Preceded by: Merneptah	Pharaoh of Egypt 19th Dynasty	Succeeded by: Seti II
Amenmesse
Head from a statue of Amenmesse, now residing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Reign	1203 BC to 1200 BC
Praenomen	Menmire–setepenre Eternal like Re, Chosen by Re
Nomen	Amenmesse Born of Amun
Horus name	Kanakht Merymaat Sementawy
Nebty name	Werbiaytemipetsut[1]
Golden Horus	Unclear
Consort(s)	Baktwerel
Father	Merneptah
Mother	Takhat
Died	1200 BC
Burial	KV10[2]

Amenmesse (also Amenmesses) was the 5th ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt, possibly the son of Merneptah and Queen Takhat. Others consider him to be one of the innumerable sons of Ramesses II. Very little is known about this king, who ruled Egypt for only three to four years. Various Egyptologists date his reign between 1202 BC–1199 BC^[3]or 1203 BC–1200 BC^[4] with others giving an accession date of 1200 BC^[5]. Pharaoh is a title used to refer to any ruler, usually male, of the Egyptian kingdom in the pre-Christian, pre-Islamic period. ... Khafres Pyramid (4th dynasty) and Great Sphinx of Giza (c. ... Khafres Pyramid (4th dynasty) and Great Sphinx of Giza (c. ... Merneptah (occasionally: Merenptah) was pharaoh of Ancient Egypt (1213 – 1203 BC), the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty. ... Pharaoh is a title used to refer to any ruler, usually male, of the Egyptian kingdom in the pre-Christian, pre-Islamic period. ... Known rulers, in the History of Egypt, for the Nineteenth Dynasty. ... nomen or birth name Userkheperure Setepenre/Meryamun Seti II (reigned 1200 BC - 1194 BC) was the sixth ruler of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 352 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (952 × 1620 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 352 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (952 × 1620 pixel, file size: 1. ... Metropolitan Museum of Art New York Elevation The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as The Met, is one of the worlds largest and most important art museums. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC - 1200s BC - 1190s BC 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC Events and trends 1204 BC - Theseus, legendary King of Athens, is deposed after a reign of 30... (Redirected from 1200 BC) Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC - 1200s BC - 1190s BC 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC Events and Trends 1204 BC - Theseus, legendary King of Athens is deposed after... The royal titulary or royal protocol of an Egyptian Pharaoh is the standard naming convention taken by the kings of Ancient Egypt. ... The royal titulary or royal protocol of an Egyptian Pharaoh is the standard naming convention taken by the kings of Ancient Egypt. ... Amun (also spelled Amon, Amoun, Amen, and rarely Imen, Greek Αμμον Ammon, and Άμμον Hammon, Egyptian Yamanu) was the name of a deity, in Egyptian mythology, who gradually rose to become one of the most important deities, before fading into obscurity. ... The royal titulary or royal protocol of an Egyptian Pharaoh is the standard naming convention taken by the kings of Ancient Egypt. ... The royal titulary or royal protocol of an Egyptian Pharaoh is the standard naming convention taken by the kings of Ancient Egypt. ... The royal titulary or royal protocol of an Egyptian Pharaoh is the standard naming convention taken by the kings of Ancient Egypt. ... Merneptah (occasionally: Merenptah) was pharaoh of Ancient Egypt (1213 – 1203 BC), the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty. ... The word Takhat literally means seat of power or throne of authority and refers to one of the five bodies of authority for the Sikhs. ... (Redirected from 1200 BC) Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC - 1200s BC - 1190s BC 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC Events and Trends 1204 BC - Theseus, legendary King of Athens is deposed after... Tomb KV10, located in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt was used for the burial of Amenmesse of the Nineteenth Dynasty. ... Known rulers, in the History of Egypt, for the Nineteenth Dynasty. ... Khafres Pyramid (4th dynasty) and Great Sphinx of Giza (c. ... Merneptah (occasionally: Merenptah) was pharaoh of Ancient Egypt (1213 – 1203 BC), the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty. ... The word Takhat literally means seat of power or throne of authority and refers to one of the five bodies of authority for the Sikhs. ... Usermaatre-setepenre The Justice of Re is Powerful, Chosen of Re Nomen Ramesses (meryamun) Born of Re, (Beloved of Amun) Horus name Kanakht Merymaa Nebty name Mekkemetwafkhasut Golden Horus Userrenput-aanehktu Consort(s) Isetnofret, Nefertari Maathorneferure Issues Bintanath, Khaemweset, Merneptah, Amun-her-khepsef, Meritamen see also: List of children of... Egyptologist is the designation given to an archaeologist or historian who specialises in Egyptology, the scientific study of Ancient Egypt and its antiquities. ... Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC - 1200s BC - 1190s BC 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC Events and trends 1204 BC - Theseus, legendary King of Athens, is deposed after a reign of 30... Centuries: 13th century BC - 12th century BC - 11th century BC Decades: 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC 1200s BC - 1190s BC - 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC 1140s BC Events and trends 1197 BC - The beginning of first period (1197 BC - 982 BC) by Sau Yung... Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC - 1200s BC - 1190s BC 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC Events and trends 1204 BC - Theseus, legendary King of Athens, is deposed after a reign of 30... (Redirected from 1200 BC) Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC - 1200s BC - 1190s BC 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC Events and Trends 1204 BC - Theseus, legendary King of Athens is deposed after... (Redirected from 1200 BC) Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC - 1200s BC - 1190s BC 1180s BC 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC Events and Trends 1204 BC - Theseus, legendary King of Athens is deposed after...

