Merenptah Merenptah was the 13th son of Ramesses II, and it was he who eventually followed his father toward 1213 B.C., after his father's (too) long authority. When he took control, Egypt was no longer what it was in the time of the 18th Dynasty. It was a weakened polity, unethical, but still had resources that Merenptah, probably about fifty years old at the time of his accession to the throne, directed during his 10 years. Despite his age, he knew how to wage brutal fights in Asia during the 3rd year of his reign, and to bring back into line the Syria-Palestinian principalities, always fast to insurgent against Egyptian occupation. The Libyans were also put back in place in year 5. As his father Ramesses 2 had succeeded before him, he undertook to leave chronicles of his victories, on a wall close to the 6th pylon of Karnak, and a famous stela. Merenptah's famous stela It is dated from about 1210/1207 B.C. and was found in 1896 by Flinders Petrie, in the temple, it is maintained today in the Cairo museum and is an (amazing!) copy that can be seen in situ. The text is a poetic commendation dedicated to Pharaoh Merenptah. At the end of the poem, is a depiction of a campaign carried out by the Pharaoh in year 5 of its reign - toward 1210 B.C. - to the country of Canaan gives the first mention of Israel out of biblical context, and the only mention of Israel in the Egyptian texts. The temple of King Merenptah When Merenptah decided to construct his funerary temple, he placed it very near the one of Amenophis III, already in ruins, which he was going to use as a quarry, usurping the names of his famous predecessor - like his
Merenptah Merenptah was the 13th son of Ramesses II, and it was he who eventually followed his father toward 1213 B.C., after his father’s (too) long authority. When he took control, Egypt was no longer what it was in the time of the 18th Dynasty. It was a weakened polity, unethical, but still had resources that
