Merneptah

Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt (1213-1203 BC), being the 4th ruler of the 19th Dynasty. Merneptah was the 13th son of Ramesses II, and came to power first after all his older brothers had died. He was almost 60 years old at the time. His throne name was Ba-en-re Mery-netjeru, which means "The Soul of Re, Beloved of the Gods".

Merenptah was probably the fourth child of Ramesses II's second wife, Istnofret (Isisnofret). He was married to queen Istnofret (Isisnofret), who must have been his sister, and possibly also to a queen Takhat. One of his sons with Istnofret was Seti-Merneptah, who probably became later pharaoh as Seti II.

It is likely that it is this pharaoh who is mentioned in the book Exodus. Without doubt he had to carry out several campaigns during his reigns, mainly fighting against the Libyans, who - with the assistance of the Sea People - were threatening Egypt from the West. He also reestablished Egyptian rule in Kanaan and parts of Syria, a campaign which is glorified in his famous Israel stela, the earliest known document to mention the name "Israel" (discovered at his mortuary temple at Thebes; now in the Egyptian Museum at Kairo).

He died a natural death in high age. He was succeeded by his son Amenmesse, possibly a son of queen Takhat. His tomb is number KV 8 in the Valley of the Kings, but his mummy was not found within this tomb. In 1898 it was discovered among 18 others in the mummy cache within the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV 35).