QV71: Queen Bintanath

Princess and later Queen Bintanath’s name means “Daughter of Anat” which is a foreign name for Ancient Egypt. She is named after a Goddess of War from Canaan who was named Anat. Queen Bintanath was the Daughter of Pharaoh Ramses II and Queen Isis-Nofret and was the Eldest Daughter. She lived during Egypt’s 19th Dynasty.

When her mother died, she married her father, Pharaoh Ramses II, and was elevated to take on the role as Great Royal Wife around Year 25 of her father’s reign. Her Titles extended to include:

     Hereditary Princess         Great First One         Lady of the Two Lands         Great King’s Wife          Mistress of Upper & Lower Egypt          King’s Daughter

Although it may seem unconventional today, the Pharaohs found the marriage of a father to his daughter to continue a Great Royal Wife’s role as keeping within the religious and moral roles as well as offering continuity to Egypt as a whole. It is known that Queen Bintanath had a daughter, but it is not known if the father was Pharaoh Ramses II or Pharaoh Merenptah, and unfortunately although her relief is shown in Queen Bintanath’s Tomb, no name is recorded for the Princess.

As mentioned above, it appears that Queen Bintanath married her brother, Pharaoh Merenptah after her father’s death. 

Although her Title then became known as “King’s Sister” which may hint that she was only married to her father. 

Regardless of this somewhat confusing Royal Family entanglements, Queen Bintanath was one of Pharaoh Ramses II’s few children to have survived her father who himself had a long life and a stable reign.

Tomb

Queen Bintanath died during the reign of her brother, Pharaoh Ramses II’s son and successor, Pharaoh Merenptah.

He continued his father’s legacy and buried his sister, in the Valley of the Queens Tomb QV71.

Her Relief in her own Tomb depicts the Queen with her daughter before the God Osiris and Goddess Nephthys.

The Deities state, “I grant you a place of repose in the land of righteousness”. In the scene her unnamed daughter is shown wearing her hair in the Youth Knot, which affirms that child is a legitimate heir of God Osiris.

To learn more about how the Royal Family was descended from the Ancient Egyptian Deities, click here.