CRITICAL READING OF HISTORICAL SOURCES

 Who won the Battle of Kadesh?

Dr. İbrahim Hakkı ÖZTÜRK*

hat we see” in history depends on “the perspective we look from”. Innovative history education should enable students evaluate historical events from different points of view. This is not only "W important for a better history education but also for the development of critical thinking and respect for different points of view and different ideas among students. In history classes, studying sources including different points of view to any historical event is an indispensible opportunity to develop students’ thinking abilities. These types of activities extend students’ comprehension and enable their intellectual skepticism to develop. In this activity students will analyze the sources of Battle of Kadesh from both sides and understand the shortcomings of “believing one without listening to the other”. The activity aims at comparing primary historical documents reflecting the perspectives of two sides of the battle and enabling students to write a text about a historical event based on these documents.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

QQ All students: will reach the information of main events and facts about the Battle of Kadesh from primary sources.

QQ Most students: will question the reliability of claims about the Battle of Kadesh written in different sources.

QQ Some students: will evaluate opinions related to different points of view about the Battle of Kadesh.

Grade: 9 Preparation Time: 80 minutes. Make copies of worksheets for each group.

Key Question: Who won the Battle of Kadesh?

The Aim of the Lesson: To be able to analyse critically the sources of Battle of Kadesh from different perspectives.

Curricular links: Students explain the political, cultural, social and economic structure of early civilizations in Anatolia. * Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University , Çanakkale 60 LESSON PLAN Critical Reading of Historical Sources

