Poisoned Legacy: The Fall of the Nineteenth Egyptian Dynasty

by Aidan Dodson

After the death of Rameses II, the Nineteenth Dynasty, soon fell into decline and familial conflict, culminating in a final civil war that ended with the accession of a new dynasty. Sethy I and Rameses II's promotion of a concept of a wider 'royal family' may have sown the seeds for the conflicts among their descendants.
Aidan Dodson explores the mysteries of the origins of the usurper-king Amenmeses and the career of the 'king-maker' of the period, the chancellor Bay. Having helped to install at least one pharaoh on the throne, Bay's life was ended by his abrupt execution, ordered by the woman with whom he had shared the regency of Egypt for the young and disabled King Siptah. Finally, the author considers how that woman-Tawosret-became the last true female pharaoh, and how she finally lost her throne to the founder of the Twentieth Dynasty, Sethnakhte.

Genres: Egyptology, History, Nonfiction, Egypt

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Aidan Dodson is Honorary Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Bristol, UK, was Simpson Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo in 2013, and Chair of the Egypt Exploration Society during 2011–16. Awarded his PhD by the University of Cambridge in 1995, he was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2003. He is the author of some twenty-five books, including Sethy I, King of Egypt: His Life and Afterlife (AUC Press, 2019), Rameses III, King of Egypt: His Life and Afterlife (AUC Press, 2019), Amarna Sunrise: Egypt from Golden Age to Age of Heresy (AUC Press, paperback edition, 2016), Afterglow of Empire: Egypt from the Fall of the New Kingdom to the Saite Renaissance (AUC Press, paperback edition, 2020), Poisoned Legacy: The Fall of the 19th Egyptian Dynasty (AUC Press, paperback edition, 2016), Amarna Sunset: Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, Ay, Horemheb, and the Egyptian Counter-Reformation (AUC Press, paperback edition, 2018), and Monarchs of the Nile (AUC Press, paperback edition, 2015). Professor Dodson has also written on naval history from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present day.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a revised, paperback edition of Poisoned Legacy published in the first half of 2016. I read and reviewed the original release here in 2012 and which I still stand by. As it's been four years since I read the original text, I could not identify any sections of the text that were revised. Which is not to say that the text hasn't been revised, merely that it's been so long since I read the original that I can't identify any revisions offhand.

Regardless, this is still a fine, scholarly work.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poisoned Legacy is a short, comprehensive read that successfully sheds light on a confusing period of Egyptian history: the fall of the nineteenth dynasty. While most people (myself included) get caught up in the first half of this dynasty, using what extant evidence there is, Dodson postulates a reasonable, scholarly explanation for the fall of this convoluted reigning family and ultimately the decline of the New Kingdom itself.

Uncovering details about Egyptian politics is difficult at best; in periods of turmoil, it's nigh impossible. It's incredibly frustrating to know that some political intrigue caused Merenptah's heirs to destroy his cartouches and yet not know the exact why's, how's, and who done its. However, Dodson's argument regarding Amenmeses being Seti II's son is very compelling as are his other deductions regarding the identity and backgrounds of various royal personages. Of course, most of it is just that: logical deductions based upon scant evidence, but the evidence presented seems logical with only a few flaws -- i.e. Ramses-Siptah = Merenptah-Siptah, but I like Dodson's neat potential identity for Siptah. I'll leave it to the professionals to throw books at his head in skeptical disapproval.

[Kristijan Matić · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who was only familiar with Egyptian history up to the 18th dynasty, I was excited to dive into this book and learn about what went down during the 19th dynasty. And boy, did it deliver! It's jam-packed with all kinds of fascinating information that really fills in the gaps in my knowledge.

That being said, there were times when I found myself getting a little lost in all the names and dates. Some of the info could have been organized a bit better to make it easier to follow along. Plus, let's be real, the history of the era is pretty chaotic, so if you're not already a bit of an Egyptian history buff, this book might be a bit overwhelming.

But don't get me wrong, there's still plenty to love about "Poisoned Legacy." The pictures are really beautiful and bring the whole thing to life, and the bibliography and detailed notes are seriously impressive. I can tell the author did his homework!

All in all, I'd say "Poisoned Legacy" is a great read for anyone who's already a fan of Egyptian history and wants to dig deeper into the 19th dynasty. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you're up for a challenge, this book is definitely worth checking out.

[Architeacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a mixed review. I had hoped for more narrative but was happy to have the author's informed and informative scholarship on the genealogy of an extended, ungainly and incestuous family.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most narratives of Egypt's 19th dynasty focus on the first half: the handover from the 18th dynasty's Horemheb to Ramesses I, the lengthy reign of Ramesses II and his eventual successor, lucky number thirteen, Merenptah. This is understandable: there is the official "end" to the Amarna period and the 18th dynasty, the restoration carried out by Seti I, and the sheer fame of Ramesses II.

Yet the rest of the 19th dynasty is incredibly interesting. There's a coup: Amenmesses usurping his (alleged, still living) father's throne. There's the shadowy "kingmaker" Bay and roles he played in Seti-Merenptah's restoration and the child-king, Siptah's succession. There's also another female pharaoh, Tausret, supposedly the pharaoh mentioned in The Illiad (Thuoris/Polybus). Her reign, and the 19th dynasty, end with civil war, and the succession of Sethnakhte (father of Ramesses III).

In other words, more than enough to be fascinating, and Aidan Dodson provides us with the story of the "decline and fall" of the dynasty in Poisoned Legacy.

Poisoned Legacy is less narrative-driven that Dodson's Amarna Sunset, due to the fragmented evidence. At times I felt lost amongst all the names of the royal children, especially those of Ramesses II. Parts of the text are bogged down by attempts to unravel the evidence. The fact that there is so much on the evidence isn't necessarily a bad thing, just one that can slow a reader down.

After reading Nicholas Reeves' Akhenaten, Dodson's writing is a joy. He refrains from making scurrilous and/or sensationalist remarks and he acknowledges differing opinions and theories. Outside of the evidence-heavy discussions, the writing is accessible and easy to devour. Dodson's arguments also show improvement from Amarna Sunset - there's no "Nefertiti was Tutankhamun's mother" here.

At only 131 pages (196 including appendices, notes, bibliography and index), the book is packed full of information and many, many photos and illustrations (every single image that Dodson references is provided). The only thing I felt that could be discussed, but wasn't, is the mummy sometimes identified as Tausret (Unknown Woman D of KV35). Given how tentative this identification is, I'm content to overlook it.

Poisoned Legacy is a fascinating and informative look at one of Ancient Egypt's most overlooked periods.