Seti II

king of Egypt
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Seti-II
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Quick Facts
Flourished:
13th–12th century bce

Seti II (flourished 13th–12th century bce) was a king of ancient Egypt (c. 1202–c. 1198 bce).

Seti, the immediate successor of his father, Merneptah, was one of the last rulers of the 19th dynasty (c. 1292–c. 1191 bce), which was marked by short reigns, dynastic intrigue, and usurpations. One of his most serious threats was a rebellion by a usurper, Amenmeses, who claimed the kingship and acquired recognition in Upper Egypt.

Upon his death, Seti was succeeded by Siptah, who was installed on the throne by a Syrian royal butler, Bay, chancellor of Egypt. Siptah was succeeded by Seti II’s widow, Tausert, who counted her reigning years from the year of Seti II’s death (though she effectively reigned only from c. 1192 to c. 1191). Of the rulers or would-be rulers of this period, Seti II was the only one recognized by Ramses III (of the 20th dynasty [c. 1190–c. 1077 bce]) as a legitimate king.

Al-Jizah. Giza Necropolis, Giza Plateau, Cairo, Egypt. Side view of Sphinx with the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) rising in the background. The sides of all three of the Giza pyramids are astronomically oriented to be north-south, east-west (see notes)
Britannica Quiz
Pop Quiz: 18 Things to Know About Ancient Egypt

For a list of ancient Egyptian kings, see list of pharaohs of ancient Egypt. For a list of Egyptian dynasties, see list of dynasties of ancient Egypt.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Teagan Wolter.