The third king of the 19th Dynasty, Ramesses II outlived many of his children and became, in later memory, the model of what a pharaoh should be. Nine later kings took his name.
Kadesh ended in a stalemate that his temples present as a triumph, but the conflict led to a lasting peace treaty with the Hittites, copies of which survive in both Egyptian and Hittite. His building programme — from Abu Simbel in Nubia to the Ramesseum at Thebes — is unmatched.
Key achievements
- Fought the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BCE.
- Agreed the earliest surviving peace treaty with the Hittite king Hattusili III.
- Built Abu Simbel, the Ramesseum and the Delta capital Pi-Ramesses; reigned about 66 years.
