Battle of Kadesh
Part of the Egyptian-Hittite wars
Ramesses atop chariot, at the battle of Kadesh. (Relief inside his Abu Simbel temple.)
Date 1274 BC[1] Location On the Orontes River near Kadesh Result Tactical: Egyptian pyrrhic victory Operative: Egyptian failure (campaign ends in Egyptian retreat) Strategic: Hittite victory (Hittite Empire expands southward to Upi)[2] Ramses II at the Battle of Kadesh (relief at Abu Simbel) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... For other uses, see Chariot (disambiguation). ... Model showing the relative positions of the Abu Simbel temples before and after relocation Categories: Ancient Egypt stubs | Wonders of the World ... Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1320s BC 1310s BC 1300s BC 1290s BC 1280s BC - 1270s BC - 1260s BC 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC Events and trends Significant people Categories: 1270s BC ... The Orontes and the norias of Hama The Orontes or ‘Asi is a river of Lebanon and Syria. ... This article is about Kadesh in Syria, see also Kadesh (South of Israel) or Kedesh Kadesh (the most popular spelling; more accurately Qadesh) was an ancient city of the Levant, located on the Orontes River, probably identical to the remains at Tell Nebi Mend,[1] about 24 km southwest of... A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor. ...
Belligerents
New Kingdom of Egypt	Hittite Empire
Commanders
Ramesses II	Muwatalli II
Strength
2,000+ chariots[3] and ca. 20,000 infantry[4] (only half engaged)	ca. 2,500[5][6] or 3,500 chariots[7] and 37,000 infantry (not engaged)
Casualties and losses
Unknown (probably higher)	Unknown (probably lower)

The Battle of Kadesh took place between the forces of Ramesses II's Egypt and the Hittites of Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh, the modern Tell Nebi Mend,^[8] on the Orontes River of modern Syria. The battle is generally dated to 1274 BC, around Year 5 III Shemu day 9 of Ramesses II's reign when the Pharaoh arrived in the vicinity of Kadesh^[9] (or more precisely May 12, 1274 BC based on Ramesses' commonly accepted accession date in 1279 BC). It was probably the largest chariot battle ever fought, involving perhaps 5,000 chariots. The New Kingdom period of Egyptian history is the period between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. ... Relief of Suppiluliuma II, last known king of the Hittite Empire The Hittites were an ancient people from KaneÅ¡ who spoke an Indo-European language, and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa (Hittite URU) in north-central Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite... Nomen: Ramesses meryamun Ramesses (Re has fashioned him), beloved of Amun. ... Muwatalli II was a king of the New kingdom of the Hittite empire (1295–1272 BC). ... For other uses, see Chariot (disambiguation). ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I Infantry or footmen are very highly disciplined and trained soldiers who fight primarily with small arms(rifles), but are trained to use everything from their bare hands to missle systems in order to neutralize... Nomen: Ramesses meryamun Ramesses (Re has fashioned him), beloved of Amun. ... Relief of Suppiluliuma II, last known king of the Hittite Empire The Hittites were an ancient people from KaneÅ¡ who spoke an Indo-European language, and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa (Hittite URU) in north-central Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite... Muwatalli II was a king of the Hittite empire (New kingdom) from 1285 BC–1273 BC. The elder son of Mursili II, he is best known as the Hittite ruler who fought Ramesses II at the Battle of Kadesh around 1285 BC. Categories: Historical stubs | Hittite kings ... This article is about Kadesh in Syria, see also Kadesh (South of Israel) or Kedesh Kadesh (the most popular spelling; more accurately Qadesh) was an ancient city of the Levant, located on the Orontes River, probably identical to the remains at Tell Nebi Mend,[1] about 24 km southwest of... The Orontes and the norias of Hama The Orontes or ‘Asi is a river of Lebanon and Syria. ... Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1320s BC 1310s BC 1300s BC 1290s BC 1280s BC - 1270s BC - 1260s BC 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC Events and trends Significant people Categories: 1270s BC ... For other uses, see Pharaoh (disambiguation). ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... (Redirected from 1279 BC) Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1320s BC 1310s BC 1300s BC 1290s BC 1280s BC - 1270s BC - 1260s BC 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC Events and Trends Significant People Categories: 1270s BC ... For other uses, see Chariot (disambiguation). ...

