh, which was at that time the main city of the Hittites, and annex other enemy possessions to Egypt.

Ramses II is a legendary man. The reign of the pharaoh lasted more than 60 years. Over the years, he has done a lot for the prosperity and strengthening of the power of the Egyptian state. No subsequent ruler could surpass Pharaoh Ramses II.

In the culture of many countries it is not customary to marry first or second cousins, and in some places it is even illegal. However, public disapproval and, for that matter, medical indications seem to have been of little concern to some people who have left their mark on history in one way or another.

So 13 famous men and women who married close relatives only because of great love.

Jesse James

Gangster, robber and murderer Jesse James was perhaps the most popular criminal in American history. Attitudes towards him were ambiguous: some recognized him as almost the Robin Hood of the Wild West, while others quite rightly considered him a murderer who should suffer the ultimate punishment.

During one of the quiet periods of his “career,” Jesse James was recovering from a wound at his uncle’s, where he was cared for by his cousin Zerelda Mimms. The young fell in love with each other. After 9 years of courtship, on April 24, 1874, James married his beloved. The couple had a son, Jesse Edward, a daughter, Mary Susan, and twins, who died in infancy.

Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky

The Russian composer, born in 1882, is considered one of the most influential figures in 20th-century music. Stravinsky fell in love with his cousin Ekaterina Gavrilovna Nosenko in his adolescence. In 1905, the couple wanted to get married, but met resistance from the church. Despite all the obstacles, the lovers got married in 1906 and had children.

Franklin Roosevelt

The 32nd American president ranks alongside such revered US figures as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Roosevelt served as president from 1933 to 1945.

On March 17, 1904, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, much to his mother's displeasure, married distant relative Eleanor Roosevelt, niece of Theodore Roosevelt, another American president. The couple was married for 40 years and had six children. Over time, their relationship became essentially a political partnership due to Franklin's numerous affairs and his wife's ambitions.

Johann Sebastian Bach

One of the greatest composers in history also did not resist temptations and completely succumbed to love. In 1707, shortly after taking up his position as organist at St. Blaise's Church in Mühlhausen, Bach married his cousin Maria Barbara Bach. Little is known about their life together. The couple had seven children, four of whom survived, and two even became composers like their father. Maria died 13 years later, and a year and a half later Bach married the singer Anna Magdalena Wilke.

Herbert George Wells

The English writer is considered one of the founders of the science fiction genre. Being a Doctor of Science in biology, Wells actively supported all of Charles Darwin's theories, which inspired many of the science fiction writer's works.

In 1891, H. G. Wells married his cousin Isabella Mary Wells. The couple divorced four years later, after it became known that the writer was having an affair with student Amy Robbins. Wells soon married her, and the couple had children.

Thomas Jefferson

Another president on our list, this time the third - from 1801 to 1809. A graduate of the College of William and Mary and a practicing lawyer, Jefferson co-authored the Declaration of Independence.

Married widowed second cousin Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772. The happy marriage, which produced six children, continued until Martha's death at the age of 33. Jefferson never married again, and the role of First Lady in the White House was filled by his daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph, named after her mother.

One of the world's most famous scientists married his second cousin on his mother's side and his second cousin on his father's side in 1919 after a seven-year relationship. The couple emigrated to the United States in 1933, and three years later Elsa died of heart problems. There were no children in this marriage.

Charles Darwin

The scientist was one of the most influential figures in world history. It is unknown whether Darwin was guided by his principle of “survival of the fittest” when choosing a wife, but he married his cousin Emma Wedgwood. The couple had 10 children, three died in infancy, others were extremely sick, and the scientist was afraid that the reason was in closely related relationships. Nevertheless, many of his children and grandchildren achieved significant success in life.

Edgar Allan Poe

The founder of the detective genre, Edgar Allan Poe, was born in Boston in 1809, and made his living as a writer until his death at the age of 40.

At the age of 27, the writer married his 13-year-old cousin Virginia Klemm. After a secret wedding ceremony in 1835, the couple led a quiet and peaceful life. After five years of unsuccessful treatment, Klemm died at the age of 24 in 1847. It is believed that his wife’s serious illness and alcohol abuse greatly influenced the work of the writer, who followed his wife two years later.

Jerry Lee Lewis

The American singer and one of the founders of rock and roll in 1957, at the peak of his career, married his 13-year-old cousin Myra Gail Brown. Despite assurances that the girl was still 15 years old at that moment, the musician’s reputation was irreparably damaged. Radio stations stopped playing his songs, and the public turned away from him. In the 1960s, Lewis regained popularity, but never achieved his former glory.

Queen Elizabeth II

In 1934, long before becoming the longest-reigning monarch, Elizabeth II met the Prince of Greece and Denmark. The couple married and had four children. Elizabeth and Philip are each other's fourth cousins.

Queen Victoria

Victoria became queen at the age of 18, after her three older brothers and father died, making her one of the youngest heirs to the British throne.

In 1840, the Queen married her cousin Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The 20-year marriage, which produced nine children, turned out to be happy and lasting. There was a place not only for love and duty to Great Britain, but also for dangers - the Prince Consort twice shielded the Queen from a bullet. At the age of 42, Albert died of an infection, and Queen Victoria mourned for the rest of her life.

Christopher Robin Milne

The son of the writer Alan Milne and the prototype of Christopher Robin in the collection of stories about Winnie the Pooh, he did not get along well with his parents, apparently due to the fact that as a child they were not very interested in him, especially his mother. In 1948, Christopher Milne married his cousin Leslie Selincourt, despite his parents' opposition. In 1956, the couple had their first and only daughter, Claire, who was subsequently diagnosed with cerebral palsy. By the way, Christopher’s mother did not speak to him for 15 years, until her death.