Usurper

It is likely that he wasn't the intended heir to the throne. Most scholars such as Kenneth Kitchen and Jürgen von Beckerath believe that Amenmesse usurped the throne from Seti-Merneptah, Merneptah's son and Crown Prince who should have been next in line to the succession. It is not clear why this happened. Amenmesse may have taken advantage of the weakness of Seti-Merneptah or seized power while the crown prince was away in Asia. It is most likely that Seti-Merneptah was the same man as Seti II, whose reign may have preceded and also followed Amenmesse's. The cartouches of Seti II's tomb were erased and then repainted, suggesting that Seti's rule was temporarily replaced by his half-brother. Emeritus Professor Kenneth A. Kitchen (University of Liverpool publicity photograph, 2006). ... Jürgen von Beckerath (born 19 February 1920) is a prominent German Egyptologist. ... nomen or birth name Userkheperure Setepenre/Meryamun Seti II (reigned 1200 BC - 1194 BC) was the sixth ruler of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt. ...

Confusion generally clouds Amenmesse's reign and location within the Egyptian 19th Dynasty. A few scholars place him after Seti II, despite the clear fact that Seti II's name was written over his name in some Theban stele while other scholars such as Rolf Krauss and Aidan Dodson maintain that he usurped power from Years 2 to 5 of Seti II's reign and ruled Egypt for 3 to 4 years.^[6] Dodson also contends that Amenmesse was once a Kushite Viceroy called Messuwy.^[7] However, Frank Yurco notes that various depictions of Messuwy in several Nubian temples were never deliberately defaced by Seti II's agents compared to the damnatio memoriae meted out to all depictions of another Viceroy of Kush, Kha-em-ter, who had served as Amenmesse's Vizier.^[8] This strongly implies that Seti II held no grudge against Messuwy and would be improbable if Messuwy was indeed Amenmesse.^[9] Yurco also observes that Messuwy's tomb objects which identified a Pharaoh all named only Merneptah, Seti II's father which leads to the conclusion that Messuwy died and was buried in his tomb at Aniba, Nubia during Merneptah's reign and could not be Amenmesse.^[10] Thebes For the ancient capital of Boeotia, see Thebes, Greece. ... Ancient Egyptian funerary stele Suenos Stone in Forres Scotland A stele (or stela) is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living—inscribed, carved in relief (bas... For the son of Rama and Sita from Indian epic of Ramayana, go to Kush (hindu). ... For other uses, see Kush (disambiguation). ... Merneptah (occasionally: Merenptah) was pharaoh of Ancient Egypt (1213 – 1203 BC), the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty. ...

The records of a court case early in the reign of Seti II also throw some light on the matter. A certain Neferhotep, one of the two chief workmen of the necropolis, had been replaced by another named Paneb, against whom many crimes were alleged by Neferhotep's brother Amennakhte in a violently worded indictment preserved in a papyrus in the British Museum. If Amennakhte can be trusted, Paneb had stolen stone for the embellishment of his own tomb from that of Seti II in the course of its completion, besides purloining or damaging other property belonging to that monarch. Also he had allegedly tried to kill Neferhotep in spite of having been educated by him, and after the chief workman had been killed by 'the enemy' had bribed the vizier Pra'emhab in order to usurp his place. Whatever the truth of these accusations, it is clear that Thebes was going through very troubled times. There are references elsewhere to a 'war' that had occurred during these years, but it is obscure to what this word alludes, perhaps to no more than internal disturbances and discontent. Neferhotep had complained of the attacks upon himself to the vizier Amenmose, presumably a predecessor of Pra'emhab, whereupon Amenmose had punished Paneb. This trouble-maker had then brought a complaint before 'Mose', who had deposed the vizier from his office. Evidently this 'Mose' must have been a personage of the most exalted station, and was quite possibly the person later recognised as Amenmesse.

