Story of Ramses II and Nefertari
The The story of Ramses II and Nefertari is one of the best known in Egypt. for being a true love story that lasted until his death. We tell you in a Teacher!
Marriage in ancient times was very different from how we know it today, since many times people could not choose their partner, and this was imposed on them for various reasons. For this reason, it is very interesting to know the cases in which a marriage seemed to be one of true love, and even more so if we are talking about a marriage of kings. For all these reasons, in this lesson from a Teacher we are going to talk to you about the story of Ramesses II and Nefertari.
Index
- Who was Ramses II?
- Who was Nefertari?
- The story of Ramses II and Nefertari
Who was Ramses II?
Before talking about the couple of Ramses II and Nefertari, we must briefly comment on who each of them was. them, to understand why they were such important people for their marriage union to be so important. relevant.
Ramses II
, also known as Ramses the Great, was one of the most important pharaohs and powerful of Ancient Egypt, ruling during the period known as the New Kingdom. Ramses ruled approximately between 1279 B.C. c. and 1213 B.C. c. ruling with it more than 66 years, being for this reason one of the longest-lived pharaohs in Egyptian history.The reign of Ramesses II was marked by numerous military campaigns, being able to expand the Egyptian territory facing different and powerful enemies, such as the Hittites.
Although she is considered a warlike ruler, she also performed other feats during his government, as:
- The construction of numerous temples and monuments
- Great alliances with nearby towns,
- Restorations of some of the palaces of ancient pharaohs that had deteriorated.
Who was Nefertari?
Nefertari she was one of the most important and beloved wives of Pharaoh Ramses II in ancient Egypt. It is said that her name meant the most beautiful in all Egypt, and the sources of the time corroborate this information.
Nefertari she was of noble birth, she being part of the nobility of Thebes, a city that just lost its title of capital due to the policies of Ramses. Her marriage to Ramses II was an important political act, which sought to please the Theban nobility after taking away their title of capital, promoting an alliance that could stabilize the kingdom.
Throughout her life, Nefertari played a prominent role in the court and religious life of Ancient Egypt, being considered one of the most influential wives of pharaohs of history. Like her husband, she was related to one of the gods, being in her case the goddess Hathor, with numerous representations in which pharaoh and goddess merge into one.
The importance of Nefertari for Ramses II and for Egypt is demonstrated in her tomb, located in the Valley of the Queens, she being one of the most important and precious in all of Egypt. In her tomb Nefertari is shown performing various activities, and she is also depicted as a deity.
The story of Ramses II and Nefertari.
To continue this lesson on story of Ramses and Nefertari, we must talk about the relationship of these two important figures. It is very interesting to see what the love life of the pharaohs was like and to know a case in which an agreed marriage could work through love.
The relationship between Ramesses II and Nefertari was exceptional both in Ancient Egypt and in the Ancient World in general, and it is considered a unique case. It is said that her marriage was a real romantic love, serving both to forge great alliances, and to have a true love between them.
According to the sources, Ramses II showed unique love and great devotion towards Nefertari. It is common for him to be represented in scenes of her daily life with her, and it seems that it was common for both of them to share long days doing activities together. In these representations, both shared space and both seemed to have the same relevance, which was not common for the time.
At court Queen Nefertari also had special treatment, receiving titles and recognitions that were not usually given to the pharaoh's wife. The two main titles received by the queen were the Great Royal Wife and Lady of the Two Countries, both of which are used in numerous texts.
The importance of Nefertari in the life of Ramses II is also evidenced in many aspects. People say that she accompanied Ramses in his military campaigns, serving as both a support, but also a great advisor. Ramses is the most important pharaoh in history, but without Nefertari nothing would have been possible, an example being the letters that he sent to certain towns to achieve peace.
But we must understand that Ramses had numerous wives and concubines. due to the customs of the time. Even so, it is considered that Nefertari was always his main wife, being the one who always accompanies him in the performances, and his children being the ones who occupied the most important positions. For the texts of the time there was no doubt that she was the love of Ramses and, therefore, the most important person of the pharaoh.
Finally, Nefertari died before Ramses and, therefore, her husband ordered the construction the most beautiful temple in all of Egypt, for no grave was good enough for his beloved wife. It is said that Ramses' life after Nefertari's death was never the same, this period of his government being the one with the least progress, having lost that person who completed it.
If you want to read more articles similar to Ramses II and Nefertari: history, we recommend that you enter our category of History.
Bibliography
Ramses, I. YO. Ramses II.
Leblanc, C., & Siliotti, A. (1998). Nefertari. Bechtermünz.
Habicht, M. E., Bianucci, R., Buckley, S. A., Fletcher, J., Bouwman, A. S., Öhrström, L. M.,... & Ruhli, F. J. (2016). Queen Nefertari, the royal spouse of Pharaoh Ramses II: a multidisciplinary investigation of the mummified remains found in her tomb (QV66). Plos one, 11(11), e0166571.
