Ramsès

Ramsès, or Ramesses, is the throne name of several ancient Egyptian pharaohs from the New Kingdom. The name is derived from Ra, the sun god, and a root meaning "born of" or "fashioned by" Ra. It is most associated with the 19th and 20th Dynasties, roughly the 13th to 11th centuries BCE.

Ramesses I founded the 19th Dynasty and reigned briefly in the late 13th century BCE. He established a new royal line and was succeeded by his son Seti I, helping to consolidate Egypt after the turmoil of the Amarna period.

Ramesses II, commonly known as Ramesses the Great, ruled circa 1279–1213 BCE. He led military campaigns, oversaw extensive building projects at sites such as Abu Simbel and Luxor, and is linked with the Battle of Kadesh. His long reign—about 66 years—produced a wealth of monuments and inscriptions, making him the best-known Ramesses.

Ramesses III, another prominent Ramesses, ruled around 1186–1155 BCE as the second pharaoh of the 20th Dynasty. He defended Egypt against the Sea Peoples and built at Medinet Habu. His reign is often viewed as the last peak of the New Kingdom, before later Ramesside rulers and the empire’s decline.

In later periods, Ramesses X and Ramesses XI appear in the chronology of the late New Kingdom, associated with continued, but weakening, central authority and escalating internal challenges.

Today, the name Ramesses remains emblematic of ancient Egyptian kingship. The spelling Ramsès reflects French transliteration; in English, Ramesses (including Ramesses II) is the standard form.