Pharaoh Ramses II
Introduction Ramses II had one of the longest and most successful reigns in the history of Egypt. This paper discusses his family and life briefly, but concentrates on his effect on society, with special attention to the buildings he built, as well as the peace treaty for which he‟s known. Discussion Ramses II (Ramses the Great) was the third ruler of the 19 th Dynasty (1279-1212 BC), and expanded the Egyptian empire greatly during his reign (Ramses II – The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt). He build a great many temples, most of which were designed to overshadow those that had come before, but despite his building program, he probably remains most famous for the fact that he was Pharaoh during the Exodus (Ramses II – The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt). Ramses II was the son of Queen Tuy and Sety I, and ascended to the throne at the age of 20; he reigned for 67 years, making him the second-longest reigning Pharaoh (Ramses II – The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt). He had a harem, but his favorite wife was Nefertari; it is thought that he had over 100 children (Ramses II – The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt). Under his guidance, Egypt “reached an overwhelming state of prosperity” (Arab, 2003). Ramses was a great warrior, but he is also known as a builder, because of the temples he constructed throughout Egypt (Arab, 2003). But perhaps even more impressive is the fact that he was “the first king in history to sign a peace treaty with his enemies, the Hittites, ending long years of wars and hostility”
(Arab, 2003).