Amenmesse means "born of Amun". Additionally, his nomen can be found with the epithet Heqa-waset, which means "Ruler of Thebes".^[11] His throne name was Menmire Setepenre, meaning "Eternal like Re, Chosen by Re." His mother is known to be Queen Takhat, who was either a minor wife of Merneptah or a later royal wife of Ramesses II. Amenmesse 's wife was once thought to be a woman named Baktwerel but more recent analysis of his royal tomb proves that she was not a contemporary of this Pharaoh. As Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton state: Amun (also spelled Amon, Amoun, Amen, and rarely Imen, Greek Αμμον Ammon, and Άμμον Hammon, Egyptian Yamanu) was the name of a deity, in Egyptian mythology, who gradually rose to become one of the most important deities, before fading into obscurity. ...

"Contrary to what has often been asserted, the Queen Baketwerel depicted in the tomb of Amenmesse, KV10, cannot have been a wife of his. The reliefs [of the Queen] in question are secondary, carved in plaster over the mutilated decoration of the king, reflecting later usurpation of the sepulchure, probably in the 20th Dynasty."^[12]

Dodson suggests that Baktwerel was perhaps the wife of Ramesses IX, and that this lady later usurped Amenmesse's tomb and added her own scenes and inscriptions there (Dodson 1987). Tomb Interior of Ramesses IX Neferkare Ramesses IX (also written Ramses and Rameses) (1124 BC – 1106 BC) was the eighth king of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. ...

Six quartzite statues originally placed along the axis of the hypostyle hall in the Amun Temple at Karnak are thought to be his, although these were defaced and overwritten with the name of Seti II ^[13]. One of these statues, with the inscription, "the Great Royal Wife Takhat", lends credence to the argument that Takhat was Amenmesse's wife. Amenmesse was also responsible for restoring a shrine dating from Thutmose III that stands before a temple at Tod. Quartzite Quartzite is a hard, metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. ... In architecture, a hypostyle hall has a flat ceiling which is supported by columns, as in the Hall of Columns at Karnak. ... Amun (also spelled Amon, Amoun, Amen, and rarely Imen, Greek Αμμον Ammon, and Άμμον Hammon, Egyptian Yamanu) was the name of a deity, in Egyptian mythology, who gradually rose to become one of the most important deities, before fading into obscurity. ... Map of Karnak, showing major temple complexes Interior of Temple First pylon of precinct of Amun viewed from the west Al-Karnak (Arabic الكرنك, in Ancient Egypt was named Ipet Sut, the most venerated place) is a small village in Egypt, located on the banks of the River Nile some 2. ... Great Royal Wife (or ḥmt nswt wrt) is the term used to refer to the chief wife of an Egyptian pharaoh on the day of his coronation. ... Menkheperre Lasting is the Manifestation of Re Nomen Thutmose Neferkheperu Thoth is born, beautiful of forms Horus name Kanakht Khaemwaset Mighty Bull, Arising in Thebes Nebty name Wahnesytmireempet Enduring in kingship like Re in heaven Golden Horus Sekhempahtydsejerkhaw Powerful of strength, holy of diadems Consort(s) Hatshepsut-Meryetre, Nebtu, Menwi...

There is confusion about the events surrounding his death. His mummy was not amongst those found in the cashe at Deir el Bahri, and from the destruction of his tomb in the Valley of the Kings, it is assumed that Seti II took revenge upon his usurping half-brother.

Aftermath

He was buried in a rock-cut tomb in the Valley of the Kings which is now identified as Tomb KV10. However, almost all of its texts and scenes were either erased or usurped by Seti II's agents. No mention of Amenmesse was spared.^[14][15] Amenmmesse's tomb was also opened in antiquity. While the remains of three mummies were found in this tomb, two women and one man, it is uncertain if any of these remains belong to Amenmesse, Takhat or the later Baketwerel without further testing or whether they were later intrusions. It seems more likely, however, that Seti II had Amenmesse's remains desecrated since his mummy was never found "in either of the two great caches of royal mummies found in 1881 and 1901" ^[16] Surviving inscriptions mentioning Takhat's name along with the wall inscriptions suggest she was buried in Amenmesse's tomb. Artifacts from the tombs of Seti I and Rameses VI were also found in the KV10 tomb adding to the uncertainty. After his death, Seti II also conducted a damnatio memoriae campaign against the memory of Amenmesse's Vizier, Kha-em-ter. Egyptologist Frank Yurco notes that Seti II's agents erased all of Kha-em-ter's depictions and inscriptions – even those that Kha-em-ter had inscribed when he served as a Viceroy in Nubia.^[17] Location of the valley in the Theban Hills, West of the Nile, October 1988 (red box shows location) The Valley of the Kings (Arabic: وادي الملوك Wadi Biban el-Muluk; Gates of the King)[1] is a valley in Egypt where for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to... Tomb KV10, located in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt was used for the burial of Amenmesse of the Nineteenth Dynasty. ... A mummy is a corpse whose skin and dried flesh have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or airlessness. ... Menmaatre Eternal is the Justice of Re Nomen Sety Merenptah Man of Set, beloved of Ptah Horus name Kanakht Khaemwaset-Seankhtawy Nebty name Wehemmesut Sekhemkhepesh Derpedjetpesdjet Golden Horus Wehemkhau Weserpedjutemtawnebu[1] Consort(s) Queen Tuya Issues Ramesses II Father Ramesses I Mother Queen Sitre Died 1279 BC Burial KV17 Major... Image of Ramesses VI on display at the Louvre Ramesses VI (also written Ramses and Rameses) (reigned 1142 BC to 1134 BC) was the fifth ruler of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt and his tomb, KV9, is located near King Tutankhamens in the Valley of the Kings. ... Tomb KV10, located in the Valley of the Kings, in Egypt was used for the burial of Amenmesse of the Nineteenth Dynasty. ... nomen or birth name Userkheperure Setepenre/Meryamun Seti II (reigned 1200 BC - 1194 BC) was the sixth ruler of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt. ... An Egyptologist is any archaeologist, historian, linguist, or art historian who specializes in Egyptology, the scientific study of Ancient Egypt and its antiquities. ... A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. ...

