Nefertari Wife Of Rameses II-19dy

Ahmose Nefertari is thought to be the daughter of Queen Ahhotep, sister and wife of King Ahmose, mother of king Amenhotep I, and the grandmother of Tuthmosis I. She was influential during the reign of her husband and ruled as co-regent with her son Amenhotep I and her grandson Thuthmosis. Tuthmosis I placed her statue in the temple at Karnak to honour her, and her mortuary cult was observed long after her death.
She is almost always depicted with very dark skin. Some comentators have suggested that this is a sign of her Nubian ancestry, but it is equally likely that it was a symbol of her fertility and a reference to her position as the mother of Egypt (also known as Kem, "the black land") as the colour black was associated with rebirth, fertility, death and Egypt itself and the god Amun was also depicted with black skin. She generally wears the vulture headdress of Nekhbet.

She was the first queen to hold the important office of "God's Wife of Amun", a position of great power given the primacy of the cult of Amun. She was honoured for many centuries as "royal daughter, royal sister, great royal wife, royal mother, great ruler, mistress of both lands".

It is very possible that Nefertari grew up as the daughter of a nobleman in Thebes. One of Nefertari's names was Mery-en-Mut, which means, "Beloved of Mut". As the wife of Amun, Mut was part of the Theban triad. It is interesting to note that post references to Nefertari come from Upper (southern) Egypt, while most of the other principal queen, Istnofret, are found in Lower, or northern Egypt. Furthermore, Ramesses II probably had a better power structure in northern Egypt, and it is thought that he may have married a Theban to enhance his position in the South. The two queens, Nefertari and Istnofret, could have possibly even had a division of duties geographically. However, it is has also been suggested that Nefertari could have been a daughter of Seti I, making her a half sister of Ramesses II.

Nefertari was most likely Ramesses II's first wife when the prince was only fifteen. She provided him with his first male heir, Amun-her-khepseshef (Amun Is with His Strong Arm), even prior to his ascending the throne of Egypt. In addition, Ramesses II also fathered at least three more sons and two daughters by Nefertari. In fact, her oldest daughter, Meryetamun probably later also married Ramesses II, possibly after the death of her mother, apparently when Nefertari was in her early forties.

She was probably Ramesses II's chief queen, at least up until her death in about year 24 of Ramesses II's reign. From her tomb, we know a number of her other names and titles. They included "Hereditary Noblewoman; Great of Favors; Possessor of Charm, Sweetness and Love; Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt; the Osiris; The King's Great Wife; Mistress of the Two Lands, Nefertari, Beloved of Mut, Revered Before Osiris".

Surely Ramesses II loved Nefertari. Few queens were built anything near as grand a shrine as her temple dedicated to Hathor at Abu Simbel, near the somewhat larger temple of her husband. Her tomb in the Valley of the Queens on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes) is today, one of the most fabulously decorated tombs at Luxor or anywhere else in Egypt. If one had only time enough to visit one tomb on the West Bank, it should be this one. Ramesses II, who said of Nefertari, "the one for whom the sun shines", even wrote of his weakness for the queen:

"My love is unique - no one can rival her, for she is the most beautiful woman alive. Just by passing, she has stolen away my heart."

Other then her tomb and temple at Abu Sembel, Nefertari is also famous for her beauty. We have no mummy to help substantiate these claims, but there is plenty of documentary evidence including images, although at this point in Egypt's history, portraitures were not known for being completely accurate. Even in ancient Egypt Nefertari was famous, becoming deified even before her death. It is said that as Great Royal Wife, her high status and and great authority within the royal court, along with her apparent beauty, charm, "sweetness", intelligence and guile, she may have been one of Egypt's greatest queens.

A description at Luxor Temple, says of her:

greatly favored, possessing charm, sweet of love.... Rich in love, wearing the circlet-diadem, singer fair of face, beautiful with the tall twin plumes, Chief of the Harim of Horus, Lord of the Palace; one is pleased with what(ever) comes forth concerning her; who has (only to) say anything, and it is done for her - every good thing, at her wish (?); her every word, how pleasing on the ear - one

lives at just hearing her voice..."

Though Nefertari is by far Ramesses II's most famous queen, Istnofred (Isisnofret) had considerable importance within the court. She was, early on, the second principal wife, and may have been closer to Nefertari in importance then what we know. It is very possible that the two queens had similarly important responsibilities, with Istnofred domain being northern or Lower Egypt.

after the death of Nefertari, Istnofret became Ramesses II's "Great Royal Wife", becoming his chief queen. We believe this was in year 24 or 25 of Ramesses II's reign, and she remained his chief wife until her death. We are not sure at what point she died. Perhaps she lived less then ten years after the death of Nefertari, but we do know that she preceded Ramesses II to the grave. Istnofret's tomb has never been found, though it is probably on the West Bank at Luxor.