Ramses II was the third pharaoh of ancient Egypt’s 19th dynasty, reigning from 1279 to 1213 BCE. He likely began exercising some power prior to actually assuming sole ownership of the throne: it is thought that his father, Seti I, appointed him as coregent at a young age, and he accompanied his father on campaigns abroad as a teenager. His tenure as sole ruler was remarkable insofar as he ruled for an astonishing 66 years—the second longest (and maybe even the longest) reign in ancient Egyptian history.
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