Who was Pharaoh Siptah?
The identity of Siptah’s father is uncertain, but evidence suggests it may have been Merneptah, making him Seti II’s half-brother. Siptah ascended the throne as a child after Seti II’s death.
Pharaoh Siptah, also known as Akhenre Setepenre or Merneptah Siptah, was the penultimate ruler of Egypt’s Nineteenth Dynasty. His reign, though brief and shrouded in mystery, offers insight into the turbulent period following the death of Seti II and the political struggles within the Egyptian court.
Siptah’s life and reign are marked by questions surrounding his parentage, his rise to power as a child, the influence of powerful figures like Chancellor Bay, and his early death.
His time on the throne is often seen as a transitional phase, which paved the way for the ultimate downfall of the Nineteenth Dynasty and the rise of the Twentieth Dynasty under Setnakht and Ramesses III.
Early Life and Parentage
Siptah’s parentage remains a subject of debate among scholars. Initially, it was believed that Siptah was the son of Seti II and his wife, Tiaa. However, this view was challenged when a relief at the Louvre Museum (E 26901) revealed that Siptah’s mother was actually a woman named Sutailya or Soteraya, rather than Tiaa. The name Sutailya is of Canaanite origin, indicating that Siptah’s mother was likely a concubine from Canaan, rather than a native Egyptian queen. This foreign lineage may have contributed to the uncertainties surrounding his legitimacy as a ruler.
There is also significant debate over the identity of Siptah’s father. Some Egyptologists suggest that his father was Seti II, while others argue that Siptah was more likely the son of Amenmesse, a rival claimant to the throne who briefly ruled Egypt before Seti II. The fact that both Siptah and Amenmesse were excluded from the ancestral king procession depicted in Ramesses III’s Medinet Habu temple suggests a possible connection between the two, indicating that they may have been seen as illegitimate rulers by later dynasties. If Amenmesse was indeed Siptah’s father, it would explain the exclusion and reinforce the theory that Siptah was seen as a usurper by later pharaohs.
This ambiguity over Siptah’s parentage complicated his claim to the throne. As a minor and the son of a concubine, Siptah was not the obvious choice to rule Egypt. His ascension required the support of key political figures, most notably Chancellor Bay, who played a central role in securing Siptah’s position as king.
Image: Statue of King Seti II from the Egyptian Museum of Turin, Italy.
Ascension to the Throne
Siptah became pharaoh at a young age, likely around 10 or 11 years old, following the death of Seti II. His youth and lack of strong familial ties to the royal house made him vulnerable to manipulation by powerful court figures. His rise to the throne was facilitated by Chancellor Bay, a high-ranking official who was instrumental in securing Siptah’s kingship. Bay, originally a Syrian commoner, had risen to great power within the Egyptian court and wielded significant influence during Siptah’s reign.
Bay’s role in Siptah’s ascension is well-documented. In inscriptions found at Aswan and Gebel el-Silsila, Bay boasts about his role in placing Siptah on the throne. At Gebel el-Silsila, a graffito shows Bay standing in a position of adoration behind Siptah, who is making an offering to the god Amun. The accompanying inscription credits Bay with establishing Siptah as king, declaring, “the spirit of the Great Superintendent of the Seal of the entire land, who established the King [Siptah] in the place of his father; beloved of his lord, Bay.” This inscription highlights Bay’s political power and suggests that Siptah’s rule was heavily dependent on his support.
Despite Bay’s instrumental role in Siptah’s rise to power, the chancellor’s influence would later prove to be his downfall. In Siptah’s fifth year as king, Bay was executed, possibly on the orders of Siptah himself, as Bay’s ambition and overreach may have threatened the young pharaoh’s control over the throne. The execution is recorded in a message sent to the workers of Deir el-Medina, known as Ostraca IFAO 1254, which informs them to cease work on Bay’s tomb as he had been declared a traitor.
Regency of Queen Twosret
Due to Siptah’s youth, much of the actual governance during his reign was overseen by his stepmother, Queen Twosret (Tausret), who served as regent. Twosret was the widow of Seti II and had considerable experience in court politics. She played a key role in maintaining stability during Siptah’s reign, and her regency was marked by her efforts to legitimize Siptah’s rule and secure the continuation of the dynasty.
