Merneptah

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Merneptah (occasionally: Merenptah) was pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, he reigned between 1213 and 1203 BC, and was the fourth ruler of the 19th Dynasty. He was the 14th son of Ramesses II and came to power first after all his older brothers had died, by which time he was almost sixty years old. His throne name was Ba-en-re Mery-netjeru, which means "The Soul of Ra, Beloved of the Gods".

Merenptah offing to god Ptah on column from the University of Pennsylvania Museum

Merenptah was probably the fourth child of Ramesses II's second wife, Istnofret (Isisnofret). He was married to queen Istnofret (Isisnofret), who must have been his sister, and possibly also to a queen Takhat. One of his sons with Istnofret was Seti-Merneptah, who probably became later pharaoh as Seti II.

It is possible that it is this pharaoh who is mentioned in the book of Exodus. Without doubt he had to carry out several campaigns during his reign, mainly fighting against the Libyans, who – with the assistance of the Sea Peoples – were threatening Egypt from the West. His campaign against the Libu and Meshwesh Libyans was glorified on the Merneptah Stele, also widely known as the Israel Stele, which also refers to a campaign in the Levant and contains the only recognised ancient Egyptian reference to Israel. In the fifth year of his reign, Merneptah fought a six-hour battle against the combined Libyan and Sea People forces at the city of Perire, probably located on the western edge of the Delta.

He died a natural death in old age. He was succeeded by his son Amenmesse, possibly a son of queen Takhat.

His tomb is number KV8 in the Valley of the Kings, but his mummy was not found within this tomb. In 1898 it was discovered along with 18 others in the mummy cache within the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35).

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