Latest / Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History / Ramses the Great's Chief Wife Nefertari and Her Political Power
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Ramses's monuments, his battles, his capital city. But I think it's time we focus on the woman who was arguably his most important partner — Nefertari. Luna: Nefertari — his Great Royal Wife, right? The one with the beautiful tomb. Lucas: Exactly. Her name means 'Beautiful Companion' or 'The Beautiful One Has Come,' and she held the title 'hemet nesu weret,' which means Great Royal Wife. But she was far more than just a consort. Nefertari was a political asset, a diplomat, and a cult figure in her own right. Luna: I remember reading that she had a temple at Abu Simbel. That's unusual, isn't it? For a queen to have her own temple? Lucas: Very unusual. At Abu Simbel, Ramses built two temples. The larger one is dedicated to himself and the gods Amun-Re, Ptah, and Re-Horakhty. But the smaller one, just a few hundred meters away, is dedicated to Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. The facade shows six standing statues — four of Ramses and two of Nefertari — and they're the same height. That's unprecedented. Normally the king towers over his queen. Lucas: And the inscription on the temple says: 'Ramses, he who protects Egypt, has made a temple in the land of Nubia for the Great Royal Wife Nefertari, beloved of the goddess Hathor.' It's a clear statement of her importance. Luna: So she wasn't just a decorative figure. She had real political weight. Lucas: Absolutely. Nefertari was deeply involved in diplomacy, especially with the Hittites. After the Battle of Kadesh, Ramses and the Hittite king Hattusili III negotiated a peace treaty — the first known in history. And we have letters from Nefertari to the Hittite queen, Puduhepa. Lucas: These letters were written in Akkadian, the diplomatic language of the time. In one, Nefertari addresses Puduhepa as 'my sister' and discusses the ongoing peace negotiations. She also sends gifts — gold, linen, and precious oils. This was queen to queen diplomacy, and it was crucial for maintaining the alliance. Luna: So she was essentially a co-diplomat. That's amazing. Lucas: Exactly. And she wasn't the only one. Ramses later married a Hittite princess, Maathorneferure, as part of the treaty. But Nefertari remained the chief wife. Her titles included 'Lady of the Two Lands' and 'Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt.' She also had a strong religious role. Lucas: She was associated with the goddess Hathor, who was the goddess of love, music, and motherhood. At the small temple at Abu Simbel, Nefertari is depicted making offerings to Hathor, and the whole temple is dedicated to her. It's almost as if Nefertari is seen as a living embodiment of the goddess. Luna: Did she have any children with Ramses? Lucas: Yes, she had at least four sons and two daughters. One of her sons, amun her khepeshef, was the crown prince for a time, but he died before Ramses. Another son, Pareherwenemef, also predeceased his father. Ultimately, it was a son from a different wife — Merenptah — who succeeded Ramses. Lucas: But Nefertari's influence didn't end with her death. Her tomb in the Valley of the Queens, designated QV66, is one of the most spectacular in all of Egypt. The walls are covered with vivid paintings of Nefertari in the afterlife, guided by gods like Osiris, Anubis, and Isis. The ceiling is painted with stars, and the scenes are incredibly well-preserved. Luna: I've seen photos of that tomb. It's breathtaking. The colors are still so bright. Lucas: They are. The tomb was discovered in 1904 by Italian archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli. It had been looted in antiquity, but the paintings survived. The scenes depict the 'Book of the Dead' and show Nefertari playing senet, a board game, and making offerings. It's a testament to how important she was that she got such a lavish burial. Lucas: Her mummy, unfortunately, hasn't been found. But we have fragments of her granite sarcophagus and her canopic chest. She likely died around Year 24 of Ramses's reign, when she would have been in her forties. Ramses outlived her by several decades. Luna: Did Ramses grieve for her? Are there records? Lucas: Yes, there are. In the tomb, there's a short inscription from Ramses himself. It says: 'My love is unique — no one can rival her, for she is the most beautiful woman alive. Just by passing, she has stolen my heart.' That's pretty personal for a pharaoh. He also dedicated a small chapel to her at Abydos. Lucas: And there's a famous love poem from the period, sometimes attributed to Ramses writing about Nefertari. It goes: 'The day when I saw you, my heart was filled with joy. You are the one I love, the most beautiful among women.' Whether it's actually his words or not, it shows the cultural ideal of royal love. Luna: It's nice to think that behind all the power and politics, there was genuine affection. Lucas: I think so. But Nefertari was also a smart political operator. She managed to secure her position and her children's future. And her legacy as the Great Royal Wife set a standard for later queens. Her name appears on monuments all over Egypt, from Karnak to the Ramesseum. Luna: She sounds like a fascinating person. I'd love to know more about her daily life. Lucas: We don't have a lot of details about her daily routine, but we can infer that she had a large household. She had her own estates, her own income, and her own staff. She would have participated in religious ceremonies, received foreign dignitaries, and managed the harem. It was a busy job. Lucas: You know, it's interesting — when we think about Egypt, we often think about the pharaohs, but the royal women played a huge role. Nefertari, Hatshepsut, Tiy, Nefertiti — they were not just wives, they were power players. Luna: And they left their mark. Nefertari's temple at Abu Simbel is a UNESCO World Heritage site today. Lucas: Exactly. And speaking of leaving a mark — this is the part of the conversation where I get to remind you that this show is entirely listener-supported. We don't run ads, and that's because a small group of listeners chips in each month through Buy Me a Coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's what keeps us going, episode after episode. Luna: Yeah, it's a pretty simple arrangement. And it means we can keep digging into topics like Nefertari without any commercial breaks. Lucas: Right. So if you enjoy these deep dives, and you want to see more like this, you know where to find us. And now, back to Nefertari. One more thing that's really striking — her name in hieroglyphs includes the epithet 'Merytmut,' meaning 'Beloved of the goddess Mut.' Mut was the mother goddess, part of the Theban triad. So she had a direct link to the divine. Luna: It sounds like she was almost deified herself. Lucas: In a way, yes. After her death, she continued to be venerated. Priests made offerings to her statue in temples. She became a sort of patron saint for royal women. And her tomb became a pilgrimage site for later generations. Even the Greeks and Romans admired it. Lucas: So Nefertari wasn't just a footnote in Ramses's story. She had her own narrative, her own power, and her own lasting influence. And that's why I think she deserves her own episode. Luna: Absolutely. She was a woman who shaped history, even if it's often not told that way. Lucas: Well said. And that's what we try to do here — bring those stories to light. Next time, we'll look at Ramses's relationship with his son Khaemwaset, the scholar-priest. But for now, thanks for joining us.