and answeroneofthesequestions. Ask yourstudentstocome upwiththreequestionsaboutwhattheyhavelearned inthisclass, Evaluation: STARTER 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Divide yourstudentsintogroupsof5-6. worksheets andthedocumentspreviouslystudied. and whowonthebattleinendbyusingdocumentsthese and writeahistoricaltextabouthowtheBattleofKadeshtookplace Hand outtheWorksheets-5and6.Askstudentstoworkingroups different fromthathistorian’spointofview. there mightbeotherperspectivesabouttheresultofKadeshBattle from aresearchpaperandanswerthequestions.Thendiscussif Hand outtheWorksheet-4.Askstudentstoreadtexttaken winner ofthebattlehavechangedornot. Egyptian andHittitesourcesiftheirpreviousopinionsaboutthe and answerthequestions.Thendiscussdifferencesbetween Hand out the Worksheet-3. Ask students to study Hittite texts who wonthebattleaccordingtoEgyptiansources visuals ontheworksheetandanswerquestions.Thendiscuss Hand outtheWorksheet-2.Askstudentstostudytextand Information Note. to the students by using the information and the map on The Explain the political and diplomatic context of the Kadesh Battle the questions. Hand outtheWorksheet-1tostudentsandaskthemanswer 7 min. 8 min. 5 min. 25 min. 15 min. 20 min. time LETTER FROMTHEJOURNALOF“THEVOICEPAST” as possible and necessary inferences should be made. be should inferences necessary and possible as with each other. These sources should be evaluated as objectively objectively as evaluated be should sources These other. each with sources that reflect all parties’ viewpoints and to compare them them compare to and viewpoints parties’ all reflect that sources may cause misleading results. Therefore, it is necessary to use use to necessary is it Therefore, results. misleading cause may took place. Using sources that belongs to only one side of the war war the of side one only to belongs that sources Using place. took primary sources written in those times when the historical event event historical the when times those in written sources primary written for our journal. The research is required to be based on on based be to required is research The journal. our for written research. It is necessary to follow these rules for the articles articles the for rules these follow to necessary is It research. As you know there are certain rules to be followed in historical historical in followed be to rules certain are there know you As to publish an article on the Battle of Kadesh in this special issue. special this in Kadesh of Battle the on article an publish to Hittite history and the world history in general. We are planning planning are We general. in history world the and history Hittite signed as a result of this battle have a great importance for both both for importance great a have battle this of result a as signed a well-known fact that the Battle of Kadesh and the Kadesh Treaty Treaty Kadesh the and Kadesh of Battle the that fact well-known a issue as a professional historian specialized in ancient ages. It is is It ages. ancient in specialized historian professional a as issue issue about Hittites. We kindly request you to contribute to this this to contribute to you request kindly We Hittites. about issue As “The Voice of the Past” we are planning to publish a special special a publish to planning are we Past” the of Voice “The As Dear… 2. 1. research accordingtothe letter? What aretherulesthatmust befollowedinhistorical What doestheletteraskyoutodo? 61 1 WORKSHEET Critical Reading of Historical Sources 62 THE INFORMATION NOTE Critical Reading of Historical Sources INFORMATION NOTE  years) in Egypt. Muwattali II reigned the Kingdom of Hittite from 1295 B.C. to 1272 B.C. B.C. 1272 to B.C. 1295 from Hittite of Kingdom the reigned II Muwattali Egypt. in years) Ramesses II also known as Ramesses the Great reigned between 1279 B.C. – 1213 B.C (for 66 66 (for B.C 1213 – B.C. 1279 between reigned Great the Ramesses as known also II Ramesses and Hittites after the war in 1269 B.C. is the first written international treaty known in history. history. in known treaty international written first the is B.C. 1269 in war the after Hittites and near the City of Kadesh. The war which is called the Battle of Kadesh is one of the well-known well-known the of one is Kadesh of Battle the called is which war The Kadesh. of City the near written records in detail especially in Egyptian sources. The treaty signed between Egyptians Egyptians between signed treaty The sources. Egyptian in especially detail in records written In 1274 B.C. Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II and Hittite King Muwattali II confronted each other other each confronted II Muwattali King Hittite and II Ramesses Pharaoh Egyptian B.C. 1274 In wars of the ancient times. This is because the war was pictured on the walls and described in in described and walls the on pictured was war the because is This times. ancient the of wars century B.C. this city changed hands several times between Egyptians and Hittites. Hittites. and Egyptians between times several hands changed city this B.C. century located was called Kingdom of Amurru named after Amurru people living there. During the 13th 13th the During there. living people Amurru after named Amurru of Kingdom called was located B.C. for the annexation of the land of Syria today. This territory was particularly important for the the for important particularly was territory This today. Syria of land the of annexation the for B.C. is in the west of Syria, by the Orontes River. In those times the area where the City of Kadesh was was Kadesh of City the where area the times those In River. Orontes the by Syria, of west the in is Q control of trade routes. The City of Kadesh was strategically significant for this reason. Kadesh Kadesh reason. this for significant strategically was Kadesh of City The routes. trade of control Q HITTITE –EGYPTIANCONFLICT Anatolia and Egyptian Kingdom which was another powerful state in the mid-13th century century mid-13th the in state powerful another was which Kingdom Egyptian and Anatolia There