The army and military campaigns of the pharaohs. History lesson outline (grade 5) on the topic: Military campaigns of the pharaohs

The entire history of Egypt is connected with wars of conquest. Because, in those days, it was possible to ensure the enormous power of the state, provide resources for large-scale construction and constant economic growth only with the help of military campaigns. As a result of their implementation, there was a constant influx of slaves, so the slave system also developed stronger. Also, talented artisans from occupied countries constantly arrived in the country, whose labor was used to build structures that still amaze us with their greatness.

Wars of conquest gave impetus to the development of culture and art. Products made of gold, metal, various fabrics and much more constantly arrived in the country, which was captured as a result of successful battles or came in the form of tribute.

Conquests of the Egyptian Pharaohs

The direction of the aggressive campaigns of the Egyptian pharaohs was directed towards neighboring countries, as well as Palestine, Syria, and Nubia. In the history of early Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula, conquered by the Egyptian pharaohs, is a very important conquest. Pharaoh Djoser, having made a campaign, subjugated the nomads of the peninsula to his power and opened for himself access to the mines of turquoise and copper. But, from 1800 to 1600 BC, a time of decline for Egypt. The Hyksos (Asian nomads) took over Egypt, placing their princes in charge of parts of Egypt. And only in 1600 BC, the Egyptians, through a war of liberation, overthrew them and restored pharaonic power. From this period, the powerful development of the New Kingdom began. Pharaoh Ahmes created a standing army. She was well trained, numerous, disciplined. This marked the beginning of a period of great conquests.

The direction of the aggressive campaigns of the Egyptian pharaohs on the map.

Military campaigns of Pharaoh Ahmes

The first ruler of the New Kingdom, Ahmes, reigned approximately 1550-1525 BC. He understood that the army needed urgent reorganization. During his reign, the first regular army arose in Egypt. They began to recruit fewer warriors from the nobility, whose rights he severely curtailed. The main striking force was chariots drawn by two horses. The chariot's crew consisted of a driver and a warrior, who was often armed with a bow.

The formation of the infantry was very reminiscent of the Macedonian phalanx, the troops were located in a long line, 10 or even more ranks deep. Their task was to penetrate into gaps in the enemy army and destroy the demoralized enemy. The conquests of the Egyptian pharaoh Ahmes were directed against the Nubians and Hexos. He lost control over them and had to conquer their lands again. He assembled a huge army and a large fleet, with the help of which he made campaigns deep into Nubia.

It is unknown how long the war lasted, but the preparation of such a fleet took several years.

Almost nothing is known about Yahmes's campaign against the Hexos. His goal was to discourage them from claiming the lands of Egypt again. The fighting took place in the Palestinian lands, where the local residents, who had developed their lands, put up strong resistance. If you believe the rock inscriptions, the Sheruhen fortress, located on this territory, fell after 6 years of siege.

Battle of Kadesh

The Hittites (Hatti) settled in the Middle East in 2000 BC. It is unknown whether this was a resettlement or an invasion. The Hittites were located in Anatolia. They had large reserves of iron ore, and they had their own secrets of processing it. In the 14th century BC, the Hittites attacked the Syrian and Palestinian possessions of Egypt and managed to subjugate them.

In 1304 BC, Ramses II became pharaoh of Egypt. The conquests of the Egyptian pharaoh were aimed at returning the former lands of Egypt. In the first year of his reign, he began a war with Hatti to regain the former territories of Egypt. In the Twenty Years' War, the most significant battle was the Battle of Kadesh in 1298 BC. Thanks to his intelligence, it was found out that the Hittite king Muwatallis was heading with an army to Kadesh. The pharaoh decided to take the city even before Muwatallis arrived. Having learned about the plans of the pharaoh, the Hittite king ordered the destruction of the Egyptians as they approached the city. The numerical advantage was on the side of the Hittites, 35 thousand soldiers, against 20 thousand soldiers of Ramses II, but both armies had 2500 chariots. The Egyptian chariots were lighter and, unlike the Hittite ones, pelted the enemy not with spears, but with arrows. The Egyptian army was divided into four parts, which bore the names of the gods: Ptah, Re, Sutekh and Amon. The pharaoh himself stood at the head of the Amun detachment. On his way, he made the mistake of believing two travelers who turned out to be spies for the Hittite king. They provided him with false information that Muwatallis and his army were located 150 kilometers north of Kadesh. Here the pharaoh showed frivolity and decided to immediately take the city without reconnaissance. While crossing the Orontes River, his army “spread” greatly across the territory.

