Fall of the House of Ramesses, Book 2: Seti

by Max Overton

  As soon as the soldiers loyal to Seti had gone, the Amun legion threw open the gates and arrested Neferronpet, throwing him into a cell to await the pleasure of Messuwy. The Kushite troops marched in and took possession of the city. Messuwy, arriving later, learnt that his sister Takhat was in the palace, and ordered his own men to replace those of the Tjaty, making it clear that no harm was to come to her, or disrespect be shown.

  "She was my sister before she was his wife," Messuwy declared.

  The townspeople lined the streets of Waset as Messuwy entered in a chariot, escorted by a strong force of loyal soldiers, but they were there more from curiosity than support. They watched in almost-silence as Messuwy drove his chariot to the palace steps and alighted, at which point Sethi almost pushed Messuwy aside and harangued the crowd.

  "This is Lord Messuwy, eldest son of Baenre Merenptah, and rightful king of Kemet. His half-brother Seti stole the throne from him by whispering lies in his father's ears, but Lord Messuwy is back now, at the head of a large army to claim what is rightfully his. Any man who supports him will be well rewarded, while any who oppose him will meet with death and confiscation of all his wealth." Sethi stared out at the mass of humanity gathered around the palace and stretched out his hand toward Messuwy.

  "Know this, men of Amun's city, Lord Messuwy has always supported Amun and Amun's city against those who would denigrate the supreme god and shift power away from its rightful place here in Waset to the lesser cities of Per-Ramesses and Men-nefer. Lord Messuwy will be crowned here in Waset, by all the rites and rituals of Amun, and will take as his Name Amenmesse Heqawaset, fashioned by Amun, ruler of Waset, signifying that he reigns by the will of Amun, in Amun's City. Once more, Waset will achieve its rightful place as Kemet's first city, and great will be the wealth that flows into this city. Acclaim him, people of Waset. Support your rightful king and throw down the usurper."

  The murmuring of the crowd, which had been growing as Sethi spoke, now erupted into cheering, and many people threw their support wholeheartedly behind Messuwy, or Amenmesse as he soon would be, yelling and cursing.

  "Amenmesse for king!"

  "Down with Seti. Kill him."

  "A curse on Seti. May he and his family disappear from the land forever."

  "Amun and Messuwy, Amun and Amenmesse."

  Sethi turned to Messuwy with a look of triumph. "Behold, my lord, for I have delivered your people to you."

  Messuwy frowned at Sethi's words, but merely nodded, turning and walking into the palace where servants, little caring who ruled them, hurried to make him welcome. He strode through the palace to the throne room and, with a look of triumph, sat down on it, savouring the sensation.

  "Send for Neferronpet, Merenkhons, Khaemter and Roma-Rui," he ordered.

  Sethi issued the commands to soldiers and servants and presently Commander Khaemter turned up, followed a little later by Roma-Rui, and then by Tjaty Neferronpet, bound in copper chains that scraped and dragged on the floor as he shuffled along under the weight of them.

  Messuwy ignored Neferronpet and held out his hand to Roma-Rui. "Hem-netjer of Amun, you are welcome."

  Roma-Rui bowed low. "I am no longer Hem-netjer," he said. "Bakenkhons replaced me by order of the one who calls himself King Userkheperure."

  "That order is rescinded," Messuwy said. "As is every order of that man. You are again Hem-netjer, Roma-Rui. Do with Bakenkhons as you see fit."

  "Thank you, Son of Re, Son of Amun. May the gods bless you in all your endeavours."

  "What will you do with him?" Sethi asked.

  Roma-Rui thought for a few moments. "I have some onerous tasks the Fourth Prophet would normally be required to do. I think Bakenkhons will benefit from a time of humility."

  "I thought you'd be killing him, or throwing him into a dungeon at the very least."

  "He is still a servant of the god, no matter what any king asks of him."

  "Where is Merenkhons?" Messuwy asked. "I ordered the Commander of the Amun legion be here."

  "I have sent for him," Sethi said. "He should be here by now...ah, this will be him." A tap sounded on the door and an army officer entered and saluted. "Well, where is he?"

  "My lord, Commander Merenkhons has fled the city. I...I am senior officer now, I suppose."

  "And you are?"

  "Troop Commander Menkauhor, Lord Sethi."

