Ramses IX (Neferkare Setepenre)
Son of Montuhirkopshef (?) Takhat II
New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty
Eighth king of the 20th Dynasty, Ramses IX was the grandson of Ramses III and the nephew of Ramses VIII. It is estimated that he ruled for about 18 years, instilling a new sense of stability, and his titles have been found outside of Egypt proper, in Nubia and Dakhla Oasis.
His principal cult contributions were to the sun temple in Heliopolis; he also decorated the north wall of the Seventh Pylon of the complex of Amun-Re at Karnak. Most of his activities focused on Lower Egypt, where he ruled from the Ramesside capital in the Delta, allowing the high priests of Amun in Upper Egypt to gain power.
It is from Ramses IX’s reign that records are preserved of a great scandal concerning violations of the royal tombs. These incidents took place in his Years 16 to 17, and are captured in various papyri such as the Abbott Papyrus, Papyrus BM 10054, and the Leopold II-Amherst Papyrus. The robberies led to the decision several generations later to dismantle the burials of the New Kingdom monarchs and their families, restore the mummies, and hide them in a series of caches. The original burial place of Ramses IX, a beautifully painted tomb that still retains its colors today, was KV 6; his mummy was moved several times before it was hidden in the Deir el-Bahari cache.