Background

After expelling the Hyksos 15th dynasty, the native Egyptian New Kingdom rulers became more aggressive in reclaiming control of their state's borders. Thutmose I, Thutmose III and his son and coregent Amenhotep II fought battles from Megiddo North to the Orontes river, including conflict with Kadesh. An image representing the Egyptian pharaoh Ahmose I defeating the Hyksos in battle. ... Known rulers, in the History of Egypt, for the Fifteenth Dynasty. ... The New Kingdom is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BCE and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt. ... Aakheperkare Great is the Soul of Re[1] Nomen Thutmose Thoth is born Horus name Kanekhet meri maat Mighty Bull, Beloved of Maat Nebty name Kham neseret aa pehet Crowned with the royal serpent, Great of power Golden Horus Nefer Reneput Sankhibu Good of Years, Making Hearts to Live Consort... Menkheperre Lasting is the Manifestation of Re[1] 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... Aakheperure Great are the forms of Re Nomen Amenhotep Heka Iunu Amun is Satisfied, Ruler of Heliopolis Horus name Ka Nakht Wer Pekhty Strong Bull, Great of Power Nebty name User Fau Sekha Em Wast Powerful of Splendour, Appearing in Thebes Golden Horus Ity Sekhemef em Tau Neb Who seizes... The Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC) was fought between Egyptian forces under the command of the pharaoh Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Kadesh. ... Megiddo (Hebrew: ) is a hill in Israel near the modern settlement of Megiddo, known for theological, historical and geographical reasons. ...

Many of the Egyptian campaign accounts between c.1400 and 1300 BC reflect the general destabilization of the region of the Djahi. The reigns of Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III were undistinguished except that Egypt continued to lose territory to Mitanni in northern Syria. (Redirected from 1400 BC) Centuries: 16th century BC - 15th century BC - 14th century BC Decades: 1450s BC 1440s BC 1430s BC 1420s BC 1410s BC - 1400s BC - 1390s BC 1380s BC 1370s BC 1360s BC 1350s BC Events and Trends Palace of Minos destroyed by fire (1400 BC) Several board... (Redirected from 1300 BC) Centuries: 15th century BC - 14th century BC - 13th century BC Decades: 1350s BC 1340s BC 1330s BC 1320s BC 1310s BC - 1300s BC - 1290s BC 1280s BC 1270s BC 1260s BC 1250s BC Events and Trends Cecrops II, legendary King of Athens dies after a reign... The Djahi was the watershed of the Jordan river during the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt and Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt battles with Kadesh. ... Menkheperure Established in forms is Re Nomen Thutmose Thoth bore him Consort(s) Nefertari, Iaret, Mutemwiya Issues Amenhotep III, Siatum (?), Amenemhat, Tiaa, Amenemopet, Petepihu, Tentamun Father Amenhotep II Mother Tiaa Died 1391 BC or 1388 BC Burial KV43 Thutmose IV (sometimes read as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis IV and meaning Thoth... Nebmaatre The Lord of Truth is Re[2] Nomen Amenhotep Hekawaset Amun is Satisfied, Ruler of Thebes[1] Horus name Kanakht Emkhaimaat The strong bull, appearing in truth Nebty name Semenhepusegerehtawy One establishing laws, pacifying the two lands Golden Horus Aakhepesh-husetiu Great of valour, smiting the Asiatics Consort(s... Kingdom of Mitanni Mitanni (cuneiform KUR URUMi-it-ta-ni, also Mittani Mi-ta-an-ni, in Assyrian sources Hanigalbat, Khanigalbat cuneiform Ḫa-ni-gal-bat ) was a Hurrian kingdom in northern Mesopotamia from ca. ...

