Ramesses III

1218 BCE–1156 BCE

Ramesses III was a pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty often regarded as the last major ruler of the New Kingdom. His inscriptions celebrate victories over Libyan forces and the Sea Peoples, but his reign also faced economic strain, labour unrest and a palace conspiracy that led to his death.

Ramesses III was born in Thebes. A court inquiry recorded a conspiracy organised from the royal harem to replace Ramesses with Prince Pentawer; modern examination of the king’s mummy found a severe throat wound consistent with his having been killed during the plot.

In Pauline Gedge’s House of Dreams, Her beauty and ambition eventually carry her into the household of Ramesses III, where access to the pharaoh promises influence but makes every private choice politically dangerous. In Pauline Gedge’s House of Illusions, The box contains the account of Thu’s life and threatens men who have prospered by concealing their part in the conspiracy against Ramesses III.

Series

Historical novels and book series featuring Ramesses III (1 series)

Thu’s Houses in Order

by Pauline Gedge 2 books 4.2(1,330)

Thu’s Houses follows an ambitious healer from the village of Aswat into the court of Ramesses III and then into the consequences of the Harem Conspiracy. House of Dreams charts Thu’s education, her entry into the royal household and her growing involvement with officials who intend to alter…

All books in this series

1. House of Dreams

First published 1994 · 4.4(110)

2. House of Illusions

First published 1996 · 4.2(1,220)