Foreign Relations: Egyptian-Hittite Peace Treaty Flashcards
(12 cards)
Signficance of the Treaty
First known international treaty designed to avoid future war
Conditions in the Treaty
- Each party would come to the assistance of the other if attacked by a third party (e.g. Syrians and Libyans to Egyptians, Mycenaeans and Kaskan tribe to Hittites)
- Each party recognised the other’s sphere of influence
- Each party agreed not to interfere in vassal relations
Basic Stuff
When, Where etc.
Finalised in the year 21 by Ramesses II and King Hattusili
Copies of the Egyptian version can be found on the walls of the Ramesseum and Hypostyle Hall, Karnak.
Copies of the Hittite version can be found in the archives at Hattusas
Trade
Benefits of the Treaty
Egypt gained:
- Access to the Phoenician ports (which allowed access to cedar from Lebanon and copper from Cyprus)
- Access as far north as Ugarit (which had not been possible since the reign of Amenhotep III
- Access to the Euphrates and the Black Sea through the removal of barriers
- The Hittites (who controlled east-west trade) provided luxury goods like lapis lazuli from Afghanistan
Apparently we don’t really care what the Hittites gained.
- Egypt exchanged gold, ebony and linen
Gifts
Benefits of the Treaty
The alliance between the courts of each civilisation allowed gifts and letter of congratulations to be exchanged regularly.
- Nefertari sent a letter to the Hittite queen (Pudukhepa), along with jewels and rich garments
Marriage
Benefits of the Treaty
Year 34: Ramesses II and Hittite princess, Maat-hor-neferure (Egyptian name: Maatnefrure), were married. Her arrival in Pi-Ramesse came with a dowry of animals, slaves, precious jewels and other valuable items.
Letter from Ramesses II to Pudukhepa (Hittite queen and mother of the bride): “I have seen the tablet that my Sister sent me, and I have noted all the matters on which the Great Queen of Hatti, my Sister, has so very, very graciously written me… the Great King, the King of Hatti, my Brother, has written to me saying, “Let people come, to pour fine oil upon my Daughter’s head, and may she be brought into the house of the Great King, the King of Egypt!”…Excellent, excellent is this decision about which my brother has written me…[our] two great countries will become one land, forever!”
Year 47: Ramesses II married a second Hittite princess.
Marriage Stela at Abu Simbel: Hittite King, Hattusili and his daughter are shown submissively approaching the pharaoh.
No Invasion
Benefits of the Treaty
(note: pick either Egyptian or Hittite version, I personally would recommend Hittite because they so kindly do not intentionally murder our brains like the Egyptians tried to do here)
Egyptian version: “And the great chief of Hatti shall not traspass into the land of Egypt forever to take anything from it; and … the great ruler of Egypt shall not traspass into the land of Hatti to take anything from it forever”
Hittite version: “And Ramesses…shall not trespass into the land of Hatti to take anything from there forever and Hattusilis…shall not trespass into Egypt to take anything from there forever”
Defensive Alliance
Benefits of the Treaty
“If an enemy comes against Hatti, and Hattusili, Great King of Hatti, sends to me (Ramesses) (and says): ‘Come to my aid against him’, then Ramesses, Great King, King of Egypt, must send his infantry and his chariotry, and they will defeat his enemy and take revenge on Hatti.’”
Discipline and Punishment
Benefits of the Treaty
Rebellious Subjects
Egyptian version: “The great chief of Hatti shall act with him [Ramesses] to destroy everyone against whom they shall be incensed.”
Fugitives
Egyptian version: “If any great man flee from the land of Egypt and he come to the lands of the great chief of Hatti…the great chief of Hatti shall not receive them. The great chief of Hatti shall cause them to be brought to Ramesses”
Violation of the Treaty
Egyptian version: “As to him who shall not keep them (the words of the treaty), a thousand gods of the land of Egypt shall destroy his house, his land his servants. But he who shall keep these words…a thousand gods of the land of Egypt will cause him to be healthy and to live, together with his houses and his land and his servants”
Two Versions
There are no significant discrepancies between the two versions, making it clear that all critical issues had been discussed in advance.
- Hittite version was inscribed into a silver tablet in Akkadian at Hattusa and sent to Egypt to be translated to Egyptian
- Egyptian version was the same but translated the other way in Pi-Ramesse
Both hold religious significance, clearly outlining the presence of gods from both cultures.
- “Re and the Weather god (of the Hittites) shall uphold the treaty and Re will make it a prosperous peace.”
Hittite Version
One section lacks an Egyptian counterpart: “And the son of Hattusili, King of Hatti, shall be made King of Hatti in place of Hattusili, his father… And if the people of Hatti commit an offence against him, then Ramesses…must send infantry and chariotry to his aid and take revenge for him.”
- Reflects Hattusili’s sense of insecurity regarding his son’s succession within their own kingdom, particularly due to Muwatalli’s (his brother) descendants and offspring.
If someone has fled the Hittites, the Egyptians are required to return their heads.
Egyptian Version
Stronger link and mentions of the Egyptian gods than of Hittite gods, even in the Hittite version.
If someone has fled Egypt, the Hittites are required to return them unharmed.