During the late Egyptian 18th dynasty, the Amarna Letters ^[10] tell the story of the decline of Egyptian influence in the region. The Egyptians showed flagging interest here until almost the end of the dynasty. Horemheb, the last ruler of this dynasty, campaigned in this region, finally beginning to turn Egyptian interest back to this region. This process continued in the 19th Dynasty. Like his father Ramesses I, Seti I was a military commander and set out to restore Egypt's empire to the days of the Tuthmosis kings almost a century before. Inscriptions on Karnak temple walls record the details of his campaigns into Canaan and Syria. He took 20,000 men and reoccupied abandoned Egyptian posts and garrisoned cities. He made an informal peace with the Hittites, took control of coastal areas along the Mediterranean, and continued to campaign in Canaan. A second campaign led him to briefly capture Kadesh where a stela commemorated his victory and his son and heir Ramesses II campaigned with him. However, this city would soon lapse back into Hittite control. The Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of ancient Egypt are often combined under the group title, New Kingdom. ... EA 161, letter by Aziru, leader of Amurru, (stating his case to pharaoh), one of the Amarna letters in cuneiform writing on a clay tablet. ... Djeserkheperure Setepenre Holy are the Manifestations of Re, Chosen of Re[1] Nomen Horemheb Meryamun Horus is in Jubilation, Beloved of Amun Consort(s) Mutnedjmet, Amenia Died 1292 BC Burial KV57 Djeserkheperure Horemheb was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypts 18th Dynasty from c. ... Known rulers, in the History of Egypt, for the Nineteenth Dynasty. ... Menpehtyre Eternal is the Strength of Re[2] Nomen Ra-messes Re has fashioned him[1] Consort(s) Queen Sitre Issue Seti I Died 1290 BC Burial KV16 Menpehtyre Ramesses I (traditional English: Ramesses or Rameses ) was the founding Pharaoh of Ancient Egypts 19th dynasty. ... Menmaatre Eternal is the Strength of Re[1] Nomen Seti Merenptah He of the god Seth, beloved of Ptah[2] Horus name Kanakht Khaemwaset-Seankhtawy Nebty name Wehemmesut Sekhemkhepesh Derpedjetpesdjet Golden Horus Wehemkhau Weserpedjutemtawnebu[3] Consort(s) Queen Tuya Issue Tia, Amennefernebes, Ramesses II, Henutmire (?) Father Ramesses I Mother Sitre... This article is about the Karnak temple complex in Egypt. ... Menmaatre Eternal is the Strength of Re[1] Nomen Seti Merenptah He of the god Seth, beloved of Ptah[2] Horus name Kanakht Khaemwaset-Seankhtawy Nebty name Wehemmesut Sekhemkhepesh Derpedjetpesdjet Golden Horus Wehemkhau Weserpedjutemtawnebu[3] Consort(s) Queen Tuya Issue Tia, Amennefernebes, Ramesses II, Henutmire (?) Father Ramesses I Mother Sitre... Map of Canaan For other uses, see Canaan (disambiguation). ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ...

The immediate antecedents to the Battle of Kadesh was an early campaigns by Ramesses into Canaan. In the fourth year of his reign, he marched north into Syria, capturing the Hittite vassal state of Amurru.^[11] The recovery of Amurru was Muwatalli's stated motivation for marching south to confront the Egyptians. Nomen: Ramesses meryamun Ramesses (Re has fashioned him), beloved of Amun. ... Amorite (Hebrew ’emōrî, Egyptian Amar, Akkadian Amurrū (corresponding to Sumerian MAR.TU or Martu) refers to a Semitic people who occupied the middle Euphrates area from the second half of the third millennium BC and also appear in the Tanakh. ...