The first on the way of the Hittite army was the detachment of Re, which was almost completely destroyed, but some warriors and two sons of Ramses managed to escape. Ramses gathered a council, at which he began to criticize his military leaders for excessive carelessness, and then, right in the midst of the council, the Hittites burst into the camp of his detachment. It would seem that the Egyptians were taken by surprise and Muwatallis’ army would easily finish off the demoralized Egyptians, however, the pharaoh’s warriors miraculously repelled the enemy’s attack. Ramses ordered an attack on the enemy's flank from the Orontes River. The attack ended in failure, but the pharaoh immediately ordered an attack on the other flank of the Hittites, the enemy began to retreat, the enemy army temporarily lost control, and their reserve actually did not take part in the battle. A battle of more than two thousand chariots broke out under the walls of the city, and then, in the rear of the Hittites, a detachment of Ptah appeared, which forced them to flee from the battlefield.

King Muwatallis built his army under the walls of Kadesh, covering his right flank with the river. An 8,000-strong reserve was stationed in the city. Ramses lined up the army in three lines. The chariots and infantry brought up the rear. In front of the first line were skirmishers, whose task was to inflict damage on the enemy before the battle and then go behind the backs of the main army. The Egyptians began to win, Muwatallis sent his chariots into battle, they managed to achieve local success, but they were unable to develop it. Ramses decided to attack the left wing of the Hittite army, he managed to press them to the river. At this time, the reserve from Kadesh entered the battle, but they failed, and they only ensured the withdrawal of the entire army to the city. The Egyptians won for the second time, however, at the cost of very heavy losses, and decided not to begin the siege. Both sides considered themselves winners. The war lasted another 15 years, and finally, in 1283 BC. The parties agreed, with the intervention of a third party, to help each other.

Battle of Megiddo

Pharaoh Thutmose, who ruled Egypt from 1479 to 1425 BC, conquered the largest amount of land. Of all the conquering pharaohs, he occupies the most prominent place. Of all the military campaigns and battles he carried out, the most important was the Battle of Megiddo, which took place in the second year of his reign.

The side opposing the pharaoh were the armies of the king of Kadesh, Megiddo and the Asian tribes that rebelled against the pharaoh.
Having passed through the Carmel mountain range, the Egyptian army entered the valley, where it took up a convenient position. As a result of several successful military maneuvers of the Egyptian army, the army of the anti-Egyptian coalition was defeated. King Kadesh managed to escape shamefully. Some of the rulers of the tribes participating in the battle first secretly left Megiddo, and then invited the pharaoh to make peace with them. The city of Megiddo fell after a seven-month siege. There was practically no food left in the city.

This battle became the basis for further aggressive campaigns. The conquests of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose were aimed at the subjugation of Asia and all nearby states. Some states that he did not capture, in order to protect themselves from military clashes with his army, paid him tribute (ransom).

Conclusion

All the military campaigns of the Egyptians show us how strong and powerful their army was, which was not mercenary, but permanent. How strong was their military spirit and desire to win. The territories conquered by the pharaohs outside of Egypt were vast. They brought a lot of gold to the Egyptian treasury. In addition to the conquered territories, there were states that paid tribute in order to protect themselves from the invasions of the Egyptian army.