  "Then on your knees before your king, Menkauhor." Sethi stood back and indicated the presence of Messuwy on the throne.

  The Troop Commander bowed before Messuwy, hands outstretched, and then fell to his knees. "Forgive me, Lord Messuwy...Majesty. I swear to you my allegiance. I will serve you faithfully."

  Messuwy nodded and gestured. "Stand, Commander Menkauhor. You are now Commander of the Amun legion."

  Menkauhor gaped and then beamed with pleasure, bowing again before backing away.

  "Neferronpet, once called Tjaty by the pretender," Messuwy said. "Step forward."

  "Not just named Tjaty by King Userkheperure," Neferronpet said as he shuffled across to stand before Messuwy. "I was named Tjaty of the South by your own father, Baenre Merenptah, Lord of the Two Kingdoms. Userkheperure Seti is also Lord of the Two Kingdoms, crowned and elevated to the godhead by Amun himself in this city. Nothing you say or do can alter that."

  "Bow to the rightful king," Sethi snarled, giving the older man a push.

  Neferronpet staggered and almost fell. "I bend my knee only to Userkheperure Seti, not to this pretender."

  "I am my father's eldest son," Messuwy said. "You cannot deny it. I should by rights be king. Seti stole that from me and..."

  "You were never Heir," Neferronpet interrupted. "Baenre made his son Seti the Crown Prince, partly because of a promise made to Usermaatre, and partly because he simply did not trust you. He could see what you were, Messuwy..."

  "Silence!" Sethi roared. "You speak treason against King Amenmesse."

  "Is that what you are calling yourself? Fashioned by Amun? More likely fashioned by this jumped-up noble and a priest of Amun..."

  Sethi stepped forward and hit Neferronpet in the side of the face, and as the older man staggered back under the constraint of his copper chains, dealt him another blow that felled him. "You will die for your traitorous remarks."

  "I haven't decided his fate," Messuwy said.

  "You cannot do anything else," Sethi replied. "Anything less will be interpreted as a sign of weakness. You agree, don't you Roma-Rui?"

  The Hem-netjer grimaced but nodded. "He maligned Amun and your Majesty. He cannot be allowed to get away with that."

  "You cannot sentence me to death, Messuwy," Neferronpet groaned, struggling into a sitting position. "Only the king can sit in judgement over me."

  "I am the king, you fool."

  "You will never be the king. Do you imagine Userkheperure will do nothing? He will descend on you with his legions..."

  "Messuwy will be King Menmire Amenmesse tomorrow," Sethi said. "Roma-Rui will take great pleasure in crowning him in Amun's holy name, and then we shall see. The southern legions are more than a match for the northern ones and the whole of the south will rise and take arms for the rightful king. You heard them earlier today, acclaiming Lord Messuwy."

  "And as for you, Neferronpet," Messuwy added. "You will be dead for the day after I am crowned I will sit in judgement over you and pass sentence of death. All will be done in accordance with law."

  Neferronpet managed to shrug, his chains clinking as he moved. "You will not succeed, Messuwy. Userkheperure will defeat you."

  "But you will not be here to see whether he does or not. Take him away, and bring him before me when I am king so that I may sentence him to a traitor's death."

  Commander Menkauhor ordered the soldiers to haul Neferronpet to his feet and escorted the older man out. When they had gone, Messuwy instructed Sethi to organise the soldiers of Kush and the Amun legion into a cohesive fighting force.

  "That is Khaemter's duty," Sethi said. "I hav
e more important things to do. I must grasp the reins that Neferronpet has relinquished."

  "No, Khaemter will be Tjaty of the South," Messuwy said.

  "What? Messuwy, you promised me..."

  Messuwy raised an eyebrow at Sethi's outburst. "Khaemter is Tjaty. I have other duties for you." He saw the anger in Sethi's face and though he hid it, felt unease. "More important duties, General Sethi. The army is yours; mould it into an efficient fighting force for me."

  "General? But Khaemter, surely..."

  "Khaemter was King's Son of Kush, an able military commander but a better administrator. He is more suited to running Ta Shemau on a daily basis."

  Khaemter bowed low. "Son of Re, I am honoured. I will serve you ably."

  "I know you will. General Sethi here has overall command of the Southern Army. Appoint whom you will within the legions and raise more men. We must hold the south and prepare to invade the north."

  "I have the freedom to do what needs doing?" Sethi asked.