Kadesh campaign

The Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II (green) bordering on the Hittite Empire (red) at the height of its power in ca. 1279 BC

Kadesh was a strategic city in Syria, and it marked the border between the two superpowers. It had once been controlled by Egypt, so it is natural to assume that Ramesses would wish to retake such a significant city as part of his campaigns in Syria. It was not, however, where he expected to encounter the Hittite army. Download high resolution version (850x850, 311 KB)preliminary version — more labels will be added. ... Download high resolution version (850x850, 311 KB)preliminary version — more labels will be added. ... Map of Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was an organized civilization of the Nile Valley from around 3300 BC until the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332 BC, although recent excavations reveal a cattle-herding society of peoples living in the region as early as 6000 BC. By 4000 BC... Hittites is the conventional English-language term for an ancient people who spoke an Indo-European language and established a kingdom centered in Hattusa (the modern village of Boğazköy in todayss north-central Turkey), through most of the second millennium BC. The Hittite kingdom, which at its height controlled... (Redirected from 1279 BC) Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1320s BC 1310s BC 1300s BC 1290s BC 1280s BC - 1270s BC - 1260s BC 1250s BC 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC Events and Trends Significant People Categories: 1270s BC ... This article deals with the world most powerful nations and empires before the Congress of Vienna. ...

In the Spring of the fifth year of his reign, the year of the battle, Ramesses launched his campaign from his capital Pi-Ramesses (presumably Tanis, a.k.a. Avaris, Tel el-Dab'a), a city which he had recently converted into his royal abode. Here he had built factories to manufacture weapons, chariots, and shields, supposedly to the amount of some 1,000 weapons in a week, about 250 chariots in 2 weeks, and 1,000 shields in a week and a half.^{[citation needed]} Ramesses first marched north through Egyptian territory in southern Levant, and then on towards Syria, a territoy which was largely subject to the Hittite Empire.^[12] Avaris, thought to be located at Tell el-Daba (some still argue for different locations), was the ancient capital of the Hyksos dynasties in Egypt. ... The word Tanis has a number of meanings: Tanis, slang - A ganster way of saying your a pimp Tanis Diena - A Latvian pig festival Tanis, Egypt - An archaeological temple site and capital of Egypts 21st and 22nd Dynasty Tanis Half-Elven - A character in the Dragonlance novels & game products... The Levant The Levant (IPA: ) is an imprecise geographical term historically referring to a large area in the Middle East south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and by the northern Arabian Desert and Upper Mesopotamia to the east. ... Relief of Suppiluliuma II, last known king of the Hittite Empire The Hittites were an ancient people from Kaneš who spoke an Indo-European language, and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa (Hittite URU) in north-central Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite...

The Contending Forces

Ramesses led an army of four divisions, Amun, Re (P're), Seth (Suteh) and the apparently newly formed Ptah division.^[13] There was also a poorly documented troop called the Ne'arin which Ramesses had left in Amurru, apparently in order to secure the port of Sumur^[14]. This division would come to play a critical role in the battle. Also significant is the presence of Sherden troops among the Egyptian army. This is the first time they appear as Egyptian mercenaries, and they would play an increasingly significant role in Late Bronze Age history, ultimately appearing among the Sea Peoples that ravaged the east Mediterranean at the end of the Bronze Age. For other uses, see Amun (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ra (disambiguation). ... Set In Ancient Egyptian mythology, Set (also spelled Seth, Sutekh or Seteh) is an ancient god, who was originally the god of the desert, storms, and chaos. ... Ptah also refers to the asteroid 5011 Ptah Ptah In Egyptian mythology, Ptah (also spelt Peteh) was the deification of the primordial mound in the Ennead cosmogony, which was more literally referred to as Ta-tenen (also spelt Tathenen), meaning risen land, or as Tanen, meaning submerged land. ... Zemar (Egypt. ... The Shardana or Sherden sea pirates are one of several groups of Sea Peoples who appear in fragmentary historical records (Egyptian inscriptions) for the Mediterranean region in the second millennium B.C.; little is known about them. ... For most parts of its long history, Ancient Egypt was unified under one government. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... The Budgie People is the term used for a confederacy of seafaring raiders who sailed into the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, caused political unrest, and attempted to enter or control Egyptian territory during the late 19th dynasty, and especially during Year 8 of Ramesses III of the 20th Dynasty. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ...