Notes

1. ^ [1] King Amenmesse
2. ^ [2] KV-10 The Tomb of Amenmesse
3. ^ Edward Wente and Charles Van Siclen III, "A Chronology of the New Kingdom," 218
4. ^ Michael Rice, Who's Who in Ancient Egypt, Routledge, 1999
5. ^ Vandersleyen, ĽÈgypte et la Vallée du Nil, vol 2: 575
6. ^ Krauss 1976, 1977, 1997; Dodson 1997
7. ^ Dodson 1997
8. ^ Frank J. Yurco, Was Amenmesse the Viceroy of Kush, Messuwy?, JARCE 34 (1997), pp.53-54 & 56
9. ^ Yurco, JARCE 34, p.56
10. ^ Yurco, JARCE 34, pp.55-56
11. ^ K. A. Kitchen, "The Titularies of the Ramesside Kings as Expression of Their Ideal Kingship," ASAE 71 (1987): 134-35.
12. ^ Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson (2004), p.286, no.130
13. ^ Cardon 1979; Yurco 1979
14. ^ Dodson, Aidan. The Tomb of King Amenmesse: Some Observations. DE 2 (1985): 7-11.
15. ^ Dodson, Aidan. Death after Death in the Valley of the Kings. In Death and Taxes in the Ancient Near East, ed. Sara E. Orel, 53-59. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1992.
16. ^ Yurco, JARCE 34 (1997), p.54
17. ^ Yurco, JARCE 34 (1997), pp.49-56.

Bibliography

• Cardon, Patrick D. “Amenmesse: An Egyptian Royal Head of the Nineteenth Dynasty in the Metropolitan Museum.” MMJ 14 (1979): 5-14.
• Dodson, Aidan. “The Takhats and Some Other Royal Ladies of the Ramesside Period.” JEA 73 (1987): 224-29.
• ________. and Dyan Hilton, “The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt“, Thames & Hudson, 2004.
• ________. “Death after Death in the Valley of the Kings.” In Death and Taxes in the Ancient Near East, ed. Sara E. Orel, 53-59. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1992.
• ________. “Amenmesse in Kent, Liverpool, and Thebes.” JEA 81 (1995): 115-28.
• ________. "Messuy, Amada and Amenmesse." JARCE 34 (1997): 41-48.
• Habachi, Labib. “King Amenmesse and Viziers Amenmose and Kha’emtore: Their Monuments and Place in History.” MDAIK 34 (1978): 39-67.
• Kitchen, Kenneth A. “The Titularies of the Ramesside Kings as Expression of Their Ideal Kingship.” ASAE 71 (1987): 131-41.
• Krauss, Rolf. “Untersuchungen zu König Amenmesse (1.Teil).” SAK 4 (1976): 161-99.
• ________. “Untersuchungen zu König Amenmesse (2. Teil).” SAK 5 (1977): 131-74.
• ________. “Untersuchungen zu König Amenmesse: Nachträge.” SAK 24 (1997): 161-84.
• Vandersleyen, Claude. ĽÉgypte et la Vallée du Nil. Vol. 2, De la fin de ľAncien Empire á la fin du Nouvel Empire. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1995
• Wente, Edward and Charles Van Siclen III. "A Chronology of the New Kingdom." In Studies in Honor of George R. Hughes: January 12, 1977, 217-61. Chicago: The Oriental Institute, 1976.
• Yurco, Frank Joseph. “Was Amenmesse the Viceroy of Kush, Messuwy?,” JARCE 34 (1997): 49-56.

External links

• KV-10 at The Theban Mapping Project