was a violent struggle going on between Hittites who established a powerful state in in state powerful a established who Hittites between on going struggle violent a was There and was not prepared for the fight. There King's warriors and chariots gave way before them. The The them. before way gave chariots and warriors King's There fight. the for prepared not was and ** * And Kadesh. as far as arrived He chariots. his and people his armed had II) (Ramesses King The Q King had placed himself to the north of the town of Kadesh, on the west side of the river Arunatha. Arunatha. river the of side west the on Kadesh, of town the of north the to himself placed had King when the King approached the city, the miserable King of the hostile Hittites had arrived. He had had He arrived. had Hittites hostile the of King miserable the city, the approached King the when Then they came to tell the King the attack of the Hittites. the of attack the King the tell to came they Then assembled with him all the peoples. Their number was endless; nothing like it had ever been been ever had it like nothing endless; was number Their peoples. the all him with assembled Then the King (Ramesses II) arose like his father Monthu. He seized his weapons and put on his his on put and weapons his seized He Monthu. father his like arose II) (Ramesses King the Then before. before. armor. The King had quickened his course; he rushed into the middle of the hostile hosts of Hatti. Hatti. of hosts hostile the of middle the into rushed he course; his quickened had King The armor. They (Hittites) stood in ambush northwest of the town of Kadesh. Then they went out from Kadesh, Kadesh, from out went they Then Kadesh. of town the of northwest ambush in stood (Hittites) They All alone, no other was with him. When Pharaoh had done this, he looked behind him. He was was He him. behind looked he this, done had Pharaoh When him. with was other no alone, All on the side of the south, and threw themselves into the midst of the legion of Ra of legion the of midst the into themselves threw and south, the of side the on surrounded by two thousand five hundred pairs of horses. His retreat was beset by the bravest bravest the by beset was retreat His horses. of pairs hundred five thousand two by surrounded heroes of the miserable King of the people of Hatti. Hatti. of people the of King miserable the of heroes (The King says): says): King (The “Not one of my princes, not one of my captains of the chariot, not one of my chief men, not one of of one not men, chief my of one not chariot, the of captains my of one not princes, my of one “Not my knights was there. My warriors and my chariots had abandoned me. Not one of them was there there was them of one Not me. abandoned had chariots my and warriors My there. was knights my to take part in the battle. I had met two thousand five hundred pairs of horses. I was in the midst midst the in was I horses. of pairs hundred five thousand two met had I battle. the in part take to of the charioteers, but they were dashed in pieces before my horses. Not one of them raised his his raised them of one Not horses. my before pieces in dashed were they but charioteers, the of hand to fight. Their courage was sunken in their breasts, their limbs gave way, they could not hurl hurl not could they way, gave limbs their breasts, their in sunken was courage Their fight. to hand the dart, nor had they the courage to thrust with the spear. I made them fall into the waters just just waters the into fall them made I spear. the with thrust to courage the they had nor dart, the as the crocodiles fall in. They tumbled down on their faces one after another. I killed them at my my at them killed I another. after one faces their on down tumbled They in. fall crocodiles the as pleasure, so that not one looked back behind him, nor did another turn around. I killed them; no no them; killed I around. turn another did nor him, behind back looked one not that so pleasure, one escaped me." me." escaped one When the earth was again light in the morning [Savaşın ikinci gününde], the King arranged the the arranged King the gününde], ikinci [Savaşın morning the in light again was earth the When hosts of his warriors for the fight. He stood there prepared for the battle, like a bull which has has which bull a like battle, the for prepared there stood He fight. the for warriors his of hosts whetted his horns. The King had power over the enemies and slew them without their being able able being their without them slew and enemies the over power had King The horns. his whetted to escape. As bodies tumbled before his horses, so they lay there stretched out altogether in their their in altogether out stretched there lay they so horses, his before tumbled bodies As escape. to blood. Then the King of the hostile people of Hatti sent a messenger to pray piteously to the great name name great the to piteously pray to messenger a sent Hatti of people hostile the of King the Then of the King (Ramesses II), speaking thus: “Better is peace than war. Give us freedom.” freedom.” us Give war. than peace is “Better thus: speaking II), (Ramesses King the of The King assembled all the leaders of the army and they were permitted to hear the contents contents the hear to permitted were they and army the of leaders the all assembled King The of the message which the King of Hatti had sent to him. When they had heard these words, they they words, these heard had they When him. to sent had Hatti of King the which message the of answered to the King: "Excellent, excellent is that!” is excellent "Excellent, King: the to answered Then the King went in peace to the land of Egypt with his princes, with his army, and his charioteers, charioteers, his and army, his with princes, his with Egypt of land the to peace in went King the Then in serene humour, in the sight of his people. All countries feared the power of the King, as of the the of as King, the of power the feared countries All people. his of sight the in humour, serene in lord of both the worlds. the both of lord