On the Hittite side, Ramesses recorded a long list of 19 Hittite allies brought to Kadesh by Muwattalli. This list has excited considerable interest over the years because it has been a challenge to identify all of the locations, because it represents such a broad swath of the Hittite subject lands, and because of the appearance of several west Anatolian lands, apparently including the Trojans, which is of interest to early Greek historians. (For the complete list, see Appendix A.) This article is about two nested areas of Turkey, a plateau region within a peninsula. ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ...

Battle

After a month's march, Ramesses reached the area of Kadesh from the south. He describes his arrival on the battlefield in the two principle inscriptions he wrote concerning the battle, the so called "Poem" and the "Bulletin":

(From the "Poem")

(From the "Bulletin") Nomen: Ramesses meryamun Ramesses (Re has fashioned him), beloved of Amun. ...

The pharaoh led his Amun division north along the coast of Palestine. Upon entering Amurru, Ramesses detached a force from his army, presumably to secure the port of Sumur. He then led his troops from the coastal road of south Syria inland through the Bekaa Valley in order to approach Kadesh from the south. A 2003 satellite image of the region. ...

In May 1274, a month after leaving their capital, the Egyptians were 10 miles from Kadesh, and in enemy territory. But in his haste to enter Syria, he made a tactical error and increased the distance between himself and the Re, Ptah, and Seth divisions. In the event of an enemy attack, he would be forced to rely on only the Amun division which was with him. As Ramesses prepared to cross the Orontes river, his forces captured two Shasu Bedouin spies who told Ramesses that the Hittite army was cowering many miles to the north at Aleppo. This was a ruse, as in fact the Hittite king Muwatalli was at Kadesh, hidden from the Egyptian king behind "Old Kadesh"^[16] to the north-east. A Bedouin man in Sinai Peninsula Bedouin, (from the Arabic (), pl. ... Look up spies in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Hittites were an Indo-European people of Anatolia who created an important empire in the 2nd millennium BC. All dates are middle chronology BCE. Old Kingdom Pithana early 18th c. ...

At this point, Ramesses committed yet another tactical error, hastening northward with the Amun division across the Orontes ford and establishing camp to the north-west of Kadesh. The Re division was still crossing the ford at Shabtuna, and the Ptah and the Seth divisions were still many miles to the south. In order to secure the city the inhabitants of Kadesh had cut a channel from the river to a stream south of town, which had turned the town into a virtual island.

Egyptian scouts then returned to the camp bringing two new Hittite prisoners. Only after these spies had been beaten into revealing the truth did Ramesses learn of the true nature of his dire predicament; the Hittite army and their king were actually at hand.

The Shasu spies shown being beaten by the Egyptians

Ramesses immediatedly sent messengers to hasten the arrival of the rest of his army. The Re division had completed its crossing, but the other two divisions were still on the far side of the Orontes. Before Ramesses could organize his troops, Muwatalli's chariots routed the Re division, which was on the march and unprepared for battle. The remnants of the Re division approached the camp of Amun, and were followed closely by the Hittite chariots. The Hittite chariots broke through into Ramesses’ camp, creating widespread panic amongst these troops as well. However, the Hittites were quickly slowed by the impending obstacles of such a large camp, and many died from crashes between their own chariots.^{[citation needed]} At this point, Ramesses' account enters the realm of grandiose fable, where he describes himself as being deserted and surrounded by enemies; Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Hatti is the reconstructed ancient name of a region in Anatolia inhabited by the Hattians between the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC, and later by the Hittites, who were at the height of their power ca 1400 BC–1200 BC. The capital city of both peoples was Hattusa (modern Bogazköy... Tunip was a city/city-state in western Syria during the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence. ...

Ramesses claims to have personally defeated his attackers and returned to the Egyptian lines with the help of the gods (which modern historians consider 'very unlikely'^[19]);

Ramesses, now facing a desperate fight for his life, summoned up his courage, called upon his god Amun, and fought valiantly to save himself. He personally led several charges into the Hittite ranks. Ramesses, together with his personal guard and some of the chariots recovered from the broken divisions of Amon and Re,^[20] attacked the Hittite forces and, with the superior maneuverability of their chariots, wheeled about in successive attacks on the slower forces of the Hittites. The result was that the Egyptians began to pick off the overextended Hittite chariotry. The Hittites, who understandably believed their enemies to be totally routed, had stopped to loot the Egyptian camp, and in doing so were easy targets. The Egyptians were able to push the Hittites back. // Relief of early wagons on the Standard of Ur, ca. ...

