Ramses II and the Harem Conspiracy

Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History · Sep 27, 2026 · 8m · transcript

While Ramses II built grand monuments and fought at Kadesh, his later years were shadowed by a brutal power struggle within his own palace. This episode explores the Judicial Papyrus of Turin, the ancient record of the trial against Queen Tiye and her son Pentawere for plotting to assassinate the aging pharaoh. We examine how this internal betrayal threatened the stability of the New Kingdom and how Ramses II’s successor, Merenptah, used the conspiracy to consolidate his own authority. The narrative delves into the forensic evidence found on Ramses’ mummy, including the deep gash in his…