Q Source 1:AnextractfromthePoemofPentaour army ofPtah.WhentheHittite attackstartedthesefourarmieswere situatedfarfromeach other. Egyptian army consisted of four large troops: thearmy of Ra,thearmyAmun, of Set andthe The textbelowisabridgedandadaptedfromthispoem. written ordictatedbyRamesses II, takesplace in mostofthetemples andmonumentsbuiltinthatperiod. This textistakenfromanAncientEgyptiansourceknownas PoemofPentaour.ThePentaour, Source: C. F.Horne(1917) survey and descriptions and survey THE BATTLE OFKADESHACCORDINGTOEGYPTIANS The sacred books and early literature of the East; with an historical historical an with East; the of literature early and books sacred The , volume:2.New York:Parke.(Availableathttp://www.archive.org) * ** , which gave way, way, gave which , 63 2 WORKSHEET Critical Reading of Historical Sources 64 2 WORKSHEET Critical Reading of Historical Sources THE BATTLE OFKADESHACCORDINGTOEGYPTIANS 2. 1. 3. Are • What • Draw aportraitofRamessesaccordingtothesources: battle. According toSource1howdidtheBattleofKadesh progress?Writetheimportantstepsof Ramesses • According to these sourceswhowonthe battle? Q Q opinion? Discusswhatthese picturesaretryingtotellbasedontheadjectivesyou chose. corresponding tothefiveadjectives (qualities)youchoseforRamesses. Ramesses hadthesepaintings done? Q Q Source 2 Source 3 the are things the II painted five explained adjectives the pictures in (qualities) the texts and that wrote in accord describe the texts with Ramesses in the these pictures? II documents. in source Try to 2 and Why find 3 do expressions best you in think your Ì Ì there areextractsfromtwoHittitesourcesandareliefexplainingTheBattleofKadesh. Hittite sources.Howeverinsourcesthereisasmallamountofinformationaboutthebattle.Below Note: Q historical this in region, the of [name Amurru of people the king, became (…) Muwattalli When Q (This text is taken from a letter of Hattusili, the brother of Muwattalli) Because my brother brother my Because Muwattalli) of brother the Hattusili, of letter a from taken is text (This period, including city of Kadesh] broke faith with him, and had this to say to him: “From free free “From him: to say to this had and him, with faith broke Kadesh] of city including period, Muwattalli campaigned against the king of Egypt and the king of Amurru, when he defeated the the defeated he when Amurru, of king the and Egypt of king the against campaigned Muwattalli individuals we have become vassals. But now we are your vassals no longer!” And they entered entered they And longer!” no vassals your are we now But vassals. become have we individuals kings of Egypt and Amurru, he went back to Aba. When Muwattalli, my brother defeated Aba, he … … he Aba, defeated brother my Muwattalli, When Aba. to back went he Amurru, and Egypt of kings into the following of the king of Egypt. Thereupon Muwattalli (…) and the King of Egypt did battle battle did Egypt of King the and (…) Muwattalli Thereupon Egypt. of king the of following the into went back to Hatti (…). Hatti to back went with each other over the people of Amurru. Muwattalli defeated the king of Egypt and destroyed destroyed and Egypt of king the defeated Muwattalli Amurru. of people the over other each with the Land of Amurru with his weapons and subjugated it. subjugated and weapons his with Amurru of Land the Q Q Q Unlike theancientEgyptiansources,thereisnodetaileddescriptionofKadeshBattleinextant Source 2 Source 1 Q Source 3 3. 2. 1. sources andwrite yourowncomment. How doyouthinktheBattle ofKadeshended?EvaluateEgyptianandHittite Which ofthesetwosources ismorereliablethantheother?Why? Egyptian sources?Ifsowhat isit? Is thereacontradictionbetween theinformationgiveninHittitesources and THE BATTLE OFKADESHACCORDINGTOHITTITES Source: Trevor BRYCE, The Kingdom of The Hittites, The of Kingdom The 2005. 65 3 WORKSHEET Critical Reading of Historical Sources 66 4 WORKSHEET Critical Reading of Historical Sources THE BATTLE OFKADESHACCORDINGTOAHISTORIAN Both sides claimed victory. The Egyptian records clearly depict the battle as an overwhelming overwhelming an as battle the depict clearly records Egyptian The victory. claimed sides Both Q triumph for the pharaoh. On the other hand our Hittite records, while they contain no no contain they while records, Hittite our hand other the On pharaoh. the for triumph surviving account of the battle itself, represent the outcome as a victory for Muwattalli. The The Muwattalli. for victory a as outcome the represent itself, battle the of account surviving