Although suffering a significant reversal, Muwatalli still had his reserve chariotry and infantry. He ordered another thousand chariots to attack, consisting of the high nobles who surrounded the king. As the Hittite forces approached the Egyptian camp, the Ne'arin troop contingent from Amurru suddenly arrived, surprising the Hittites. This enabled Ramesses to extend his advantage further. He closed with the enemy and used the terrain to his benefit in order to slow the Hittite chariotry before they could reach great speeds. Hittite chariots had to cross the Orontes and mount the riverbank to reach the plain where the Egyptians were. Also, by fighting them close to the river, he kept the Hittites from making a formation. That protected his own flanks and allowed him to fight only a small part of the Hittite force at one time.^[21] For the language, see Amorite language. ...

After six charges the Hittite forces were almost surrounded and the survivors were faced with the humiliation of having to swim back across the Orontes River to rejoin their infantry.^[22] Many drowned in the river.

The king of Aleppo was among those who survived, after being rescued from the river by his companions, depicted as half drowned, when he reached the eastern shore. His companions even had to revive him by holding him upside down.^[23]

As night fell, Muwatalli decided to cut his losses and retreated with his forces into Kadesh.^{[citation needed]}

The next morning, a second, inconclusive battle was fought. It was meaningless; Muwattalli's surprise attack had not secured a rapid victory, and apparently the Great King wasn't interested in an extended engagement. Muwatalli is reported by Ramesses to have called for a truce but this may be propaganda since Hittite records note no such arrangement.

It had been a very difficult battle for both the Egyptians and the Hittites. Most Syrian campaigns waged by these two empires consisted of unequal contests between imperial forces and smaller dependent vassal states. Now at Kadesh, it was the kings themselves who confronted each other, each supported by the full force of their primary campaigning troops.

Neither side achieved total victory. Both the Egyptians and the Hittites had suffered heavy casualties; the Egyptian army failed to break Kadesh’s defenses while the Hittite army had failed to gain a victory in the face of what earlier must have seemed certain success.^[24] While Ramesses had in theory 'won' the battle, Muwatalli had effectively won the war since the pharaoh's battlefield losses prevented him from repulsing the Hittite army and taking Kadesh.

On the Hittite side, the casualties included several high-ranking figures. Ramesses states that two of Muwutallis' own brothers, Hemtarema and Sepater, were killed in the battle.^[25] Herpaser, a royal scribe, and several troop commanders and charioteers are named as well.^[26] (For the complete list, see Appendix B.)

Aftermath

The Kadesh peace agreement - on display at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum

Ramesses prudently gathered his troops and retreated south towards Damascus, and ultimately back to Egypt. Once back in Egypt, Ramesses proclaimed that he had won a great victory but in reality all he had managed to do was to rescue his army.^[27] In a sense, however, the Battle of Kadesh was a personal triumph for Ramesses since after blundering into a devastating Hittite ambush, the young king had courageously rallied his scattered troops to fight on the battlefield while escaping death or capture.^{[citation needed]} ImageMetadata File history File links Kadesh. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Kadesh. ... Istanbul Archaeology Museum (Turkish: İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzesi) is an archeological museum, located in the Eminönü district of Istanbul, Turkey, near Gülhane Park and Topkapı Palace. ... For other uses, see Damascus (disambiguation). ...

