Egyptian–Hittite Peace Treaty

Date

Year 21, first month of the second season, twenty-first day, under the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Usermare-Setepnere, Son of Re: Ramses-Meriamon, given life, forever and ever, beloved of Amon-Re-Harakhte, Ptah-South-of-His-Wall, lord of "Life-of-the-Two-Lands," Mut, mistress of Ishru, and Khonsu-Neferhotep; shining upon the Horus-throne of the living, like his father, Harakhte, forever and ever.

Arrival of the Hittite Messengers

On this day, lo, his majesty was at the city (called): "House-of-Ramses-Meriamon," performing the pleasing ceremonies of his father, Amon-Re-Harakhte-Atum, lord of the Two Lands of Heliopolis; Amon of Ramses-Meriamon, Ptah of Ramses-Meriamon, "—great in strength, son of Mut," according as they gave to him eternity in jubilees, everlastingness in peaceful years, all lands, and all countries being prostrate beneath his sandals forever. There came the king’s-messenger, the deputy and butler—, together with the king’s-messenger— [bringing to the king] Ramses II [the messenger] of [Kheta, Ter]teseb and the [second messenger] of Kheta [bearing a silver tablet] which the great chief of the Kheta, Khetasar [caused] to be brought to Pharaoh, L. P. H., to crave peace [fro]m [the majesty] of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ramses II, given life, forever and ever, like his father, Re, every day.

Heading of the Copy

Copy of the silver tablet, which the great chief of Kheta, Khetasar caused to be brought to Pharaoh, L. P. H., by the hand of his messenger, Terteseb, and his messenger, Ramose, to crave peace from the majesty of Ramses II, the Bull of rulers, making his boundary as far as he desires in every land.

Caption of the Treaty

The treaty which the great chief of Kheta, Khetasar, the valiant, the son of Merasar, the great chief of Kheta, the valiant, the grandson of Seplel, [the great chief of Kheta, the val]iant, made, upon a silver tablet for Usermare-Setepnere (Ramses II), the great ruler of Egypt, the valiant, the son of Menmare (Seti I), the great ruler of Egypt, the valiant, the grandson of Menpehtire (Ramses I), the great ruler of Egypt, the valiant; the good treaty of peace and of brotherhood, setting peace [between them], forever.

1. Former Relations of the Two Countries

Now, at the beginning, since eternity, the relations of the great ruler of Egypt with the great chief of Kheta were (such) that the god prevented hostilities between them, by treaty. Whereas, in the time of Metella, the great chief of Kheta, my brother, he fought w[ith Ramses II], the great ruler of Egypt, yet afterward, beginning with this day, behold, Khetasar, the great chief of Kheta, is [in] a treaty-relation for establishing the relations which the Re made, and which Sutekh made, for the land of Egypt, with the land of Kheta, in order not to permit hostilities to arise between them, forever.

2. The New Peace Pact

Behold then, Khetasar, the great chief of Kheta, is in treaty relation with Usermare-Setepnere (Ramses II), the great ruler of Egypt, beginning with this day, in order to bring about good peace and good brotherhood between us forever, while he is in brotherhood with me, he is in peace with me; and I am in brotherhood with him, and I am in peace with him, forever. Since Metella, the great chief of Kheta, my brother, succumbed to his fate, and Khetasar sat as great chief of Kheta upon the throne of his father, behold, I am together with Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, and he is [with me in] our peace and our brotherhood. It is better than the former peace and brotherhood which were in the land. Behold, I, even the great chief of Kheta, am with [Ramses II], the great ruler of Egypt, in good peace and in good brotherhood. The children of the children of the great chief of Kheta shall be in brotherhood and peace with the children of the children of Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, being in our relations of brotherhood and our relations [of peace], that the [land of Egypt] may be with the land of Kheta in peace and brotherhood like ourselves, forever.