Working with the source “Booty of the first campaign” List of booty delivered by the army: 340 prisoners, 2041 horses, 83 hands, 191 foals, 6 stallions, 1 chariot trimmed with a gold drawbar, 502 bows, 7 tent poles made of mern wood, trimmed with silver, 1929 bulls, 200 goats, sheep. What was the purpose of the pharaohs sending their army to neighboring countries? What do you think is the most valuable thing captured by the Egyptian soldiers? Why?

Egyptian writing The walls of temples, tombs and sarcophagi are covered with mysterious signs - hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs are the ancient writing of the Egyptians. There are more than 700 hieroglyphs in the Egyptian script. One and the same hieroglyph can mean a whole word and a sound (only a consonant sound, hieroglyphs did not convey vowel sounds) and several sounds. At the end of the 18th century, the French scientist Champollion unraveled the mystery of the hieroglyphs, and scientists can now read these inscriptions.

Solve the problem: Thutmose’s army went on a campaign, but mountains blocked its path. The nobles warned: “The path to the fortress is dangerous,” but Thutmose chose the shortest path through the gorge in order to suddenly attack the enemies. The Egyptian army quickly passed through the gorge and fought with the enemy near the fortress. Pharaoh raced ahead in a chariot that sparkled gold in the sun. The opponents could not withstand the onslaught and fled to the city. It was necessary to pursue them until the gates closed. But the Egyptians rushed to plunder the empty camp, time was lost - the gates of the fortress slammed shut. Only seven months later they took the fortress of Megiddo and returned to Egypt with huge booty. What conclusions can be drawn?

1. Units of foot soldiers. The rulers of Egypt sought to strengthen their power, expand their possessions and increase their wealth. In order to carry out conquests, they needed a standing army - large and well trained. The scribes kept strict records of the population, and every tenth young man was taken into the army for many years.

From them, detachments of warriors were formed who skillfully wielded one or another type of weapon. Some were armed with bows, others with spears, battle axes or daggers. Spearheads, hatchets and daggers were made of bronze. - an alloy of copper and tin. Bron-

Because they were harder than copper, bronze weapons gave warriors an advantage over those who had weapons made of copper and stone. But still, bronze is not a very hard metal. Care had to be taken to ensure that the dagger did not bend when struck - it was made short and massive.

The infantrymen defended themselves with small light shields covered with the skins of spotted cows or wild animals - leopard, lynx, hyena. Sometimes metal plaques were sewn onto the shields. Enemy fortresses were stormed, placing long ladders against the walls.

2. War chariots. In the middle of the second millennium BC. e. The Egyptians began to use war chariots drawn by horses. The chariot had two spoked wheels. On the axle between the wheels there was a platform where two people stood - a driver, driving

He rode horses and was a charioteer who shot with a bow. The platform was attached to a long stick - a drawbar, behind which two horses pulled the chariot. The entire chariot, including the wheels and spokes, was made of durable wood. Leather-covered sides were made on the platform to protect the legs of both warriors. The chariot was decorated with metal plaques, and colorful ostrich feathers fluttered on the heads of the horses.

Troops on chariots could travel long distances and suddenly attack the enemy.

Major battles usually went like this: when scouts reported the approach of the enemy, the Egyptian army prepared for battle. Archers came forward, showering the enemy with arrows from afar. Then the chariots raced, causing confusion in the ranks of the enemies. Then infantrymen armed with spears and hatchets entered the battle. The enemy, put to flight, was pursued in chariots.

The chariot was very expensive. Therefore, only noble Egyptians could become charioteers. The war was a way for them to enrich themselves even more.

3. The army returns with booty. The pharaohs sent their troops to the south, west, and northeast. South of Egypt was the country of Nubia. It was famous for its gold mines. To the west of Egypt lived tribes of Libyans who owned large herds of cows, goats, and sheep. In the northeast, in Asia, very close to Egypt, was the Sinai Peninsula. It was rich in copper ore deposits. Further to the north were the countries of Palestine, Syria, and Phenicia.

