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Which territories had Egypt lost in Asia before Ramses II became sole ruler?
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Ramses II
A larger-than-life Ramses II towering over his prisoners and clutching them by the hair. Limestone bas-relief from Memphis, Egypt, 1290–24 bce; in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
Before Ramses II became the sole ruler of Egypt, the country had experienced a decline in its imperial holdings in Asia during the reigns of Akhenaton and Tutankhamen. During this period, various provinces in the north passed from Egyptian control to the Hittites.1
Although Ramses II's father, Seti I, campaigned to recover these territories, his successes were only temporary. By the end of Seti I's reign, the Hittites remained firmly established at Kadesh, a strategic fortress on the Orontes River that served as the key to their southern frontier. Consequently, when Ramses II ascended to the throne, he sought to reestablish Egypt's imperial influence over these lost northern provinces.123