Pharaoh Tutankhamen

Tutankhamen first started his life with the name of Tutankhaten but changed it sometime within the first year of his reign. He was the son of the pharaoh Amenhotep III. His name coming from the sun god Aton. Tutankhamen estimated life span was very short; nineteen years was his suspected age at death. (Casson)



Tutankhamen's reign was in the eighteenth dynasty and only lasted around ten years long. The reign actually started at 1361 B.C, he took it at age ten and probably married a wife of twelve year of age. He was not the only or even the first to take the throne at such a young age. The others who did it before him however had a older female from the royal family to help them. He did not have this assistance available to him so to help with the military side of the ruling a none royal family member assisted him. (Casson, Shaw)



During Tutankhamen's reign the most important document was called the Resoration Stele. It contained details and a discription of the way Akhenaten's reforms left Egypt. All the temples were destroyed and the Egyptians were back to being monotheistic. Also in the second year of his reign he moved the capital back to Thebes its origanal place. Even though there are some images of him going to war agianst the Hitties and Nubians he never did fight in any of the battles. (Shaw)


Even to this day we still are not sure how exactly the young pharaoh Tutankhamen died it is looking more and more that he could have possible been murdered. This imformation was found after a c.t. was done on the head of the skelaten. Some mysteries will always be unfound and not understood this could very well one of them. Source (Shaw)


The biggest thing that makes Tutankhamen known is that of his tomb, it is understood to be one of the greatest archiological sites of ancient Egypt. It was found unrobbed and well preserved almost as if it was forgotten through all the years. The tomb contained great statues and drawings. The tomb was found in the valley of the kings. His inner sarcafogas was made of beautiful gold. In his tomb there were statues of goddesses for each of his important organs. The heart however would have been left in the body. (Casson)




Books:
Casson, Lionel. Ancient Egypt. Time Incorperated, New York: 1965.


Shaw, Ian. The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press, New York: 2000.

Ramsses II

Ramsses II or also called Ramsses the great lived a non-forgettable life. His success was great with in his reign of 67 years. He was the son of Seti I and Queen Tuya. He reigned in the nineteenth dynasty from around 1279-1213 B.C. (Oakes)

In Ramsesses' reign he showed himself as a great builder of magnificent monuments. He did much work to improve the valley of the kings. He had built many of the famous ancient temples, tombs and statues during his reign. Some of the many awe-inspiring places were the great hall at Karnak in Thebes, his father's funerary temple, his own which was called Ramsesseum, and the rock hewn temple of Abu Simbel. Because of his great works he left his mark and perhaps the greatest marks of all the rulers of his country. (James, Oakes)

Another thing that Ramsesses II showed himself as in his reign was a great warrior. One of the most major events in his reign was the Battle of Kadesh. At this battle Ramsesses was also most captured in the battle but was not. The battle was not a loss but it was neither a victory to Ramsesses because he was not successful in gaining more territory. Source (James)

He had numerous wives one of which was Nefertari who had the best and prettiest tomb in the valley of the queens. His other wives consisted of two of his daughters, a sister, and two Hittie princesses. Through his lifespan he fathered around a hundred children. After his death one of his son's Merneptah took over and reigned after him. His body was first placed in his tomb in the valley of the kings after his death but was then moved to a safer place with the greater value things. This was because looting tombs had become a widespread event. Source (Oakes)

If we look at this Pharaoh's military, building, and life achievements he is a legendary figure that is great and will be remember forever along with many other Egyptian Pharaohs. This is what he wanted and wished for. It was an extraordinarily long reign this was because he had lived a long and full life. Despite Ramsesses II hard work and great help to his country Egypt within 150 years after his death they were taken over and the New Kingdom was then over for the Egyptians. source (Oakes)

Book Sources:

Oakes, Lorina/ Gahlin, Lucia. Ancient Egypt: An Illistrated reference to the myths, religion, pyramids, and temples of the land of the paharaohs. Barnes and Noble: New York; 2003.

James, T.G.H. Ramsesse II. Fairfax pub.: New York; 2002

picture 1 link: http://www.travelegypt.com/peopleinfo/images/ramses2-1.jpg

Pharaoh Akhenaten

The Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten or originally whose name was Amenhotep IV had a great effect on Egypt's history. He dramatically changed the religious views of the Egyptians. He also changed the status of Egypt and its wealth.

Source

This Pharaoh started out as a young ruler he was only about as old as a teenager when his dad, Amenhotep III died. His mother Queen Tiy wanted him to take over and so he did. He only became Pharaoh because of his older brother's untimely death. As a child he was the out cast of the family and scientist are thinking that he had a genetic disease called Marfan Syndromehe and his daughters both showed the sign of having it. Akhenaten's wife and queen was the famous Nefertiti. Akhenaten was nick-named the "heretic" pharaoh, his reign is said to be only sixteen years long. While he lived only from approximately 1352 b.c. to 1336 b.c. (Romer)

Akehenaten's huge change to the Egyptian society was the religious part. He took a major polytheistic nation and mad it monothiestic to honnor Aton the sun disk god. In his reign the richness and power of Egypt was falling but some people would say that it had started to happen before his reign.


Romer, John.The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited. Canbridge University Press, New York;2007