Hittite records from Boghazkoy tell of a very different conclusion to the battle where Ramesses was forced to depart from Kadesh in defeat. The Hittite king, Muwatalli II, continued to successfully campaign as far south as the Egyptian province of Upi (Apa), which he placed under the control of his brother Hattusili III.^[28] Egypt's sphere of influence in Asia was now restricted to Canaan.^[29] Even this was threatened for a time and Ramesses was compelled to embark on a series of campaigns in Canaan in order to uphold his authority there before he could initiate further assaults against the Hittite Empire. In his Years 8 and 9 Ramesses extended his military successes, this time he proved more successful against his Hittite foes when he successfully captured the cities of Dapur and Tunip^[30] where no Egyptian soldier had been seen since the time of Thutmose III almost 120 years previously. His victory proved to be ephemeral. The thin strip of territory pinched between Amurru and Kadesh did not make for a stable possession. Within a year, they had returned to the Hittite fold, so that Ramesses had to march against Dapur once more in his tenth year. His second success here was equally as meaningless as his first. Neither power could decisively defeat the other in battle.^[31] Boghazkoy is the site of a major Hittite capital called Hattusas, in what is now Turkey, some 100 kilometers from the Black Sea and 150 miles from Ankara. ... The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is a international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. ... Hattusili III was a king of the Hittite empire (New kingdom) 1265 BC–1235 BC. He was the commander of Hittite forces in 1274 BC that defeated an Egyptian campign into Syria in the famous Battle of Kadesh. ... Nomen: Ramesses meryamun Ramesses (Re has fashioned him), beloved of Amun. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Sieges ...

The conflicts were finally concluded by a peace treaty in 1258 BC, in the 21st year of Ramesses II's reign, with Hattusili III, the new king of the Hittites.^[32] The treaty that was established was inscribed on a silver tablet, of which a clay copy survived in the Hittite capital of Hattusa, in modern Turkey, and is on display at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. An enlarged replica of the Kadesh peace agreement hangs on a wall at the headquarters of the United Nations, as one of the earliest international peace treaties. Its text, in the Hittite version, appears in the links below. An Egyptian version survives in a papyrus. A peace treaty is an agreement (a peace treaty) between two hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a war or armed conflict. ... Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1300s BC 1290s BC 1280s BC 1270s BC 1260s BC - 1250s BC - 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC 1200s BC Events and trends September 7, 1251 BC - A solar eclipse at this date might mark the birth... Hattusa (URUḪa-at-tu-ša ; Ḫattuša) was the capital of the Hittite Empire. ... Istanbul Archaeology Museum (Turkish: İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzesi) is an archeological museum, located in the Eminönü district of Istanbul, Turkey, near Gülhane Park and Topkapı Palace. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... For other uses, see Papyrus (disambiguation). ...

Recording the Battle

The Egyptian version of the battle of Kadesh is recorded in two primary forms, known as the Poem and the Bulletin. The Poem has been questioned as actual verse, as opposed to a prose account similar to what other pharaohs had recorded. Similarly, the Bulletin is itself simply a lengthy caption accompanying the reliefs.^[33] These inscriptions are repeated multiple times (7 for the Bulletin and 8 times for the Poem, in temples in Abydos, Temple of Luxor, Karnak, Abu Simbel and the Ramesseum.)^[34] In addition to these lengthy presentations, there are also numerous small captions used to point out various elements of the battle. Outside of the inscriptions, there are textual occurences preserved in Papyrus Raifet and Papyrus Sallier III,^[35] and a rendering of these same events in a letter from Ramesses to Hattusili III, written in response to a scoffing complaint by Hattusili about the pharaoh's victorious depiction of the battle.^[36] Abydos (Arabic: أبيدوس, Greek Αβυδος), one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt, is about 11 km (6 miles) west of the Nile at latitude 26° 10 N. The Egyptian name was Abdju (technically, 3bdw, hieroglyphs shown to the right), the hill of the symbol or reliquary, in which the sacred... Luxor Temple, from the east bank of the Nile Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes). ... This article is about the Karnak temple complex in Egypt. ... Model showing the relative positions of the Abu Simbel temples before and after relocation Categories: Ancient Egypt stubs | Wonders of the World ... Ramesseum from the air - showing pylons and secondary buildings The Ramesseum is the memorial temple (or mortuary temple) of Pharaoh Ramesses II (Ramesses the Great, also spelt Ramses and Rameses). It is located in the Theban necropolis in Upper Egypt, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor. ...

