Pharaoh Ramses V

20th Dynasty - The Pharaohs - The People

Pharaoh Ramses V was born to Pharaoh Ramses IV and Queen Duatentopet and succeeded his father at the tender age of 13 years old. his reign, perhaps due in part to his young age, was characterised by trouble.

The priesthood in Egypt, led by the Temple of Amun at Karnak, as previously stated was wealthy enough to challenge the Throne’s wealth and a financial scandal broke involving the Priests of Elephantine, near modern day Aswan which showed the Throne’s lack of monetary control even further. This was compounded by more incursions and harassing by the Libyan Raiders who attacked at will into the Theban Necropolis area. It is recorded that the Artisan Village at Deir el Medina stopped sending its workers to the King’s Valley to work on Pharaoh’s Tombs due to these attacks, especially as the Libyans had already burnt to death a whole town and its people which is thought to have been localised. Days later an attack on Thebes itself was recorded and so much of the country would have been on high alert to be ready to fight against these invaders.

Towards the end of Pharaoh Ramses V’s reign, a Papyrus similar to a modern-day census shows that most of Egypt’s fertile land was now owned outright by the Temple of Amun at Karnak Temple which gave the Priesthood increased standing and power within the country.

Entrance to Tomb of Phs Ramses V and VI - VofKs

Pharaoh died from the Smallpox disease which immunologists believe was imported on goods to the country rather than Egypt being a region that was endemic to the disease. His burial was severely delayed for up to 2 years after his death. But why? It took the new Pharaoh, Ramses VI, this long to ensure he had defeated the Libyan Marauders and expelled them from Egypt fully so that the Valley of the Kings Tomb and the workers had time to complete their intricate works. Pharaoh Ramses V was eventually buried in Tomb KV9 which was enlarged to also hold his successor’s remains as well, his uncle, Pharaoh Ramses VI. To visit their joint Tomb, click here.

Pharaoh Ramses V

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