Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

Kadesh War and Peace Treaty

In BC 1274, a very big pitched battle was held between Ramses II and Muvattali in Kadesh and it resulted with Kadesh Peace Treaty. Ramses II evacuated the regions that he seized  and Kadesh city was given back to Hittites.

Muvattalli was killed in a riot during the Kadesh Peace Treaty. The treaty was signed by Hattuşilli III who replaced Muvattalli. (BC 1269) This treaty is the oldest of the world’s history which is based on the principle of equity. The treaty was written on the silver tablets with cuneiform in Akkadian language. There is also the stamp of queen near the king’s.

The original writings of this treaty which was engraved on the silver tablets are lost. One copy of the treaty engraved on the walls of temples in Egypt has also another one found in  Boğazköy (Boğazkale) excavations as clay tablets and they are exhibited in İstanbul Museum of Archeology.

  The largened copy of Kadesh treaty tablet in cuneiform found in Hattis are also hung on the wall of New York UN Building.

 

Kadesh Treaty Text

It is concluded that Reamasesa-Mai-amana , the Great King, the king (of the land of Egypt) with Hattusili, the Great King, the king of the land of Hatti, his brother, for the land of Egypt and the land of Hatti, in order to establish a good peace and a good fraternity forever among them.  

Thus speaks Reamasesa, the Great King, the king of the land of Egypt, the hero of the whole country, son of Minmuaria, the great king, the king of the land of Egypt, the hero, son of the son of Minpahiritaria, the Great King, the king of the land of Egypt, the hero, to Hattusili, son of Mursili , the Great King, the king of the land of Hatti, the hero, son of the son of Suppiluliuma, the Great King, the king of the land of Hatti, the hero. 

I have established a good fraternity and a good peace now forever among us, in order to establish this way forever a good peace and a good fraternity between the land of Egypt and the land of Hatti. Look, in what refers to the great king's relationship, the king of the country of Egypt, and of the great king, the king of the Hittite country, since eternity the gods don't allow, by reason of an eternal treaty.Reamasesa-Mai-amana, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, will establish the bond that the Sun God  has wanted and that the god of the Tempest [the great Hittite god] has wanted for the country of Egypt and the country of Hatti according to the eternal bond, for not letting enmity settle between them. 

Reamasesa-Mai-amana, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, has established this bond by treaty on a silver tablet with Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti, his brother, starting from this day, to settle forever among them a good peace and a good fraternity. He is a brother to me and he is at peace with me; and I am a brother to him and I am forever at peace with him. We are united and a bond of fraternity already exists among us and of peace, and it is better than the bond of fraternity and of peace that existed between the country of Egypt and the country of Hatti. 

Look, Reamasesa-Mai-amana, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, is at peace and fraternity with Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti.

Look, the children of Reamasesa, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, they will be forever in state of peace and of fraternity with the children of Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti. 

The country of Egypt and the country of Hatti will be forever be in a state of peace and of fraternity as it is with us.

Reamasesa-Mai-amana, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, shall never attack the country of Hatti to take possession of a part (of this country). And Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti, shall never attack the country of Egypt to take possession of a part (of that country). 

Look, the order fixed for eternity which the Sun God and the God of the Tempest have created for the country of Egypt and the country of Hatti, (that is) peace and fraternity without leaving place among them to any enmity. 

Look, Reamasesa-Mai-amana, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, has established peace starting from this day. The country of Egypt and the country of Hatti live forever in peace and fraternity. 

If a foreign enemy marches against the country of Hatti and if Hattusili, the king of the country of Hatti, sends me this message: "Come to my help against him", Reamasesa-mai_Amana, the great king, the king of the Egyptian country, has to send his troops and his chariots to kill this enemy and to give satisfaction to the country of Hatti.
If Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti, rises in anger against his citizens after they have committed a crime against him and if, for this reason, you send to Reamasesa the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, then Reamasesa-Mai-amana has to send his troops and his chariots and these should exterminate all those that he has risen in anger against. 

If a foreigner marches against the country of Egypt and if Reamasesa-Mai-amana, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, your brother, sends to Hattusili, the king of the country of Hatti, his brother, the following message: "Come to my help against him", then Hattusili, king of the country of Hatti, shall send his troops and his chariots and kill my enemy. 

If Reamasesa, king of the country of Egypt, rises in anger against his citizens after they have committed a wrong against him and by reason of this he sends (a message) to Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti, my brother, has to send his troops and his chariots and they have to exterminate all those against 

Look, the son of Hattusili, king of the country of Hatti, has to assure his sovereignty of the country of Hatti instead of Hattusili, his father, after the numerous years of Hattusili, king of the country of Hatti. If the children of the country of Hatti transgress against him, then Reamasesa has to send to his help troops and chariots and to give him support.  

If a great person flees from the country of Hatti and if he comes to Reamasesa, the great king, king of the country of Egypt, then Reamasesa, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, has to take hold of him and deliver him into hands of Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti. 

If a great person flees from the country of Egypt and he escapes to the country of Amurru or a city and he comes to the king of Amurru, then Benteshina, king of the country of Amurru, has to take hold of him and take him to the king of the country of Hatti ; and Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti, shall have him to be taken to Reamasesa, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt. 

If a man flees from the country of Hatti, or two men, or three men, and if they come to Reamasesa, the Great King, the king of the country of Egypt, his brother, then Reamasesa, the Great King, the king of the country of Egypt, has to take hold of them and to order them to be taken to Hattusili, his brother, since they are brothers. As for their crime, it should not be imputed; their tongue and their eyes are not to be pulled out; their ears and their feet are not to be cut off; their houses with their wives and their children are not to be destroyed.