Tiye (20th dynasty)

Tiye
Queen consort of Egypt
A queen from the time of Ramesses III
SpousePharaoh Ramesses III
IssuePentawere, Khaemwaset, Meryatum, Ramesses VIII, Duatentopet (only daughter)
Dynasty20th Dynasty of Egypt
ReligionAncient Egyptian religion
U33iiZ4B1
Tije
in hieroglyphs
Era: New Kingdom
(1550–1069 BC)

Tiye was an ancient Egyptian queen of the Twentieth Dynasty; a secondary wife of Ramesses III, against whom she instigated a conspiracy.[1]

Tiye is known from the Judicial Papyrus of Turin, which recorded that there was a harem conspiracy against Ramesses, in which several people in high positions in the pharaoh's government were involved. The conspirators wanted to kill the king and place Tiye's son Pentawer on the throne, instead of the appointed heir, the son of Tyti, one of the king's two chief wives.[2]

Ramesses was attacked by multiple assailants, one slitting his throat, another removing his big toe with a heavy sword or axe. However, his designated heir was able to control the situation, and succeeded him as Ramesses IV. The conspirators were caught, brought to trial, and condemned. Most were burned to death and their ashes scattered in the street. Others, including Pentawer, were compelled to commit suicide. It is not known what happened to Tiye.[3]

  1. ^ Dodson, Aidan; Hilton, Dyan (2004). The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05128-3., p.194
  2. ^ Mark Collier, Aidan Dodson, & Gottfried Hamernik, P. BM 10052, Anthony Harris and Queen Tyti, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 96 (2010), pp.242-247
  3. ^ Dodson & Hilton, pp.190, 193-194