3. Mutual Renunciation of Further Conquests

There shall be no hostilities between them, forever. The great chief of Kheta shall not pass over into the land of Egypt, forever, to take anything therefrom. Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, shall not pass over into the land [of Kheta, to take anything] therefrom, forever.

4. Reaffirmation of the Former Treaties

As for the former treaty which was in the time of Seplel, the great chief of Kheta, likewise the former treaty which was in the time of Metella, the great chief of Kheta, my father, I will hold to it. Behold, Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, will hold [to it] with us [together], beginning with this day. We will hold to it, and we will deal in this former manner.

5. Egypt’s Defensive Alliance with Kheta

If another enemy come against the lands of Usermare-Setepnere (Ramses II), the great ruler of Egypt, and he shall send to the great chief of Kheta, saying: "Come with me as reinforcement against him," the great chief of Kheta shall [come], and the great chief of Kheta shall slay his enemy. But if it be not the desire of the great chief of Kheta to come, he shall send his infantry and his chariotry, and shall slay his enemy.

6. Chastisement of Syrian Subjects

Or if Ramses-Meriamon, [the great ruler of Egypt], be provoked against [delinquent] subjects, when they have committed some other fault against him, and he come to slay them, then the great chief of Kheta shall act with the lord of Egypt — — —.

7. Kheta’s Defensive Alliance with Egypt

If another en[emy come] against the great chief of Kheta, [and he shall send] to the great chief (sic!) [of Egypt], Usermare-Setepnere [for reinforcements then he] shall come to him as reinforcement, to slay his enemy. But if it be [not] the desire of Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, to come, he shall [send his infantry and his chariotry and shall slay his enemy]. [Or] — — — seeing them, besides returning answer to the land of Kheta.

8. Chastisement of Syrian Subjects

Now if subjects of the great chief of Kheta transgress against him, and Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, shall — — — the land of Kheta and the land of Egypt — — — [a few unintelligible fragments omitted in the edition] that is to say: "I will come after [their punishment]" to Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, living forever, — — — the land of Kheta — — — — — — their appointing him for them, to be lord, to cause that Usermare-Setepnere, the great ruler of Egypt, shall be silent from his speech forever. If he — — — his — — — the land of Kheta, and he shall turn back [again to] the great chief of Kheta — — —.

9. Extradition of Political Fugitives in Kheta

[If any great man of the land of Egypt shall flee and shall come to] the great chief of Kheta, from either a town [or] — — — of the lands of Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, and they shall come to the great chief of Kheta, then the great chief of Kheta shall not receive them, (but) the great chief of Kheta shall cause them to be brought to Usermare-Setepnere, the great ruler of Egypt, t[heir] lord therefor.

10. Extradition of Emigrants to Kheta

Or if there flee a man, or two men who are unknown — — — and they shall come to the land of Kheta, to become foreign subjects, then they shall not be settled in the land of Kheta, but they shall be brought to Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt.

11. Extradition of Political Fugitives in Egypt

Or if any great man shall flee from the land of Kheta, [and he shall come to] Usermare-Setepnere, the great ruler of Egypt, (from) either a town or a district, or [any region of] those belonging to the land of Kheta, and they shall come to Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, then Usermare-Setepnere, the great ruler of Egypt, shall not receive them, (but) Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, shall cause them to be brought to the great chief of Kheta. They shall not be settled.

12. Extradition of Emigrants to Egypt

Likewise, if there flee a man, or two, or three, [who are not] known, and they shall come to the land of Egypt, to become foreign subjects, then Usermare-Setepnere, the great ruler of Egypt, shall not settle them, (but) he shall cause them to be brought to the great chief of Kheta.