Hittite references to the battle, including the above letter, have been found at Hattusa, although no annals have been discovered that might describe it as part of a campaign. Instead, there are various references made to it in the context of other events. This is especially true of Hattusili III, for whom the battle marked an important milestone in his career. Hattusa (URUḪa-at-tu-ša ; Ḫattuša) was the capital of the Hittite Empire. ...

As noted above, the Egyptian and Hittite documentation portray quite different results, with each side claiming victory. The bombastic nature of Ramesses' version has long been recognized.^[37] Generally speaking, the nature of the available evidence makes it possible to reconstruct the outcome as portrayed by the Hittites, while gleaning believable details from Ramesses' account wherever possible.

Appendix A - The Hittite Allies

Sources: Goetze, A., "The Hittites and Syria (1300-1200 B.C.)", in Cambridge Ancient History (1975) p.253; Gardiner, Alan, The Kadesh Inscriptions of Ramesses II (1975) pp. 57ff.; Breasted, James Henry, Ancient Records of Egypt; Historical Records (1906) pp. 125ff.; Lichtheim, Mirian, Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol. 2: The New Kingdom (1978) pp.57ff.

In addition to these allies, the Hittite king also hired the services of some of the local Shasu tribes. Kingdom of Mitanni Mitanni (cuneiform KUR URUMi-it-ta-ni, also Mittani Mi-ta-an-ni, in Assyrian sources Hanigalbat, Khanigalbat cuneiform Ḫa-ni-gal-bat ) was a Hurrian kingdom in northern Mesopotamia from ca. ... Arzawa is a region or kingdom in what was later to be known as Lydia in Western Anatolia. ... Dardania in Greek mythology is the name of a city founded on Mount Ida by Dardanus from which also the region and the people took their name. ... Mysia. ... Carchemish (pr. ... Excavated ruins at Ras Shamra. ... A native Canadian language spoken by tribes of the Yukon territory. ... The Lukka lands are often mentioned in Hittite texts from the second millennium BC. It denotes a region in the southwestern part of Asia Minor, modern Turkey. ... Lycian rock cut tombs of Dalyan Lycian rock cut tombs of Dalyan Lycia (in Lycian, Trm̃misa (see List of Lycian place names); in ancient Greek, Λυκία and in modern Turkish, Likya) is a region in the modern-day provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. ... The Kingdom of Cilician Armenia, 1199-1375. ... Location of the governorate of Aleppo within Syria Aleppo (Arabic: [ḥalab], ) is a city in northern Syria, capital of the Aleppo Governorate. ... Suppiluliuma I (Shuppiluliuma) was king of the Hittites (ca. ...

Appendix B - The Hittite Fallen

Source: Gardiner, Alan, The Kadesh Inscriptions of Ramesses II (1975) pp. 39-41.

Further reading

• Michael Roaf(1990). Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. Equinox. ISBN 0-8160-2218-6. includes information of the clash of the Egyptians and Hittites including the battle of Kadesh and maps of the regions controlled by the peoples named in the accounts.
• Healy, Mark (1993). Qadesh 1300 B.C, Clash of the Warrior Kings. Osprey Publishing. 
• Shaw, Ian (2003). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 
• Lichtheim, Miriam (1976). Ancient Egyptian Literature II:The New Kingdom. Berkeley: University of California Press. 

References

This article is about Kadesh in Syria, see also Kadesh (South of Israel) or Kedesh Kadesh (the most popular spelling; more accurately Qadesh) was an ancient city of the Levant, located on the Orontes River, probably identical to the remains at Tell Nebi Mend,[1] about 24 km southwest of...

External links

• End of Egyptian–Hittite hostilities
• Hittite version of the Peace treaty of 1258 BC
• The Battle of Kadesh in the context of Hittite history
• Battle of Kadesh
• The actual Battle of Kadesh
• The Eternal treaty from the Hittite perspective