Ramesses VIII

Ramesses VIII was a pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty who governed Egypt for only about a year, around 1130 BC to 1129 BC, with dates uncertain by about five years. He was a son of Ramesses III, ascending the throne long after his father's death following the rule of his nephew, Ramesses VII. His royal capital was located at Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta.

His brief period of rule was marked by total political obscurity, fitting within the broader decline of the late New Kingdom. No major military campaigns, architectural projects, or administrative reforms can be attributed to him. He was succeeded by Ramesses IX, whose exact familial relationship to him remains unconfirmed by surviving texts.

Scholars know Ramesses VIII almost solely through a few scattered inscriptions, including a surviving relief at Medinet Habu where he is shown as a prince in the procession of the sons of Ramesses III. His burial site has never been located, and neither his tomb nor his mummy is known to history.

Monuments

• Medinet Habu inscription

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