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Pharaoh Ramses IV

20th Dynasty - The Pharaohs - The People

Son of Pharaoh Ramses III and probably Queen Titi, Prince Ramses became heir when his elder brother, Crown Prince Amunherkhepeshef died at the age of 15. He inherited the Throne aged 21 after his father fell victim to the so-called Harem Conspiracy in 1155 BC.

Pharaoh Ramses IV ensured that his father’s murder was avenged by prosecuting the 40 named arrested Traitors with many being put to death.

The now deceased Queen Tiye and Prince Pentawere were buried in impure Sheep skins, un-mummified and then condemned in their Afterlives by their names being thoroughly erased from their Tombs and from all official documents.

Historians only know of their names from the Trial documents that have survived. He further ensured that his father, Pharaoh Ramses III was repaired for his journey to the Afterlife, including specific Amulets to protect Pharaoh from snakes. He was buried with the highest care and attention in King’s Valley Tomb KV11 which is one of the largest Tombs in the Valley.

Pharaoh then began a sizeable Building Docket on a par with the one which Pharaoh Ramses II commenced. Firstly, he employed 2 crews of Work Gangs on his King’s Valley Tomb at any one time, instead of the usual 1 Work Gang, or 60 men per shift. Next, he sent the largest expedition ever known to the Turquoise Mines of the Sinai and the Stone Quarries of Wadi Hammamat, a total of 8,368 people. His other projects included the erection of a small Temple to the North of Medinet Habu, a Pylon in Heliopolis, the expansion of the Temple of Khonsu at Karnak Temple which his father had begun and his own Mortuary Temple, which is now lost, probably near that of Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s at Deir el Bahri.

Perhaps the most known achievement of his reign was the now called Papyrus Harris I which was dedicated to his late father’s life and reign. It is the longest known Papyrus at 41 meters long and has 1,500 lines.

Regrettably due to ongoing issues with the delivery of the Workmen’s wages in the form of Food Allotments that the Pharaoh had to rely on the Amun’s Temple at Karnak to deliver the late food delivery. In fact, High Priest of Amun, Ramsesnakht, was put in charge of going with the soldiers to deliver the food allotment.

Pharaoh reigned for a regrettably short 6 and a half years before he died and was buried in his rock hewn tomb known as KV2 in the King’s Valley in the Theban Necropolis. Click here to see the Tomb at KV2. Pharaoh’s body was reinterred by the Theban Priests in KV35, the Royal Mummy Cache to avoid further disruption due to robbery. Pharaoh Ramses IV was succeeded by his son, Pharaoh Ramses V who was aged 13 years old.

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