Merneptah

The fourth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty

Prenomen: Baenra merynetjeru

Also known as: Merenptah

Accession 1213 BC

End of reign 1203 BC

Duration 10 years

Highest attested year Year 10

Merneptah was the thirteenth son of Ramesses II and ascended the throne when he was at least sixty years old. While Manetho records that he ruled for 20 years, it was probably only about half of that.

Titulary & Hieroglyphs

Ka nakht ha em Maat ★

kꜢ-nḫt ḥi-m-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"

Libyan war stela of Merenptah (Athribis stela), Cairo JdE 50568 (recto)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 20:8

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H1

Ka nakht ha em Maat

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"

CG 34025 (Israel stele)
Petrie, Six temples at Thebes, plate XIII and XIV
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 13:7

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H2

Ka nakht ha em Maat

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 64:5

Ka nakht ha em Maat

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 43:16
Petrie, Tanis, II, plate VII (137)

Ka nakht ha em Maat

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 51:13

Ka nakht ha em Maat

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 72:14

Ka nakht ha em Maat

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"

Usurped Ramesses II colossus, dorsal pillar (Cairo JdE 35126)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 59:1-2

Ka nakht ha em Maat

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth"

Memphis Palace of Merenptah
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 55:5

Ka nakht ha em Maat henek su en Ra em kheret-heru

kꜢ-nḫt ḥꜤꞽ-m-mꜢꜤt ḥnk-sw-n-rꜤ-m-ẖrt-hrw

"The strong bull who rejoiced in Truth, and who offers it to Ra every day"

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H3·Lepsius, “Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien”:III, 200d

Ka nakht der pedjut 9

kꜢ-nḫt dr-pḏt

"The strong bull who repelled the Nine Bows"

ASAE, 15, 104
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 54:11

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H9

Ka nakht der pedjut 9

kꜢ-nḫt dr-pḏt-9

"The strong bull (who defeated?) the Nine Bows"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 13:8
CG 34025 (Israel stele)

Ka nakht mai hebenef

kꜢ-nḫt ꞽw-ḥbn.n.f

"The strong bull (like) a triumphant lion"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 1:8
Wall stele of Merenptah at temple of Amada

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H4

Ka nakht sa Amun

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ꞽmn

"The strong bull, son of Amun"

Petrie, Tanis, II, plate 7

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H11

Ka nakht sa Amun

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ꞽmn

Petrie, Tanis, II, plate VII 136
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 43:5

Ka nakht sa Ra

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-rꜤ

"The strong bull, son of Ra"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 55:1

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H10

Ka nakht sa Tatenen

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ṯꜢ-tnn

"The strong bull, son of Tatenen"

Petrie, Tanis, II, plate 7
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 43:7

Ka nakht nesu tawy

kꜢ-nḫt nsw-tꜢwꞽ

"The strong bull and king of the Two Lands"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 54:16

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H14

Ka nakht per em Ra

kꜢ-nḫt prꞽ-m-rꜤ

"The strong bull who has emerged as Ra"

Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 4)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:12

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H5

Hotep her Maat mi Tatenen

ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt mꞽ-tꜢṯnn

"Satisfied with Maat,like Tatenen"

Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 1 left)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:5

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H7

Ka nakht ba en Ra djet Itemu

kꜢ-nḫt bꜢ-n-rꜤ ḏt-ꞽtmw

"The strong bull, (with) spirit of Ra and body of Atum"

Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 1 right)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:4

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H6

Ka nakht ha tawy (?)

kꜢ-nḫt hꜤꜤ-tꜢwꞽ

Usurped R2 colossus, base block (Cairo JdE 35126)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 59:6

Ka nakht akh en Atum

kꜢ-nḫt Ꜣḫ-n-ꞽtm

"The strong bull, beneficial to Atum"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 50:13

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H13

Ka nakht akh en Ra

kꜢ-nḫt Ꜣḫ-n-rꜤ

"The strong bull, beneficial to Ra"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 50:10

Neb hebu khau

nb-ḥꜢbw-ḫꜤw

"Possessor of festivals and crowns"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 54:14

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H12

Nedj her itef mity Maat

nḏ-ḥr-ꞽt.f mꞽtꞽ-mꜢꜤt

"Protector of his father, the likeness of Maat"

