Pharaoh Seti I

This authoritative biography examines the life and times of the transformative Egyptian ruler and father of Ramesses the Great.

Pharaoh Seti I ruled Egypt for only eleven years, from 1290 to 1279 BC, but his reign marked a revival of Egyptian military and economic power, as well as advances in cultural and religious life. Born the son of a military officer in northern Egypt, Seti grew up far from the halls of power in Memphis and Thebes. But when Horemheb, the last king of the 18th Dynasty, died without an heir, Seti's father was named king. He ruled for only two years before dying of old age, leaving Seti in charge of an ailing superpower.


Seti set about rebuilding Egypt after a century of dynastic struggles and religious unrest. He reasserted Egypt's might with a series of campaigns across the Levant, Libya and Nubia. He dispatched expeditions to mine for copper, gold, and quarry for stone in the deserts, laying the foundations for one of the most ambitious building projects of any Egyptian Pharaoh. His actions allowed his son, Ramesses the Great to rule in relative peace and stability for sixty-nine years, building on the legacy of his father.