RAMESSES VIII

Usermare Akhenamun 'Ramesses VIII' (also written 'Ramses' and 'Rameses') or Ramesses Seth-her-khepshef (or Sethirkhopshef) Meryamun ('Set is his Strength, beloved of Amun')^[1] (1130-1129 BC) was the seventh Pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt and was one of the last surviving sons of Ramesses III, by Iset Ta-Hemdjert.^[2] The fact that he succeeded to power after the death of Ramesses VII--a son of Ramesses VI--may indicates a continuing problem in the royal succession.^[3] Ramesses VIII is the most obscure ruler of this Dynasty and the current information from his brief kingship suggest that he lasted on the throne for one year at the most.^[4][3] although some scholars assign him a maximum reign of two years. Monuments from his reign are scarce and consist primarily of an inscription at Medinet Habu, a mention of this ruler in one document--Berlin stela 2081 of Hori at Abydos--and one scarab. His only known date is a 'Year 1, I Peret day 2' graffito in the tomb of Kyenebu at Thebes.^[6]
He is the sole pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty whose tomb has not been definitely identified in the Valley of the Kings, though some scholars have suggested that the tomb of Prince Mentuherkhepshef, KV19, the son of Ramesses IX, was originally started for Ramesses VIII but proved unsuitable when he became a king in his own right. Ramesses VIII's prenomen or royal name, Usermaatre Akhenamun, means "Powerful is the Justice of Re, Helpful to Amun."^[7]

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References

References

1. Peter Clayton, Chronicle of the Pharaohs, Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2006 paperback, p.167
2. Nicolas Grimal, A History of Ancient Egypt, (Blackwell Books: 1992), pp.288-289
3. Clayton, op. cit., p.169
4. Grimal, op. cit., p.289
5. Clayton, op. cit., p.169
6. Tomb No.113: see P.M. I, i (1960), pp.230-231
7. Clayton, op. cit., p.167



★ '', 1991, Christian Settipani, p. 169, 173 and 175