View source for Amun-her-khepeshef

{{Short description|King's Son and Heir Apparent}}
{{similar names|Amenherkhepshef (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Amun-her-khepeshef
| title        = King's Son <br/>Commander of the Troops <br> Effective Confidant <br> [[Fan-bearer on the Right Side of the King|Fan-bearer on the King's Right Hand]] <br> Royal Scribe
| image        = Abydos relief of Amun-her-khepsef by John Campana.jpg
| caption      = Prince Amun-her-kepshef (centre) at the Temple of Abydos
| native_lang1 = [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]] name
| native_lang1_name1 = <hiero>i-mn:n-D2*Z1:F23-A51</hiero><br>''jmn ḥr ḫpš.f''
| birth_date   =
| birth_place  =
| death_date   =
| death_place  = ca. 1254 BC
| date of burial =
| place of burial = [[KV5]] Thebes
| spouse       = Nefertari II
| issue        = Seti
| dynasty      = [[Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt|19th of Egypt]]
| father       = [[Ramesses II]]
| mother       = [[Nefertari]]
| religion     = [[Ancient Egyptian religion]]
}}
'''Amun-her-khepeshef''' (died c. 1254 BC; also '''Amonhirkhopshef''', '''Amun-her-wenemef''' and '''Amun-her-khepeshef A''') was the firstborn son of [[Pharaoh]] [[Ramesses&nbsp;II]] and Queen [[Nefertari]].
==Name==
He was born when his father was still a co-regent with [[Seti&nbsp;I]]. He was originally called ''Amun-her-wenemef'' ("[[Amun]] Is with His Right Arm"). He changed his name to ''Amun-her-[[Foreleg of ox|khepesh]]ef'' ("Amun Is with His Strong Arm") early in his father's reign.<ref name="D170">Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton, ''The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt'', Thames & Hudson (2004), p.170</ref> He appears to have changed his name once again to ''Seth-her-khepeshef'' around Year 20 of Ramesses&nbsp;II.<ref name="D170" /> Seth-her-khepeshef was formerly thought to be another son of Ramesses&nbsp;II.
==Biography==
Amun-her-khepeshef was first in line to inherit the throne of Egypt from his father, Ramesses&nbsp;II's. He died before inheriting his father's titles 25 years into his father's rule.<ref name=dh173>Dodson & Hilton,  p.173</ref> [[Ramesses&nbsp;B]], Ramesses&nbsp;II's second oldest son became the new crown prince. He also died before his father after another 25 years. [[Merenptah]], the 13th son of Ramesses&nbsp;II's would eventually assume the throne after 67 years of reign.
Amun-her-khepeshef held several titles, including personal titles such as "Commander of the Troops", "Effective Confidant" and "Eldest Son of the King of his Body." Some other titles were shared between prominent princes, such as "[[Fan-bearer on the Right Side of the King|Fan-bearer on the King's Right Hand]]" and "Royal Scribe". He held a high position in the army. According to some relief depictions, he and his younger half-brother [[Khaemwaset]] either fought or were at least present in the [[Battle of Kadesh]] and the campaigns in [[Nubia]], along with their father. He appears on an inscription in the Temple of Beit el-Wali. Amun-her-khepeshef was involved in an exchange of diplomatic correspondence with the [[Hittites]] after Ramesses&nbsp;II and the Hittite king [[Muwatalli&nbsp;II]] signed their peace treaty following the battle of Kadesh.<ref name="D170" />
Statues and depictions of Amun-her-khepeshef appear in temples in [[Abu Simbel]], [[Luxor]], in the [[Ramesseum]], and in Seti's [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]]. He is depicted alongside his father on the temple walls of Abydos, lassoing a bull together. He also appears on statues of Ramesses&nbsp;II.
==Death==
Amun-her-khepeshef married Nefertari II. She was the daughter of Amun-her-khepeshef's father and also possibly the daughter of his mother, Queen [[Nefertari]],<ref name=dh173/> making his wife his own sister or half-sister. Together they bore a son called Seti. Amun-her-khepeshef died approximately 25 years into his father's reign.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://euler.slu.edu/Dept/Faculty/bart/egyptianhtml/kings%20and%20Queens/Ramses-II.html |title=Anneke Bart: Ramesses II |access-date=2006-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724005332/http://euler.slu.edu/Dept/Faculty/bart/egyptianhtml/kings%20and%20Queens/Ramses-II.html |archive-date=2008-07-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Amun-her-khepeshef's half-brother [[Ramesses (prince)|Ramesses]], the eldest son of a lesser wife called [[Isetnofret]], became next in line. Amun-her-khepeshef was buried in tomb [[KV5]], built for the sons of Ramesses II, in the [[Valley of the Kings]]. His interment was inspected in year 53 of his father's reign.<ref name="D170" />
Among the artefacts found in the tomb were canopic jars labeled with Amun-her-khepeshef's name, containing human organs, along with bones from four separate human males. These bones included a skull with a deep bone fracture, believed to have been caused by a mace.<ref name=nbc>{{cite news|last=Boyle|first=Alan|title=A Pharaoh's firstborn son is resurrected|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6614215|access-date=17 September 2015|newspaper=NBC News|date=12 January 2004}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[List of children of Ramesses II]]
* [[Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt family tree]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Amun-her-khepeshef}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amun-Her-Khepeshef}}
[[Category:Ancient Egyptian princes]]
[[Category:Heirs to the ancient Egyptian throne]]
[[Category:People of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt]]
[[Category:1250s BC deaths]]
[[Category:Ramesses II]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Fan-bearer on the Right Side of the King]]
[[Category:Children of Ramesses II]]
[[Category:Heirs apparent who never acceded]]