223: Ramesses & Hattusili Best Friends Forever

The History of Egypt

Dominic Perry

Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 5 December 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Egyptian-Hittite Diplomacy. In the aftermath of the Treaty, Ramesses II and Hattusili III got down to business establishing their brotherhood. From prospective summits in Canaan, to fabulous gift-exchanges by Nefertari and a prince, the Egyptian and Hittite courts negotiated their new bonds. Alas, things weren't always rosy, and the issue of Urhi-Teshub caused great friction between the two Kings. Finally, we meet the man who shuttled back-and-forth between these kingdoms, delivering the goods: the Egyptian royal messenger Netjerwymes aka Pirikhnawa gets a look in... Logo image: Hititte drinking vessel in the shape of a fist. Silver, 15th--13th Centuries BCE. Boston Museum of Fine Arts https://collections.mfa.org/objects/322343/drinking-vessel-in-the-shape-of-a-fist Music: Luke Chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before we begin, a quick note.
0:03.2	This episode is brought to you ad-free, thanks to my subscribers on Patreon.
0:08.0	If you are hearing ads, they come from the website or service that you are using to access
0:13.2	the podcast.
0:14.5	Unfortunately, I have no control over those.
0:17.5	It's the price of doing business online.
0:20.0	Hopefully those platforms are not being too annoying today.
0:23.7	Once again, thanks to my patrons for their generous support.
0:33.4	In 1272 BC, Regnall year 21, Ramesses II announced a treaty with the Hittites.
0:41.3	Simultaneously, the Hittite monarch, Hattusili III, announced his agreement with Ramesses.
0:48.3	The two great kings promised unity and brotherhood, respect for one another's territories and vassals, mutual defence,
0:56.6	and the extradition of any fugitives. Witnessed by gods and goddesses alike,
1:02.6	with curses for those who violated the treaty, the agreement was a landmark in Egyptian
1:08.0	Hedite relations. What happened next? Having made their peace,
1:13.5	Remises and Hattu Sili settled into a new phase of their relationship. For his part,
1:19.3	the King of Egypt showed a marked enthusiasm for his new brother, quote unquote. A set of letters
1:26.1	written on clay tablets and excavated in the Hittite capital
1:29.9	city reveal messages that Remesies dispatched to the king of Hatti. Pharaoh was notably accommodating
1:37.9	to his former rival. In some cases, Ramesses even offered to meet Hattusili in person.
1:45.9	One letter says, quote,
1:48.4	Thus speaks Wasmuria Satepnaria, Ramesses II,
1:52.7	The great king of the land of Egypt,
	...

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