Document 1
While the Hittite king Suppiluliumas was encamped before Carchemish, a messenger arrived from the queen
of Egypt with a proposal that he should send one of his sons to become her husband. Suppiluliumas agreed to
her request and sent her one of his sons, but the son was murdered when he reached Egypt. The identity of this
queen is uncertain. She may have been the widow of Tutankhamen or alternatively, she may have been the
daughter of Akhenaton…
Early in the reign of Muwatallis, Egypt, under its 19th-dynasty kings, began to recover its imperialist
ambitions…On the accession of Ramses II in 1279 BC, however, a clash between Egypt and the Hittites
became imminent, and Muwatallis enlisted the support of his allies. (The Hittite records at this time are
fragmentary, but Egyptian scribes mention two different Hittite allies.) The Hittite and Egyptian armies met at
Kadesh about 1275 BC, and the battle that followed is one of the first in history of which a tactical description
has survived…Evidently, the battle was inconclusive…The accession of the Hittite king Hattusilis III about
1266 BC inaugurated a period of relative peace and prosperity. Relations steadily improved between the Hittites
and Egypt, perhaps as a result of their mutual interest in protecting themselves against Assyria. In 1259
Hattusilis negotiated a famous treaty with Ramses II, assuring peace and security between them. Thirteen years
later, a further bond was created by the marriage of his daughter to the pharaoh.
Guisepi, Robert A. The Hittites. History-world.org, 2003.
The International World History Project, founded and run by current and former university professors from around the
globe and under the direction of Doctor Robert A. Guisepi, historian and author, is a collection of history related essays,
maps, historical documents, educational videos, speeches and music. Some material has been written by our staff while
others are either in the public domain or re-printed by permission. This site is updated at least monthly but more generally
once a week.
Document 2
The New Hittite Kingdom, lasting from about 1400 through 1193 BC was even more powerful. In fact, at the
time, it was one of the most powerful kingdoms in the known world, rivaling Egypt, Babylonia and Assyria.
During this period, the Hittites were almost constantly at war, either in order to claim territory from their
neighbors, or to protect their territory from other neighbors. It was the period in which we see the greatest
contact between the Hittites and the Egyptians…The Hittites, along with the other great powers of the Ancient
Near East all wished to dominate and exploit the economic resources and trade of the Syria region. At this time,
Syria was the crossroads of world commerce, and that offered a considerable motive for the predatory powers of
the region. Therefore, it is perhaps understandable that the great powers of Egypt and the Hittites expended
much effort to control this vitally strategic region…In actuality, the Hittite king, Suppiluliumas sought initially
to avoid conflict with Egypt. During the Egyptian New Kingdom, Egypt held central and southern Syrian
territories for some two hundred years, reaping considerable wealth from these territories…These territories
included the city state of Kadesh, among others, and the Hittite king…was defeated…Hence, Egypt was finally
forced to act in order to protect its territories. An Egyptian assault on Kadesh during the reign of the Egyptian
king Akhenaten failed, and the city formally passed into the hands of the Hittites. With a strong Hittite military
presence in Syria that was not offset by any similar Egyptian equivalent, the balance of power shifted in the
region and soon other vassal states of Egypt fell to the Hittites without bloodshed.
Dunn, Jimmy. Who Were the Hittites? www.touregypt.net, 2006.
Tour Egypt aims to offer the ultimate Egyptian adventure and intimate knowledge about the country. We offer this unique
experience in two ways, the first one is by organizing a tour and coming to Egypt for a visit, whether alone or in a group,
and living it firsthand. The second way to experience Egypt is from the comfort of your own home: online.
Document 3
The Great King, the king of Egypt, son of Re, Ramses beloved of Amen, speaks thus.
Behold, I, your brother*, am well. My houses, my sons, my armies, my horses, my chariots and everything in
my lands, are very well. May you, my sister, be well! May your houses, your sons, your armies, your horses,
your chariots, your nobles, and everything in your land be very well!
Behold! My messengers have reached me accompanied by my sister's messengers and have brought me news
that my brother, the king of the land of Hatti**, the Great King, is in good health...The great King, the king of
the land of Hatti, has written to me thus: Let the people come and pour sweet-smelling oil on my daughter's
head and let her be taken to the house of the Great King, the king of Egypt, my brother. This decision my
brother has made known to me is wonderful. The Sun God has approved of him. The Weather God has
approved of him. And the gods of Egypt and the gods of Hatti have approved of him for making this excellent
decision to unite two great lands forever...
The letter above is from the Egyptians to the Hittites in regards to the marriage of the Hittite princess Maat-HorNeferu-Re to the Egyptian king Ramses II.
*brother is a term of respect, they were not actually related
**Hatti is another name for the Hittites
Dollinger, André. Egyptian-Hittite Correspondence. www.reshafim.org, 2000
André Dollinger is an Israeli who writes a blog on various articles he is interested in. No other information is available
about him online and the blog has not been updated in several years.
Document 4
Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II storming the Hittite fortress of Dapur. This is a sketch of a mural in Ramesses
II's temple in Thebes, Egypt.
Document 5
Egypt and the Hittite Empire. www.sheltonstate.edu