Siptah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siptah |
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 1197 – 1191 BC (19th Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Seti II |
| Successor | Twosret |
| Father | Uncertain: currently debated to be either Seti II or Amenmesse |
| Mother | Sutailja |
| Died | 1191 BC |
| Burial | KV47, in the Valley of the Kings |
Akhenre Setepenre Siptah was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. He was one of the last rulers of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Siptah became king as a child. He ruled Egypt for almost six years.
Siptah's father is not fully known. Some experts think it was Seti II or Amenmesse. After his second year as king, Siptah changed his royal name to Merenptah Siptah. This might suggest his father was Merneptah. If so, Siptah and Seti II would have been half-brothers.
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Siptah: A Young Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
Siptah was a very young king. He was only about ten or eleven years old when he took the throne. He became pharaoh after the death of Seti II. His rule began around December.
His Family Background
For a long time, people thought Siptah's mother was Tiaa. She was one of Seti II's wives. However, a carving in a museum showed his mother was named Sutailja.
Sutailja was likely from Canaan. This means she was probably not an Egyptian princess. She might have been a royal concubine.
Experts are still debating who Siptah's father was. Some believe it was Amenmesse. Both Siptah and Amenmesse were left out of later lists of kings. This suggests they might have been related in a way that made them seem less legitimate.
A statue of Siptah shows him sitting on another pharaoh's lap. This other pharaoh was likely his father. Because Siptah was so young, his stepmother, Queen Twosret, helped guide him.
Siptah's Health
When experts studied Siptah's mummy, they learned more about him. He was about sixteen years old when he died. He was tall, about 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches). He had curly reddish-brown hair.
Siptah also had a health condition. He likely had polio. This caused his left foot to be deformed.
His Time as Pharaoh
A powerful official named Chancellor Bay helped Siptah become king. Bay even boasted about it in public writings. One carving shows Bay standing behind Siptah. It says Bay "established the King [Siptah] in the place of his father."
However, Bay later lost favor with the king. He was executed in Siptah's fifth year of rule. The king himself ordered Bay's death. Workers were told to stop decorating Bay's tomb. This was because Bay was seen as a traitor.
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Siptah's rule lasted for almost six years. He likely died in his sixth year as pharaoh. After his death, Queen Twosret became the ruler. She ruled Egypt as a queen for about one or two years.
His Burial Place
Siptah was buried in the Valley of the Kings. His tomb is known as KV47. However, his mummy was not found there.
In 1898, his mummy was discovered. It was found with 18 other mummies. They were all in the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35).
In April 2021, Siptah's mummy was moved. It went from the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. This was part of a big event called the Pharaohs' Golden Parade.
See also
In Spanish: Siptah para niños
