Latest / Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History / Ramses the Great's Royal Wives: Power Behind the Throne
Transcript
- Lucas: When we think of Ramses the Great, we picture colossal statues, battles, and temples. But behind the throne stood a circle of women whose influence shaped the empire just as much as any vizier or general. Luna: We've touched on Nefertari before, but I get the sense there's a lot more to her story. Lucas: Absolutely. Nefertari was Ramses' first Great Royal Wife, and we know she was highly educated — she could read and write hieroglyphs, which was rare even for elite women. Her titles included 'Great of Praise' and 'Sweet of Love,' and she had a temple at Abu Simbel, carved into the cliff face next to Ramses' own. Lucas: But Nefertari wasn't just a symbol. She corresponded directly with the Hittite queen Puduhepa, exchanging letters about diplomatic matters and even gifts. These letters survive, and they show a woman who was politically astute, not just a pretty face on a temple wall. Luna: She was writing to a foreign queen — that's remarkable for the time. Lucas: Exactly. And it wasn't just letters. Nefertari likely played a role in the peace negotiations with the Hittites after Kadesh. Her tomb, QV66 in the Valley of the Queens, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered, with intricate paintings that show her in the presence of the gods. Lucas: Sadly, she probably died around the 24th or 25th year of Ramses' reign. We don't know exactly how, but her death would have been a major blow to Ramses, both personally and politically. Lucas: But she wasn't his only wife. There was Isetnofret, who was also a Great Royal Wife, though she's less famous today. She gave Ramses several children, including his eventual successor, Merenptah. Luna: So Isetnofret's son became pharaoh, not Nefertari's? Lucas: Right. Nefertari's sons, like Amunherkhepeshef, died before their father, so the succession fell to Isetnofret's line. Isetnofret may have been less flamboyant than Nefertari, but her influence was just as real. She had a temple at Wadi es-Sebua in Nubia, and her statues appear at Karnak and elsewhere. Lucas: Then there was Maathorneferure, the Hittite princess who married Ramses after the peace treaty. Her arrival in Egypt was a huge diplomatic event, celebrated on the Marriage Stela. She took the title of Great Royal Wife, and her presence cemented the alliance between Egypt and Hatti. Luna: So Ramses married his former enemy's daughter — that's quite a turnaround. Lucas: It was. And it wasn't unusual for Egyptian pharaohs to marry foreign princesses, but it was rare for a foreign bride to become a Great Royal Wife. Maathorneferure had to adapt to Egyptian culture, and she likely brought her own attendants and customs with her. Lucas: Beyond these three, there were many other wives and concubines in the royal harem, including Ramses' own daughters, like Bintanath and Meritamen, who took on the role of Great Royal Wife after their mother's death. That might sound strange to us, but in ancient Egypt, the king's divine status meant he could marry within his family to keep the bloodline pure. Luna: That must have created a complicated family dynamic. Lucas: No doubt. And it also meant that royal women had significant power. They held estates, controlled their own wealth, and could influence succession. Some, like Nefertari, were even deified in their lifetime. Lucas: The title 'God's Wife of Amun' was particularly important. It was a priestly role that gave the queen a direct connection to the god Amun-Re, and it was often held by a queen or princess. This role came with political and economic power, as the temple of Amun was the wealthiest institution in Egypt. Lucas: If today was actually useful to you, the way these stays ad-free is listener support. A small contribution at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo helps us keep doing the research and the conversations. Luna: And it really does make a difference for the show. Lucas: Now, where were we? Right — we were talking about the power of royal women. There's a fascinating detail from the tomb of Nefertari: a scene where she plays a board game called senet, which had spiritual significance. It shows her engaging in an activity that was both leisure and a ritual journey through the afterlife. Luna: So even in death, her status was celebrated. Lucas: Absolutely. And her tomb's paintings are a testament to her importance. But we should also remember that not all royal women were so fortunate. Some were overshadowed, their names lost to history. We only know about a handful because they left inscriptions or were mentioned in records. Lucas: For instance, we know of a woman named Nebettawy, who was a daughter of Ramses and also became a Great Royal Wife, but we know very little about her life. She appears in a few reliefs, but that's it. Luna: It's amazing how much we can piece together from just a few fragments. Lucas: And that's the challenge — and the joy — of ancient history. We have to read between the lines of monumental inscriptions, letters, and tomb paintings to reconstruct the lives of these women. But when we do, we see a rich tapestry of influence and agency. Lucas: Ramses himself was a master at using his family to project power. By elevating his wives and daughters, he surrounded himself with a court that reinforced his divine status. Each royal woman was a piece on the chessboard of his reign, whether through diplomacy, religion, or succession. Luna: It makes you wonder how much of the empire's stability was due to these women. Lucas: Probably more than we'll ever know. But one thing is clear: without Nefertari, Isetnofret, and Maathorneferure, the story of Ramses the Great would be incomplete. Their legacy lives on in the temples and tombs they inspired, and in the peace that their marriage alliances helped secure. Lucas: So next time you see a colossal statue of Ramses, remember the women who stood beside him, often in his shadow, but never truly in it.