After a reign of some 35 years,Horemheb the last Pharoah of the 18 dynasty was left without an heir so he chose his general to be the next Pharoah. That general is Ramese I and he would be the first Pharoah of the 19th dynasty. This dynasty would see the last great period of the New Kingdom and of Egyptian civilization as a whole.After this period, Egypt would be in an almost continued state of anarchy and would be conquored by numerous foreign powers.This dynasty is more commonly known as "the Ramesid Period."

Ramses 1 1295-1294

The future pharoah was the son of a military commander named Seti. Ramesses entered the military service and worked his way up to commander of troops, superintendent of the cavalry and eventually general. A short time later he became vizier to King Horemheb. He was also Primate of Egypt, which was the high priest of Amon, and was in charge of all the temples in Egypt. Horemheb died with no heir so Ramesses assumed the throne. His queen, Sitre, was the mother of Seti I, who was already a veteran military commander.

Seti 1 1294-79

Near the beginning of this reign, Seti led an expedition to pacify Nubia and he also led an expedition to reassert Egyptian control over Syria.He plundered Palestine and brought Damascus back into Egyptian control. He reconciled with the Hittites who were becoming the most powerful state in the region. Seti I and his heir, Ramesses II campaigned against Kadesh.Of all the architectural works of his reign, was the temple at Abydos which he built for the worship of the early kings of Egypt.As well, he is responsibe for the completion of the Great hall of columns at Karnak.

The only queen known from the reign of Seti 1 is a woman by the name of Tuaa and she is thought of as the mother of the successor of Seti, Ramses 1.The evidence suggests that he had few sons,possibly only two and one daughter.

Ramses 2 1279-1213

The son of Seti I and Queen Tuya he lived to be 96 years old, had 200 wives and concubines, 96 sons and 60 daughters. One son, Prince Kha-m-was, was a high priest of Ptah, governor of Memphis, and was in charge of the restoration of the Pyramid of Unas. This son was buried in The Serapeum. Ramesses II outlived the first thirteen of his heirs.

Ramesses was named co-ruler with his father, Seti I, early in his life. He accompanied his father on numerous campaigns in Libya and Nubia. At the age of 22 Ramesses went on a campaign in Nubia with two of his own sons. Seti I and Ramesses built a palace in Avaris where Ramesses I had started a new capital.

When Seti I died in 1290 B.C., Ramesses assumed the throne and began a series of wars against the Syrians. The famous Battle of Kadesh is inscribed on the walls of Ramesses temple.

Among Ramesses' wives were Nefertari, Queen Istnofret, his two daughters, Binthanath and Merytamon, and the Hittite princess, Maathornefrure.

Merenptah 1213-1203

He was in his fifties when he assumed the throne. Merenptah, the fourteenth son, was militarily active while a prince. Famine had driven the Sea Peoples and the Libyans across the Egyptian borders. Egypt retaliated with vengeance, overcoming the threat. The battle is recorded at Karnak. The Israel Stela is associated with Merenptah. The stela records a skirmish in Palestine and mentions Israel. This is the only known mention of Israel in Egyptian monuments, and confirms that Israel was established in their own domain at the time of Merenptah’s reign.

Seti 2

Amenmeses

Siptah + Tausert

Setnekht