Twosret’s influence was not limited to her regency. After Siptah’s death, she briefly ruled Egypt in her own right, assuming the regnal years of her stepson. Her reign, however, was short-lived, as she was eventually ousted by Setnakht, the founder of the Twentieth Dynasty. Despite her downfall, Twosret’s role in Siptah’s reign was significant, and she was instrumental in maintaining the fragile stability of the kingdom during a tumultuous period.
As a child king with uncertain parentage and physical limitations, Siptah’s rule was shaped by powerful figures like Chancellor Bay and Queen Twosret. Image: Relief of Tausret (Twosret) holding two sistrums at Amada Temple, Nubia.
READ MORE: Female Rulers of Ancient Egypt
Siptah’s Reign and Health
Siptah’s reign lasted for almost six years, though his rule was largely overshadowed by the influence of powerful figures like Chancellor Bay and Queen Twosret. Despite his young age, Siptah’s reign was marked by several key events, including his attempt to establish legitimacy in the eyes of the Egyptian elite. His official royal name, Merneptah Siptah, linked him to Merneptah, the father of Seti II, which suggests an effort to associate himself with the legitimate royal line and distance himself from the contested legacy of Amenmesse.
One of the most notable aspects of Siptah’s life is his physical condition. Medical examinations of his mummy, which was discovered in the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35) in 1898, reveal that Siptah suffered from a debilitating illness, likely poliomyelitis. This condition caused a deformity in his left foot, as evidenced by the bones of his leg.
Despite this handicap, Siptah appears to have been relatively tall for his time, standing about 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches) at his death. His reddish-brown hair and youthful appearance, combined with his physical limitations, paint a picture of a young king who, though burdened by illness, ruled during a period of significant political intrigue.
Political Challenges and Chancellor Bay’s Fall
One of the most significant political challenges of Siptah’s reign was the role of Chancellor Bay. As mentioned earlier, Bay’s influence was crucial in Siptah’s rise to power, but his growing authority became a threat to both Siptah and the Egyptian court. Bay’s execution in Siptah’s fifth regnal year marked a turning point in the young pharaoh’s reign, signaling a shift away from the chancellor’s dominance.
The reasons for Bay’s fall from power are not entirely clear, but it is likely that his growing ambitions and overreach led to his downfall. Bay’s execution is mentioned in a number of contemporary sources, including the aforementioned ostracon from Deir el-Medina, which informed workers to stop decorating Bay’s tomb. This message suggests that Bay had been declared a traitor, a status that would have erased his achievements and condemned him to oblivion in the eyes of the state.
Bay’s downfall also had implications for Siptah’s reign. With Bay gone, the young king may have gained more control over his own administration, though his youth and inexperience likely continued to make him reliant on figures like Queen Twosret and other court officials.
Death and Burial
Siptah’s reign came to an abrupt end around his sixth year in power. He likely died in the middle of the Egyptian month of II Akhet, around the twelfth day, and was buried on the twenty-second day of IV Akhet. His burial date is recorded in ostracon O. Cairo CG 25792, which documents the activities of the workers of Deir el-Medina as they prepared for the burial.
Siptah was buried in the Valley of the Kings, in tomb KV47. Although his tomb was built for him, his mummy was not discovered there. Instead, Siptah’s body was found in a cache in the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35), along with the remains of several other notable pharaohs. The cache had likely been created to protect the royal mummies from tomb robbers, a common problem in the later New Kingdom.
The study of Siptah’s tomb shows that it was designed in the same architectural style as the tombs of Twosret and Chancellor Bay, suggesting that their tombs were part of a coordinated construction project. This connection between the tombs underscores the close relationship between Siptah, Twosret, and Bay, as well as the political dynamics of the period.
Legacy and Twosret’s Brief Reign
After Siptah’s death, Queen Twosret assumed his regnal years and ruled Egypt for a short time as a queen regnant. However, her reign was brief, lasting only one or two years, before she was ousted by Setnakht, the founder of the Twentieth Dynasty. Twosret’s downfall marked the end of the Nineteenth Dynasty, a period of political instability and contested legitimacy that had begun with the reign of Merneptah and continued through Siptah’s reign.
