Ramesses VII

Ramesses VII was a monarch of the Twentieth Dynasty who reigned from roughly 1137 BC to 1130 BC, with dates uncertain by around five years. He succeeded his father, Ramesses VI, and ruled from the Delta residence of Pi-Ramesses.

His reign of seven years took place during an era of deepening domestic strain. Contemporary administrative papyri indicate that Egypt experienced soaring grain prices and financial instability, pointing to agricultural disruption and bureaucratic weakness. Very few royal monuments outside Thebes carry his name, reflecting the limited resources available to the crown. Ramesses VII left no known children to inherit the throne and was succeeded by Ramesses VIII.

Scholars know this king chiefly from scattered administrative ostraca, royal scarabs, and his small tomb in the Valley of the Kings, KV1. The tomb consists of a single corridor, a burial hall, and a small unfinished room, decorated with scenes from the Book of Gates and the Book of Caverns. His mummy has never been identified.

Monuments

• KV1

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Try the name on the Cartouche Desk, or see where the reign falls on the timeline.