Who killed the last of ancient Egypt’s Great Pharaohs, the god-king Ramses III? | ASSASSINS

Key Concepts

• Ramses III: The Pharaoh of Egypt whose assassination is the central topic.
• Queen Tiy: The wife of Ramses III and the primary conspirator in his assassination.
• Prince Pentaweret: Queen Tiy’s son, who was not the rightful heir to the throne but was intended to become Pharaoh through the conspiracy.
• Harum: The royal harem, the location where the conspiracy was primarily plotted.
• CT Scan: A medical imaging technique used in 2012 to reveal the physical evidence of the assassination.

The Assassination of Ramses III: A Palace Conspiracy

The video details the assassination of Ramses III, Pharaoh of Egypt, approximately 3,000 years ago, highlighting that this event was not a fictional tale but a documented historical occurrence. Despite Egypt’s immense wealth during Ramses III’s reign, he faced threats originating from within his own palace – specifically, from his wife, Queen Tiy.

Queen Tiy’s Motive and Network

Queen Tiy’s motivation stemmed from her position as a non-royal wife and the fact that her son, Prince Pentaweret, was not the legitimate heir to the throne. Driven by ambition, she orchestrated a conspiracy to eliminate Ramses III and install Pentaweret as the new Pharaoh. This wasn’t a solitary effort; Tiy meticulously constructed a network of co-conspirators. This network included palace officials, servants, and surprisingly, magicians, suggesting the use of both practical and potentially supernatural methods in their plot. The conspirators operated in secrecy within the harum (the royal harem), planning and preparing for the assassination.

The Method of Assassination & Evidence

The assassination itself was a violent act. Initial indications suggest Ramses III may have been poisoned, but the definitive cause of death was a severe wound to the throat. This detail remained largely unknown until 2012, when a CT scan was performed on Ramses III’s mummy. The scan revealed a “deep cut through his windpipe,” providing concrete physical evidence of the fatal blade wound. This discovery confirmed the brutal nature of the assassination and offered a more precise understanding of how it occurred.

Consequences and Egypt’s Decline

The assassination of Ramses III had significant repercussions for Egypt. The video asserts that the event left a lasting “scar on Egypt itself,” contributing to a decline in its power and influence. Within a century of the assassination, Egypt had ceased to be the dominant empire it once was, implying a link between the internal instability caused by the conspiracy and the subsequent weakening of the nation.

Notable Statement

The video begins with a comparative statement: “An Egyptian queen murdering the pharaoh might sound like a better plot for the scorpion king. Absolutely no disrespect to the rock there, but this isn't fiction.” This immediately establishes the surprising and dramatic nature of the historical event, contrasting it with popular fictional narratives.

Synthesis

The assassination of Ramses III serves as a compelling example of palace intrigue and the destabilizing effects of internal conflict. The video demonstrates how ambition, coupled with a well-organized conspiracy, could topple even the most powerful rulers and contribute to the decline of an empire. The use of modern technology, specifically the CT scan, to uncover previously unknown details about the assassination underscores the ongoing process of historical discovery and the importance of physical evidence in verifying historical accounts.