The wealth of neighboring countries has long attracted the pharaohs. When did they have a well-trained and armed army with

light war chariots, they began to make trips there almost every year. The troops returned with booty to the capital of Egypt, which was then the city of Thebes. They drove livestock, brought valuable timber, gold, silver, woolen fabrics, vessels, and jewelry.

The largest conquests were made around 1500 BC. e. Pharaoh Thutmbs. Under him, the Egyptians captured Nubia. The campaigns in Asia were also successful - the border of the Egyptian kingdom was pushed back to the Euphrates River. Only a few centuries later the conquered peoples were able to free themselves from the power of the pharaohs.

4. Prisoners are enslaved. Egyptian warriors drove crowds of people from conquered countries. The winner had the right to kill the loser. If he spared the prisoner, then he became the master of his life and death. Captives could be turned into slaves, branded like cattle, and sold.

At the celebrations in honor of the victory, the people rejoiced, seeing the indestructible power of their

Pharaoh's army on the march. A drawing of our time.

lords. The pharaoh divided the spoils and gave captives to the commanders and charioteers who distinguished themselves in battle. Many thousands of foreigners had to work the land, enriching the pharaoh and the nobles.

5. The ordinary warrior suffered only the hardships of camp life. The Egyptians described his fate this way: he wanders through the mountains and...

Pharaoh Thutmose's campaign against the city of Megiddo

Thutmose's army set out on a campaign, but mountains blocked its path. The nobles warned: “You can get to the fortress through the gorge, but this path is too dangerous. It’s better to take a detour.” But Thutmose said: “I choose the shortest path to suddenly attack the enemies.” The Egyptian army quickly passed through the gorge and fought with the enemy on the field near the fortress. Pharaoh raced ahead in a chariot that sparkled gold in the sun. The opponents could not withstand the onslaught and fled to the city. It was necessary to pursue them until the gates closed behind the retreating ones. But the Egyptians only thought about plundering the enemy camp. Time was lost - the gates of the fortress slammed shut. Only after seven months of siege, the pharaoh's troops captured Megiddo and returned to Egypt with huge booty.

(From the ancient Egyptian chronicle)

His Majesty is like a god in strength. He is as beautiful as the sun. He has no equal in archery. Like a falcon, he destroys enemies tirelessly. On a brilliant chariot, he alone crushed hundreds of thousands of warriors. He strikes fear with his menacing roar into the hearts of the peoples of all countries.

cold; like a donkey, carrying supplies of drink and stale cakes on its back; endures hunger and thirst; like cattle, it eats grass and drinks rotten water. In battles he receives wounds and beatings from his commanders. He serves away from his wife and children and returns home sick. His family is in poverty without a breadwinner: the fields are empty, the crops are trampled by hippopotamuses and destroyed by birds.

Pharaohs often did not trust Egyptian warriors. For their protection, they preferred hired troops from foreigners. The mercenaries, who received pay from the treasury, seemed to the pharaoh to be a more reliable support in the event of a conspiracy among the nobles or the indignation of ordinary Egyptians.

Explain the meaning of the words: bronze, infantryman, war chariot, drawbar, driver, charioteer, javelin, mercenary army.

Test yourself. 1. What weapons did the Egyptian warriors use?

2. How were chariots constructed? What role did they play in the battles?

3. For what purposes did the pharaohs maintain a large army? 4. How did the Egyptians describe the fate of a simple warrior on a campaign? 5. Were the results of military victories the same for the pharaoh, commanders and ordinary soldiers? Work with the map (see p. 47). Find the territory of the Egyptian kingdom under Pharaoh Thutmose and neighboring countries.

