Ramesses IV in hieroglyphs

The third pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty,

The third pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty, he was the fifth son of Ramesses III, and in the confusion after his father's assassination, managed to secure the throne for himself.

Precedessor
Ramesses III

Successor
Ramesses V
Reign of Ramesses IV
AE Chronology1156–1150
v. Beckerath1152–1145
Shaw1153–1147
Dodson1153–1146
Arnold1163–1156
Malek1153–1147
Grimal1154–1148
Redford1166–1160
Highest attestationYear 7

The Royal Titulary

From the hieroglyphic records

The Dual King
The Son of Ra

Horus Ka nakht ankh em Maat  The Dual King User Maat Ra, setep en Amun  Son of Ra Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun

Horus names

Horus name

The oldest form of the name of a pharaoh, a falcon representing Horus is perched on the palace facade.

Horus name
Ka nakht ankh em Maat
kꜢ-nḫt Ꜥnḫ-m-mꜢꜤt
Horus, the strong bull, his Maat lives
E1:D40-mAat*anx:Aa11
Year 1
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions , VI, 36
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 166-167, 3:H3
Horus name variant
Ka nakht ankh em Maat neb habu-sed mi itef Ptah-Tatenen
kꜢ-nḫt Ꜥnḫ-m-mꜢꜤt nb-ḥꜢbw-sd-mi-it.f-pth-tꜢṯnn
Horus, the strong bull, his Maat lives, master of the Heb-Sed like his father Ptah-Tatenen
E1:D40-anx-m-Sw-nb:O23F*Z3-mi-i-t:f:Z1:f-p:t-H-C18F
Year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, II, plate 101 (bottom)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 166-167, 3:H1

Nebty name

Two ladies hieroglyphs

The “Two Ladies”, the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet, representing Upper and Lower Egypt respectively.

Nebty name
Mek Kemet waf pedjut 9
mk-kmt wꜤf-pḏt-9
The protector of Egypt, he who vanquishes the Nine Bows
Aa11:a:k-I6:Aa15:t*O49-G45:f-V1:D40-pD:t*3:3*3
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, II, plate 101 (bottom)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 166-167, 3:N

Golden Horus name

Golden Horus name

Horus perched on Gold, which was associated with eternity, but its meaning is disputed.

Golden Horus name
User renput wer nakhtu
wsr-rnpwt wr-nḫtw
The golden falcon, rich in years, whose victories are great
wsr-s-rnp-rnp-rnp-wr:r-n:xt:x*t:D40-Z3
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, II, plate 101 (bottom)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 166-167, 3:G

Throne names

Prenomen or throne name

Announced at the coronation and always written in a cartouche. The “official” name of the pharaoh. Also known as the Prenomen.

Throne name
User Maat Ra, setep en Amun
wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-imn
Usermaatra, chosen one of Amun
ra-wsr-Sw-C12-stp-S3
Year 1
Couyat, Montet, Les inscriptions hiéroglyphiques et hiératiques du Ouadi Hammamat, 86
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 166-167, 3:T1
Throne name variant A
User Maat Ra, setep en Amun
wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-imn
Usermaatra, chosen one of Amun
C2\-wsr-C12B-stp-S3
Year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, II, plate 101 (bottom)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T3
Throne name variant B
User Maat Ra, setep en Amun
wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-imn
Usermaatra, chosen one of Amun
C2\-wsr-C10A-stp-N-i-mn:n
Year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, VI, plate 101 B (usurped by Ramesses VI)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T4
Throne name variant C
Heqa Maat Ra, setep en Amun
ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-imn
Ruler of the Maat like Ra, the chosen one of Amun
ra-HqA-C12B-stp:n
After year 1
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions , VI, 12
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T5
Throne name variant D
Heqa Maat Ra, setep en Amun
ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-imn
Ruler of the Maat like Ra, the chosen one of Amun
C10A\-ra:HqA-C12-stp*S3
After year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, V, plate 360 B
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T6
Throne name variant E
Heqa Maat Ra, setep en Amun
ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-imn
Ruler of the Maat like Ra, the chosen one of Amun
ra-HqA-C10A-mn:n:stp:n
After year 1
Couyat, Montet, Les inscriptions hiéroglyphiques et hiératiques du Ouadi Hammamat, 240
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T7
Throne name variant F
Heqa Maat Ra, setep en Ra
ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-rꜤ
Ruler of the Maat like Ra, the chosen one of Ra
ra-HqA-C10A-stp&n&ra
After year 1
Gardiner, Peet, Cerny, The Inscriptions of Sinai, I, plate LXXV (277)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T9
Throne name variant G
Heqa Maat Ra, setep en Ptah
ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-ptḥ
Ruler of the Maat like Ra, the chosen one of Ptah
ra-HqA-C102F-stp:n
After year 1
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions , VI, 35
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T10
Throne name variant H
Heqa Maat Ra
ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ
Ruler of the Maat like Ra
ra-C10C
After year 1
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions , VI, 80
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:T11

Birth names

Nomen or birth name

Personal name given at birth. Also known as the Nomen.

Birth name
Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt mri-imn
Ramesses, ruler of Maat, beloved of Amun
ra-C2\*C12A-N36-HqA-ms:z:z-Sw
Year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, VIII, plate 593
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:E1
Birth name variant A
Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt mri-imn
Ramesses, ruler of the Maat, beloved of Amun
U6\-C12B\-ra:HqA-C2-ms-s-sw
Year 1
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions , VI, 10
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:E2
Birth name variant B
Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt mri.imn
Ramesses, ruler of Maat, beloved of Amun
U6\-C12\-C2-ms*(ra:HqA)*C10A:z:z
Year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, II, plate 101 (bottom)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:E3
Birth name variant C
Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt mri-imn
Ramesses, ruler of Maat, beloved of Amun
A272-s-s-HqA-Sw-C12A:N36
Year 1
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions , VI, 1
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:E4
Birth name variant D
Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt mri-imn
Ramesses, ruler of Maat, beloved of Amun
U6\-C12\-ra:HqA-C2I-ms-s-sw
After year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, V, plate 361 B
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:E5
Birth name variant E
Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt mri-imn
Ramesses, ruler of Maat, beloved of Amun
ms:z:z-C2\-C12-Sw\*Sw:N36
After year 1
Gardiner, Peet, Cerny, The Inscriptions of Sinai, I, plate LXXI (276)
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:E7
Birth name variant F
Ramessu heqa Maat mery Amun
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt mri-imn
Ramesses, ruler of Maat, beloved of Amun
sw\-s\-ms-C2A\-C12B-C10A:N36
After year 1
The Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, V, plate 301
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 168-169, 3:E8

Bibliography

  • Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 19 (1913): 178–190
  • Beckerath, J., 1999. “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, Second edition, MÄS 49: 166–169
  • Leprohon, R. J., 2013. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary. Atlanta: 130
  • Baker. D. D., 2008. The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I. London: 317–321
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