  "Have I not said it? Do what you need to do as long as you build me an army."

  "But first we must crown you king, Great One," Roma-Rui said. "With your permission, I will set things in motion." He bowed and left the throne room.

  * * *

  The next day, the coronation ceremony that had played out a few short months before when Userkheperure Seti was accepted by Amun, repeated itself as Messuwy shed his former life and became god-on-earth. If any among the crowds watching the public parts of the ritual thought there was something odd about a king being crowned while his predecessor still lived, they kept it to themselves.

  As his younger brother had done, Messuwy stood outside the Great Temple of Amun in the early morning light. He was similarly bereft of regalia and jewellery, his stomach was empty, and his heart beat fast from excitement. As Seti had done, he strode forward into the temple, passing through the entrance pylon, through the hypostyle hall, the next two pylons and toward the inner temple. He turned aside to the Lake of Cleansing where he was stripped naked and the four men dressed as gods symbolically cleansed him, transforming him from man into incipient god.

  Cleansed and dressed in fresh clothing that had never been worn, Messuwy was escorted into the inner temple by Atum and Heru of the Horizon. Gods in the guise of men sang their songs of joy in the House of Flame, and the toothless cobra of Wadjet bestowed its harmless bite of acceptance. Messuwy had been told of this ritual beforehand, so felt no fear, just a mild contempt for the games the priests played.

  The ceremony of crowns followed, with Iunmutef the Pillar placing crown after crown on Messuwy's head, to the acclamation of the assembled priests. Into the shrine of Amun he was guided, where Amun himself crowned him once more with the Khepresh crown. Seated once more on the throne in the open courtyard of the temple, and viewed by thousands crowding in to witness, the five priests stepped forward for the naming ceremonies. As they had done with Seti not long before, the priests called on their gods and bestowed the names of power by which this new King of Kemet would be known.

  "Let Heru empower you," said the first priest. "Your name in Heru shall be Kanakht Merymaat Shementawy, Strong Bull, Beloved of Maat, He who strengthens the Two Lands."

  "Nekhabet and Wadjet name you also," the second priest exclaimed. "Your name of Nebty shall be Werbiayt-em-ipet-sut, He who is Great of Miracles in Ipet-sut, the most Secret of Places."

  "The gods recognise you as their son on earth," said the third. "Heru Nebu names you Aa-ipet-sut, Great One of the most Secret of Places."

  "Nesut-byt, King of Ta Mehu and Ta Shemau, North and South," cried the fourth priest. "Menmire Setepenre, Eternal like Re, the chosen one of Re."

  "Sa-Re, Son of Re," the fifth priest said. "Amenmesse Heqawaset, Fashioned by Amun, ruler of Waset."

  Complete silence hung over the forecourt of the Great temple of Amun for the time it took to count to twenty, so long that the king stirred on his throne at the ill-omened pause. Then, after the priests of Amun encouraged the crowd, cheering broke forth as the witnesses to the new king's naming stamped and called, throwing their arms up and praising the king.

  Menmire Amenmesse arose and made his way to the processional chariot, leading the troops of the Kushite and Amun legions through the streets of Waset while the cheers of the crowds washed over him. Arriving back at the palace, he was greeted by his new Tjaty, Khaemter, and General of the Southern Army, Lord Sethi.

  "That went well," Amenmesse said. "The people love me."

  "That is good, Son of Re," Khaemter said. "We have need of their support."

  Amenmesse caught the stress in his Tjaty's voice and stared at him. "What has happened?"

  "Userkheperure..." Khaemter started.

  "Don't use that name. I have supplanted my brother as king and he holds no legitimate throne names. He is just plain Seti now."

  "Then Seti is marching to throw you out of Waset," Sethi said dryly. "King or not, he controls the northern legions."

  "The Kushite is a match for any of them."

  "Perhaps, though they are all battle hardened against the Ribu and Sea Peoples. Besides, he has several legions to call on, whereas we have one half decent one and the Amun."

  "I thought I told you to build up an army," Amenmesse complained.

  "There are limits to what I can do in a day...Son of Re."

  "So what do we do?" Amenmesse demanded. "You are my Tjaty and my General. Advise me."

  "You have two choices," Sethi said. "Fight and risk all on a single battle, or flee and try again."

  "I am King of Kemet. I do not run."