FOOT WARRIORS. The larger the state became, the richer Egypt became, the more and more power was concentrated in the hands of the pharaoh, the more and more trained the pharaoh needed. And as you know, the rulers of states are often insatiable. That is why the pharaoh needed a permanent large and well-trained army. Egypt was a state with strict regard for everything. In Egypt there were no problems with the population census, everything was taken into account: every tenth young man joined the army and went there for many years. The young men were divided into squads, and in each squad they mastered one type of weapon. Some had bows and arrows; others have spears; battle axes; daggers. The spearheads, hatchets and daggers were bronze. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin, which gives great hardness. And to strengthen it (hardness), the daggers were made short and massive (so that they would not bend upon impact). The dagger was a short weapon and, in order to protect himself from the enemy’s spear in hand-to-hand combat, the infantryman had, in addition to the dagger, a small light shield.
The pharaohs were proud of their military victories, and therefore the tombs often depicted columns of foot soldiers setting out on a campaign, walking toe to toe.
WAR CHARIOTS. In the middle of the second millennium BC, new units appeared in the Egyptian army - war chariots. The chariot was small and light. It was made from strong wood. On two wheels there is a small platform designed for two people - a driver and an archer. From the platform there was a drawbar - a long stick, behind which two horses pulled the chariot. The chariot was an expensive weapon, and therefore only rich Egyptians could be charioteers. The chariot was decorated with various plaques, and the heads of the horses were decorated with multi-colored ostrich feathers. One can imagine what a stunning effect the chariots produced, bursting into the enemy’s formation with lightning speed.
In major battles, archers began - showering the enemy with arrows from afar, then war chariots burst into the enemy ranks with lightning speed, disrupting the formation and order of their ranks. And then came the infantrymen, armed with spears and hatchets.
The fleeing enemy was caught up and finished off (or captured) in chariots.
Squads of war chariots could quickly cover vast spaces and suddenly attack an unsuspecting enemy.
SPOO OF WAR. Ancient Egypt was a large and strong state. None of the neighboring ones could equal it in size. And of course, the temptation to conquer or rob neighbors was great. South of Egypt along the Nile from the first to the third cataract stretched the state of Nubia, famous for its gold mines. To the west of Egypt lived pastoral tribes of Libyans. In the northeast, very close by was the Sinai Peninsula, rich in copper deposits. And even further north - Palestine, Syria, Phenicia.
When light war chariots appeared in the army of the pharaohs, the Egyptian army began to make annual raids on their neighbors, bringing captured livestock and captives and bringing valuable timber, gold, silver, precious stones and much more.
THE LARGEST CONQUESTS WAS MADE AROUND 1500 BC BY PHARAOH THUTMOS (emphasis on the last syllable). Under Thutmose, the Egyptians captured Nubia and its gold. And his campaigns in Asia led to the fact that the Sinai Peninsula, and then Palestine, Syria, Phenicia, became part of Egypt; pushing the border of Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River. Only a few centuries later the peoples enslaved by the Egyptians were able to gain freedom.
APPEARANCE OF SLAVES. The successful wars of the Egyptians led to the capture of huge numbers of prisoners. They became slaves - since more and more people were needed to cultivate the lands of the pharaoh and nobles, more and more labor was required for the construction of palaces and tombs of the pharaohs. The pharaoh could mercifully give captives to the commanders and charioteers who distinguished themselves in battle.
More and more foreigners languished in slavery in the Nile River Valley.
THE HARDSHIP OF THE MARKING LIFE OF AN ORDINARY WARRIOR. The pharaoh's rich commanders and charioteers returned from military campaigns with booty and grew rich. The life of an ordinary warrior in such campaigns was difficult. He walked laden like a mull, carrying everything on his hump: supplies of water (how could one live without it in the sands of the desert), and stale cakes... And if he got home alive, then there was devastation there too: without a breadwinner, the land was dying, and the family was starving.
The pharaohs did not trust the Egyptian soldiers, they were afraid of the conspiracies of the nobles and the rebellion of ordinary soldiers. Therefore, they hired mercenary troops for their protection, believing that for a good payment the foreigners would be loyal to them.