likelihood is that after a desperate rally from Ramses and the forces immediately at his his at immediately forces the and Ramses from rally desperate a after that is likelihood disposal, the Egyptian army was saved at the eleventh hour from a devastating defeat, and and defeat, devastating a from hour eleventh the at saved was army Egyptian the disposal, the battle itself ended in a stalemate; both side sustained heavy losses and neither emerged emerged neither and losses heavy sustained side both stalemate; a in ended itself battle the as the decisive victor. victor. decisive the as In the longer term, however, Muwattalli was the ultimate victor. After fending off the Hittites Hittites the off fending After victor. ultimate the was Muwattalli however, term, longer the In onslaught, Ramesses promptly withdrew his forces far to the south. Not only had he failed failed he had only Not south. the to far forces his withdrew promptly Ramesses onslaught, to regain for Egypt Hittite subject territories north to Kadesh, but his retreating forces were were forces retreating his but Kadesh, to north territories subject Hittite Egypt for regain to pursued by Muwattalli into Egyptian-held territory, as far south as the Land of Aba (region (region Aba of Land the as south far as territory, Egyptian-held into Muwattalli by pursued of Damascus). (…) For Muwattalli, the most important sequel to the battle of Kadesh was his his was Kadesh of battle the to sequel important most the Muwattalli, For (…) Damascus). of recapture of the kingdom of Amurru. Control of this kingdom was of critical importance to to importance critical of was kingdom this of Control Amurru. of kingdom the of recapture the security of Hittite rule in Syria. in rule Hittite of security the Q Source: WhowontheKadeshBattle? 3. 2. 1. Is thereapossibilityofmakingdifferentinference? Do you agree with the inference of the writer about the result of the battle? ii. i. or justcomments? In youropinion,canthewriter’sinferencesberegardedasexactknowledge of thebattle? Who won the battleaccordingto writer? What are thelong-term results the languageoftext? Can yousaythatthewriteriscertainabouthis/herinferencesbyanalyzing Is thereanydirectevidencethatsupportsthewriter’sinferences? Source: Trevor BRYCE, The Kingdom of The Hittites, The of Kingdom The 2005. Ì Ì 1906, isexposedinIstanbulArchaeologicalMuseum. king RamessesII.Theclaytabletcontainingthetextofthistreaty,thatwasfoundatBoğazköy(Turkey)in after thebattleandtreatywasconcludedbetweenHattusiliIII,followingHittitekingEgyptian and Egyptian empires in1269BC,fiveyears after theBattleof Kadesh. Muvattalli II, theKingofHittites, died Note: Q Tablets containing the text of the Treaty of Kadesh of Treaty the of text the containing Tablets Q The TreatyofKadesh,theearliestpeacetreatyknowninhistory,wasconcludedbetweenHittite Source: AnextractfromthePeaceTreatyofKadesh Source: site ofIstanbulArcheologicalMuseum) http://www.istanbularkeoloji.gov.tr (Official web those will be sent back. sent be will those flee from Egypt to Hatti or from Hatti to Egypt, Egypt, to Hatti from or Hatti to Egypt from flee him and send back to his country. If people people If country. his to back send and him refuge in Egypt, the king of Egypt will catch catch will Egypt of king the Egypt, in refuge help. If a nobleman flees from Hatti and seeks seeks and Hatti from flees nobleman a If help. send their troops and chariots in order to to order in chariots and troops their send ask help from each other, both parties will will parties both other, each from help ask against one of these two countries and if they they if and countries two these of one against If domestic or foreign enemies marches marches enemies foreign or domestic If forever among them. them. among forever to establish a good peace and a good fraternity fraternity good a and peace good a establish to the land of Egypt and the land of Hatti, in order order in Hatti, of land the and Egypt of land the the king of the land of Hatti, his brother, for for brother, his Hatti, of land the of king the land of Egypt, with Hattusili, the Great King, King, Great the Hattusili, with Egypt, of land (Ramesses II) , the Great King, the king of the the of king the King, Great the , II) (Ramesses It is concluded that Reamasesa-Mai-amana Reamasesa-Mai-amana that concluded is It PEACE TREATY OFKADESH 67 5 WORKSHEET Critical Reading of Historical Sources 68 6 WORKSHEET Critical Reading of Historical Sources Q Q You canwriteyourarticleabouttheBattleofKadeshbelow.