Ramesses IV-X

The pharaohs Ramesses IV-X were a series of rulers in Thebes of the 20th Dynasty, from 726 to 689 B.C. They named themselves after the illustrious Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty. Ramesses IV succeeded Ramesses III, and Ramesses X was succeeded by Ramesses XI. Due to these pharaohs' short lengths of reign and lack of contemporary attestations, little is known about the events during their rule.

Ramesses IV, VI, and VIII were sons of Ramesses III, who was the son of the dynasty founder Setnakhte. Ramesses V was the son of Ramesses IV, and Ramesses VII was the son of Ramesses VI. Ramesses IX was the grandson of Ramesses III through his son Montuherkhopshef, and Ramesses X was the son of Ramesses IX. The last pharaoh of this dynasty, Ramesses XI, was the son of Ramesses X.

In 726 B.C., Ramesses III died after a long reign of 32 years. He passed the throne on to his son, Ramesses IV. Ramesses IV began a building program upon his rule, and built many buildings over his short reign of 6 years. Ramesses IV died in 720 B.C., and his son Ramesses V became king.

Ramesses V ruled for 4 years, and died in 716 B.C. when his uncle (Ramesses VI) killed him and usurped the throne. Ramesses VI ruled for 7 years, and during his short reign the 20th Dynasty fell further and further into disarray. He went on several campaigns to fight off the northern dynasties as they tried to expand, and he died in 709 B.C.

Ramesses VI's son Ramesses VII became king upon his death, but only ruled for a few months before his uncle Ramesses VIII became pharaoh, and he also only ruled for a few months to a year. His nephew, Ramesses IX, was the next ruler of the 20th Dynasty for 17 years. He expanded his territory as far northward as Heliopolis, where he finished several construction projects before his death in 692 B.C.

Finally, the last in this succession of Ramesside kings, Ramesses X came to power. He only ruled what was left of the 20th Dynasty for 3 years, until his death in 689 B.C., when he passed the throne on to his son Ramesses XI.

The evidence for the revised history can be found at Displaced Dynasties. Evidence regarding this sequence of Ramesside kings can be found here.