  "Then you must win that first battle or die."

  "We could seal ourselves up in Waset," Khaemter suggested. "The walls are strong."

  "They would starve us out," Sethi said. "The city has limited supplies and many useless mouths whereas they can plunder the surrounding farms for food."

  "Then we fight," Amenmesse decided. "We fight and we win."

  "So we march to meet them?" Khaemter asked.

  "Let them come to us," Amenmesse replied. "We will have the advantages of being well-rested and fed, and can choose the place of battle."

  Chapter 23

  Year 2 of Userkheperure Seti

  Year 1 of Menmire Amenmesse

  Seti drove the Set and Ptah legions south as fast as the men could march. When they were safely inside the borders of Ta Mehu, he left the men to continue south under the command of their officers and raced ahead with his chariot squadrons to Men-nefer. There, he conferred with Tjaty Merysekhmet, listening to the latest information to emerge from the southern kingdom, ordering men, equipment and stores to be readied, and only then did he visit his wife.

  "You have heard?" Seti asked Tausret. "The South has risen against me."

  "How could I not, husband? Will you be in Men-nefer long?"

  "Only as long as it takes my legions to get here. Set and Ptah, both at full strength."

  "And your chariots?" Tausret asked. "They could well be decisive."

  "A hundred, or thereabouts. My two legions will be more than enough to crush my brother. I will hang him in chains from the walls of Waset."

  "Don't underestimate him, husband. He has the Amun and Kushite legions and by all accounts, the support of most of Ta Shemau."

  "No match for my battle-hardened warriors. Besides, he has few chariots and his men know they face the king."

  "They have made their own king."

  "You heard that too?"

  "Menmire Amenmesse," Tausret said.

  "Don't call him that. Messuwy is good enough for him. Anyway, where did you hear that? Merysekhmet has been most careful to keep that secret. He doesn't want people up here getting the notion he's been legitimately crowned."

  "Nothing happens in Kemet that I don't hear about sooner or later, husband. Your Royal Butler Bay has proved invaluable. It seems he has a wide network of informants in both kingdoms."

  "Indeed? I thought that he might throw in his lot wit
h Messuwy, seeing as how he is uncle to Messuwy's young boy."

  "He came and abased himself before me when the news arrived. Swore his loyalty to you and asked me to use him as I saw fit. He says he will trust to your divine mercy and justice to deal fairly with the boy, Ramesses-Siptah, after you've defeated his father the traitor."

  "He said that?" Seti asked. "You may tell him I will reward loyalty, and...well, I don't wage war on innocent children. How old is he now?"

  "Five years old or thereabouts. And speaking of small children, what of Takhat? She must have had her baby by now."

  Seti lifted his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Your informants have not told you? Well, neither has mine. I believe she is still in Waset and must trust that my enemies do not make her suffer for my sake."

  "Messuwy will not harm her, for she is his sister. And if he does I shall rip his heart from his chest," Tausret declared.

  "So fierce? I thought you didn't like her."

  "What gave you that idea, husband? Because I am no longer sole wife but must share you with her? Because she is with child by you? Or because she is young and attractive while I grow old?" Tausret smiled. "She loves you, and anyone who loves you is good in my eyes."

  "I do not deserve you, Tausret," Seti said, shaking his head.

  Tausret grinned. "No, you don't. In fact, you can tell me how much you need me and love me every night on our journey down to Waset."

  Seti stared. "You are not coming. Do you think I'd take you into danger?"

  "What danger?" Tausret asked with laughter in her voice. "You said your legions would crush Messuwy's. Besides..." the laughter died, replaced by a hard-eyed stare. "...I too have faced the enemy in the field, husband. Or have you forgotten Perire?"

  "I have not." Seti grimaced and paced for a few moments, marshalling his thoughts. "It is for this very reason that I must leave you in Men-nefer." He looked around at the few servants carrying on their usual daily tasks and abruptly ordered them from his presence. "My love, I would not ask this of you, but...it is seldom that a king of Kemet is blessed with a warrior wife. When I face Messuwy in the south with two legions, I leave another three in the north to guard a border already inflamed, but few other resources except Medjay. I ask myself if Messuwy's rebellion is only in the south. If his treason has infected others, up here perhaps, then what happens if rebellion breaks out in my rear? That is why I want you to remain in Men-nefer, to guard my back."