Showing posts with label Ramesses II Cycle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramesses II Cycle. Show all posts

Ramesses II Cycle

This was a text found on a stela in the  temple of  Khons at Thebes. The  text  is  an account of “Princess Bekhen,” a fanciful tale prompted by the marriage of Ramesses II (1290–1224 B.C.E.) to the daughter of the Hittite ruler Hattusilis III in 1257 B.C.E. The  tale  involves  demons  and  the  god Khons and  was popular for several centuries in Egypt.

Bentresh Stela
Bentresh Stela
Bentresh Stela This  is  a  stela  dating  to  300  B.C.E., relating  a  story  concerning  Ramesses II (1290–1224 B.C.E.)  at  Ramesses. The  story  details  the  arrival  of  the princess  of  Bekhtan  (identified  as  the  land  of  the  Hittite).  She  was  given  to  Ramesses  as  a  wife  and  her name is listed in the stela as Bentresh, although she was probably Maat Hornefruré. In the legend promoted by the  Bentresh Stela,  the  princess  was  possessed  by  a demon  when  she  arrived  in  Egypt.  She  was  so  lovely that  the  pharaoh  made  an  effort  to  free  her  of  her  evil spell. Finally, when all else failed, an image of the god Khons was  brought  into  her  presence  and  the  demon fled. The story appears to have been a commemorative fancy concerning the marriage of Ramesses II to a Hittite princess during his reign. The legend appeared in other variations  as  well  and  was  probably  fostered  by  the priests  of  Khons  in  an  attempt to  bolster  the  reputa- tion  of  their  god,  by  linking  him  with  the  glories  of Ramesses II.

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