Nineteenth Dynasty

Might Makes Right—The Ramesside Period Pt. 1

1295 to 1186 BC

Toward the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty the Hittites managed to gain a foothold in Syria and Palestine, and conflict with the Hittites would become one of the defining features of the Nineteenth Dynasty.  Founded by Ramesses I, Horemheb’s vizier and appointed heir, the Nineteenth Dynasty saw both glory and prosperity—Ramesses II would practically invent the concept of branding by stamping his name on anything that wasn’t moving—but extended warfare would take a toll on the treasury with long-reaching consequences.  In the end, the dynasty would succumb to intrigues resulting from infighting between Merneptah’s sons, Amenmesse and Seti II.