Retjenu

Retjenu was the ancient Egyptian name of the present-day Palestine and Syria region that stretched from Sile to Naharina.

History

After the death of Hatshepsut Thutmose III led. his first campaign again after Retjenu after already Thutmosis I was able to successfully push back the threat by Naharin. Shortly after the battle followed at Megiddo. The background was the supply of the precious cedar, as Egypt was dependent on the expansion of its fleet on the wood. There were several campaigns in this area, the major city of Kadesh was conquered by the troops of Pharaoh.

In the tenure of Ramses II the threat fell by the Hittites. In the summer of the fourth year of his reign, 1276 BC, Ramesses led his army against Retjenu and conquered the Principality of Amurru back, which was under the rule of Bente China. With this blow Ramses called the Hittites give formal notice to take on a decisive battle for supremacy in the region of Syria. He retired in 1274 BC with an army of about 20,000 men over today's Gaza to Syria. Around sixteen kilometers from the city of Kadesh he met the Hittite Muwatalli II, after which the battle was opened at Kadesh in the immediate connection.

In the eighth year of the reign of Ramses himself saw III. exposed to the attacks of the Sea Peoples. At length a naval battle is described, in which the Sea Peoples in the Nile Delta were lured and beaten into the trap. Nevertheless, Egypt lost after this third battle the political influence on Retjenu, which was militarily strong through immigration and territorial allocations.