Siptah’s reign, though short and overshadowed by powerful figures like Bay and Twosret, played a critical role in the transition from the Nineteenth to the Twentieth Dynasty. His rule highlights the complex interplay of political power, legitimacy, and foreign influence in ancient Egypt, as well as the challenges faced by child kings who were thrust onto the throne at a young age.
Despite his early death, Siptah’s reign played a crucial role in the transition between the Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasties, setting the stage for the rise of Setnakht and Ramesses III.
Discovery of Siptah’s Mummy and Modern Legacy
In 1898, Siptah’s mummy was discovered in the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35), part of a cache of royal mummies that had been moved for protection during the later years of the New Kingdom. The discovery of his mummy provided valuable insights into his physical condition, confirming that he had suffered from poliomyelitis. This illness likely affected his ability to rule directly and may have contributed to his reliance on court officials like Bay and Twosret.
Siptah’s mummy was moved again in April 2021 as part of the “Pharaohs’ Golden Parade,” a high-profile event in which the mummies of 18 kings and 4 queens were transferred from the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. This event brought renewed attention to Siptah and his reign, highlighting the continued fascination with Egypt’s ancient history and the legacy of its pharaohs.
Questions and Answers
King Siptah’s reign was marked by political intrigue, challenges to legitimacy, and the eventual downfall of key court figures, including Bay. Image: A sandstone block displaying two cartouches of King Siptah from the 19th Dynasty, found at his Thebes mortuary temple.
Who was initially believed to be Siptah’s mother, and how was this belief changed?
It was initially believed that Tiaa, a wife of Seti II, was Siptah’s mother. However, a relief in the Louvre Museum revealed that Siptah’s actual mother was Sutailya or Soteraya, a woman of Canaanite origin.
Sutailya’s name is of Canaanite origin, indicating she was likely a concubine from Canaan. This is significant because it suggests that Siptah had foreign heritage, which may have contributed to questions about his legitimacy as a ruler.
Some scholars, including Dodson and Hilton, argue that Sutailya was not Siptah’s mother but rather the mother of Ramesses-Siptah and a wife of Ramesses II, raising further uncertainty about Siptah’s parentage.
What is known about the identity of Siptah’s father?
The identity of Siptah’s father remains uncertain. Some Egyptologists speculate it may have been Amenmesse rather than Seti II, as both Siptah and Amenmesse spent their youth in Chemmis and were excluded from Ramesses III’s procession of ancestral kings.
Why might Siptah have been considered illegitimate by later rulers?
Siptah may have been viewed as illegitimate because he possibly required Chancellor Bay’s help to secure the throne as a minor son of Merneptah, rather than being a direct heir of Seti II.
Who served as Siptah’s guardian during his reign, and why?
Due to his youth and uncertain parentage, Siptah was placed under the guidance of Queen Regent Twosret, his stepmother, who acted as his guardian during his reign.
How old was Siptah when he became king, and what do we know about his physical condition?
Siptah became king around the age of 10 or 11. His mummy, examined later, revealed that he was about 16 years old at death, with a height of 1.6 meters, curly reddish-brown hair, and a deformed left foot, likely due to poliomyelitis.
Chancellor Bay played a significant role in securing Siptah’s throne and even boasted about his involvement in several inscriptions. However, Bay later fell out of favor and was executed in Siptah’s fifth year.
What is the significance of the graffito at Gebel el-Silsila?
The graffito at Gebel el-Silsila shows Bay standing behind Siptah as he makes an offering to Amun. The inscription credits Bay with establishing Siptah as king, highlighting Bay’s role in Siptah’s accession.
How did Chancellor Bay’s execution affect his burial arrangements?
After Bay was declared a traitor and executed, a message was sent to the workers of Deir el-Medina instructing them to cease all work on decorating Bay’s tomb.
When did Siptah die, and what evidence do we have for his burial date?
Siptah likely died around II Akhet 12 of his sixth regnal year. His burial date, IV Akhet 22, is recorded in ostracon O. Cairo CG 25792, found at Deir el-Medina, indicating a 70-day mummification period.
After Siptah’s death, Queen Twosret assumed his regnal years and ruled briefly before being ousted by Setnakht, who became the next ruler of Egypt.
What modern event involved Siptah’s mummy?
In April 2021, Siptah’s mummy was moved from the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization during the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade, along with the mummies of 17 other kings and 4 queens.
