Ataman Hotel - Puduhepa and Hattusilis (Letter from Egyptian King Ramses II to Hittite Queen Puduhepa)

Letter from Egyptian King Ramses II to Hittite Queen Puduhepa
Boğazköy (Hattusa) Hittite Empire, 13^th century B.C. Language: Akkadian Baked clay. h: 17.5 cm. w:10.9 cm. th: 3.8 cm. Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, 14265
45 lines on front face of tablet, 34 on back. Cracked in places, with pieces missing. This tablet, together with A 139 and other correspondence found at Boğazköy between Ramses II and either Hattusili III or Queen Puduhepa, give information about the plans to send their daughter Hittite princess as a wife for Ramses II and a queen for Egypt. Despite all these texts and the information from Egyptian sources, however, it is not known for certain that such a princess did in fact reign in the Egyptian palace. The princess was to be sent with gifts and accompanied by couriers, and was to be met by Egyptian representatives who would accompany her to Egypt. The text opens as follows: The king of Egypt, the Great King, the son of the Sun, beloved of the God Amon, the First Great king, the king of the land of Egypt, will speak thus to the Great Queen Puduhepa of the Hatti land, my sister: Look! Ramses, beloved of the God Amon, the Great King of the land of Egypt, is well. His houses, his sons, his armies, his horses, his chariots and the things in his country are (also) very well. May you, Great Queen of the Hatti land, my sister, also be well!! May your houses, sons, horses, chariots and the things in your country (also) be well!! Here, Ramses II addressing Queen Puduhepa as ‘Great Queen’ and ‘my sister’, says that her decision to give her daughter is also approved by the gods, and he entreats the gods thus:...” And you (gods) give her to the house of the king! And she will be the ruling (queen) of the Egyptians... (KBo XXVIII 23)