13. The Witness of the Gods of Kheta and Egypt

As for the words of this [contract] of the great chief of Kheta, with Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler [of Egypt], written upon this silver tablet; as for these words, a thousand gods of the male gods and of the female gods, of those of the land of Kheta, together with a thousand gods, of the male gods and of the female gods of those of the land of Egypt, they are with me as witnesses [to] these words: the Sun-god, lord of the heavens, the Sun-god, of the city of Ernen, Sutekh, the lord of the heavens, Sutekh of Kheta, Sutekh of the city of Ernen, Sutekh of the city Zepyerened, Sutekh of the city of Perek, Sutekh of the city of Khesesep, Sutekh of the city Seres, Sutekh of the city of Aleppo, Sutekh of the city of Rekhsen, Sutekh [of the city of — — —], [— — —], Sutekh of the city of Sekhpen, Antheret of the land of Kheta, the god of Zeyethekhrer, the god of Kerzet—, the god of Kherpenteres, the goddess of the city of Kerekhen—n—, the goddess of [Khewek], the goddess of Zen—, the god of Zen—wet, the god of Serep, the god of Khenbet, the queen of the heavens, gods, lords of swearing, the goddess, the mistress of the soil, the mistress of swearing, Teskher, the mistress of the mountains, and the rivers of the land of Kheta, the gods of the land of Kezweden, Amon, the Sun-god, Sutekh, the male gods and the female gods of the mountains and the rivers of the land of Egypt, of the heavens, the soil, the great sea, the wind, and the storms.

14. Curse on the Violator of the Treaty

Now, these words, which are upon this silver tablet, are for the land of Kheta and for the land of Egypt. As for him who shall not keep them, the thousand gods of the land of Kheta, and the thousand gods of the land of Egypt shall desolate his house, his land, and his subjects.

15. Blessing on the Observer of the Treaty

Now as for him who shall keep these words, which are upon this silver tablet, whether they be of Kheta, or whether they be people of Egypt, and they shall not devise (aught) against them; the thousand gods of the land of Kheta, together with the thousand gods of the land of Egypt, shall preserve his health, and his life, together with his issue, with his land, and his subjects.

16. Treatment of Extradited Persons by Kheta

If a man flee from the land of Egypt, or two or three, and come to the great chief of Kheta, the great chief of Kheta shall seize upon them, and shall cause them to be brought back to Usermare-Setepnere, the great ruler of Egypt. Now, as for the man who shall be brought (back) to Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, let not his crime be set up against him; let not his house be injured, nor his wives, nor his children, [let] him [not be killed], and let no injury be done to his eyes, to his ears, to his mouth, nor to his feet. Let not any crime be set up against him.

17. Treatment of Extradited Persons by Egypt

Likewise if a man flee from the land of Kheta, be it one, be it two, (or) be it three, and they shall come to Usermare-Setepnere, the great ruler of Egypt, let Ramses-Meriamon, the great ruler of Egypt, seize [upon them, and let him cause] that they be brought to the great chief of Kheta; and the great chief of Kheta shall not set up their crime against them; let not his house be injured, nor his wives, nor his children, let him not be killed, and let no injury be done to his ears, to his eyes, to his mouth, nor to his feet. Let not any crime be set up against him.

18. Figures and Seals on the Front of the Silver Plate

That which is in the middle of this silver tablet: on its front side is a figure in the likeness of Sutekh embracing the likeness of the great chief of Kheta, surrounded by the following [words]: "The seal of Sutekh, the ruler of the heavens; the seal of the treaty which Khetasar, the great chief of Kheta, the valiant, the son of Merasar, the valiant, the great chief of Kheta, the valiant, made."

That which is in the midst of the surrounding design is the seal [of Sutekh, the ruler of the heavens]. [That which is in the middle on] its other side is a figure, in the likeness of [— — —] of Kheta, embracing the figure of the princess of Kheta, surrounded by the following words: "The seal of the Sun-god of the city of Ernen, the lord of the land; the seal of Petkhep, the princess of the land of Kheta, the daughter of the land of Kezweden, the — — — of Ernen, the mistress of the land, the votress of the goddess. That which is in the midst of the surrounding design is the seal of the Sun-god of Ernen, the lord of every land."