Qaha obelisk in Egyptian Museum in Cairo (face 2)
CG 17025
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31:8

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:H8

Iri bau er ta en Temehu ★

ꞽrꞽ-bꜢw-r-tꜢ-n-ṯmhw

"Who exercised power against the land of the Temehu"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 20:9
Athribis stela, Cairo JdE 50568

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:N1

Kha mi Ptah em khenu hefnu

ḫꜤꞽ-mꞽ-ptḥ-m-ẖnw-ḥfnw

"Who has appeared like Ptah among hundreds of thousands"

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:N3·Lepsius, “Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien”:III, 200d (1)

xaj-mj-ptH-m-Xnw-Hfnw-r-smn-hpw-nfrw-m-xt-tAwj

Kha mi Ptah em khenu hefnu er semen hepu neferu em-khet tawy

ḫꜤꞽ-mꞽ-ptḥ-m-ẖnw-ḥfnw-r-smn-hpw-nfrw-m-ḫt-tꜢwꞽ

"Who has appeared like Ptah among hundreds of thousands in order to establish the perfect laws throughout the Two Lands"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions iV, 58:7

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:N2·Lepsius, “Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien”:III, 198e

Aa pehty wer nakhtu

ꜤꜢ-pḥtꞽ wr-nḫtw

"Great of might and important of victories"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 1:8

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:N4

Neb senedj aa shefyt ★

nb-snḏ ꜤꜢ-šfit

"Lord of fear and great of majesty"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 1:9

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:G1

Senakht Kemet der pedjut 9 er dit hotep netjeru em mersen

snḫt-kmt dr-pḏt-r-dꞽt-ḥtp-nṯrw-mr.sn

"Who has strengthened Egypt and repelled the Nine Bows in order to satisfy the gods with what they love"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 66

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:156-157, 4:G2

Ba en Ra, mery netjeru ★

bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-nṯrw

"The soul of Ra, beloved of the Gods"

Mariette, Abydos II, pl. 50

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:T8

Ba en Ra, mery netjeru

bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-nṯrw

"The soul of Ra, beloved of the Gods"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate 2 (8 B)

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:T7

Ba en Ra, mery Amun

bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn

"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"

Black granite statue, CG 42148

Ba en Ra, mery Amun

bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn

"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:T1·Lepsius, “Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien”:III, 200d (1)

Ba en Ra, mery Amun

bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn

"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"

Black granite statue, CG 42148

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:T3

Ba en Ra, mery Amun

bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn

"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"

Black granite statue, CG 42148

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:T4

Ba en Ra, mery Amun

bꜢ-n-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn

"The soul of Ra, beloved of Amun"

Papyrus Anastasi III 7.2 - British Museum EA10246.5

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:T5

Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat ★

mrꞽ-n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt

"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions IV, 31

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:E1

Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat

mrꞽ.n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt

"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:E2·Lepsius, “Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien”:III, 200d (1)

Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat

mrꞽ.n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt

"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"

Walking statue of Merenptah, Cairo CG 42148

Beckerath, “Handbuch”:158-159, 4:E3

Mer en Ptah, hotep her Maat

mrꞽ.n-ptḥ ḥtp-ḥr-mꜢꜤt

"Beloved of Ptah, Maat is satisfied"

Walking statue of Merenptah, Cairo CG 42148

Sources of antiquity

Author	Greek	Transcription	Reign
Africanus _{xix, 3}	Aμενεφθης	Amenephthes	20 years
Eusebius _{xix, 3}	Aμμενεφθίς	Ammenephthis	40 years
Jerome ₄₁		Ammenophis	40 years

References

Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 19 (1913): pp. 113–126
Beckerath, J., 1999. “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2 ed., MÄS 49 (1999): pp. 156–159
Leprohon, R. J., 2013. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary. pp. 120–122
Baker. D. D., 2008. The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I. pp. 205–208

Source	Dates
Hornung	1213–1203
Shaw	1213–1203
Redford	1237–1226
Malek	1213–1203
von Beckerath	1213–1203
Dodson	1212–1201
Arnold	1224–1214
Grimal	1212–1202
Africanus	20 years
Eusebius	40 years
Jerome	40 years
Highest attestation	Year 10