On the outer wall of the temple of Karnak we find inscribed the treaty
of peace which was made on this or a later occasion, and the terms of
the offensive and defensive alliance entered into. It is related that
Kheta-sira, King of the Hittites, sent two heralds, bearing a plate of
silver, upon which the treaty was engraved. The treaty is between the
Grand-Duke of Kheta, Kheta-sira, the puissant, and Rameses, the great
ruler of Egypt, the puissant. The arrangement is sanctioned by the Sun
and by Sutekh, the chief gods respectively of Egypt and Kheta. There
is to be peace and good brotherhood for ever--he shall fraternize with
me and I will fraternize with him. The Grand-Duke of Kheta shall not
invade the land of Egypt for ever, to carry away anything from it, nor
shall Ramessu-Meriamen, the great ruler of Egypt, invade the land of
Kheta for ever, to carry away anything from it. If Egypt is invaded by
some other enemy, and Pharaoh sends to Kheta for help, the Grand-Duke
is to go, or at least to send his infantry and cavalry; and he is, of
course, to look for reciprocal aid. If emigrants or fugitives pass
from one country to the other they are not to find service and favour,
but to be given up; nevertheless, when taken back, they are not to be
punished as criminals. In support of the provisions of the treaty the
parties thereunto invoke “the thousand gods of the land of Kheta, in
concert with the thousand gods of the land of Egypt.” Whosoever shall
not observe the provisions of the treaty, the gods shall be against
his house and family and servants; but to whomsoever shall observe them
the gods shall give health and life--to his family, himself, and his
servants.
“In such a form,” says Brugsch, “were peace and friendship made at
Ramses, the city in Lower Egypt, between the two most powerful nations
of the world at that time--Kheta in the east, and Kemi (Egypt) in the
west.”
Following upon the conclusion of this treaty we have a happy dynastic
alliance. Kheta-sira, the great king of the Hittites, appeared in
Egypt in Hittite costume, accompanied by his beautiful daughter, and
Pharaoh made this princess his queen. A memorial tablet at Ibsamboul
speaks of this as a great, inconceivable wonder--“she herself knew not
the impression which her beauty made on thy heart”--and we may fairly
infer that her influence contributed to the international friendship
which lasted as long as Rameses lived. We do not know the native name
of the Hittite princess, but the name given her on her marriage was
Ur-Maa-Noferu Ra.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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