Isetnofret

Isetnofret (or Isis-nofret or Isitnofret) (Ancient Egyptian: "the beautiful/good Isis" or "Isis is beautiful/good") was one of the Great Royal Wives of Pharaoh Ramesses II and was the mother of his successor, Merneptah. She may have become, around the same time as Nefertari, one of the many wives of Ramesses II before he was crown prince (In the first year of his tenure as crown prince, Ramesses II was granted an entire harem by his father, Seti I). All evidence confirming Isetnofret's title of Chief Queen comes from after her death, suggesting that she was likely posthumously granted the title, around the 30th to 33rd/34th year of Ramesses II's reign.

==Family== The parents of Isetnofret are not known. There is substantial evidence suggesting that she had blood relationship with Pharaoh Horemheb. She is believed to have originated from Memphis and may have been closely related to Tanedjemet, the wife of Seti I and daughter of Horemheb. A block from Horemheb's tomb at Saqqara depicts an "Isetnofret" dressed as a princess. In Saqqara, this "Isetnofret" also appears on a block belonging to a male officer, bearing the title "Mistress of the House." She may have been a daughter born to Horemheb before he became pharaoh, who later married the officer and gave birth to the Isetnofret who eventually married Ramesses II. She must have married Ramesses II even before he came to the throne as her three children were born during the reign of Seti I. She had at least three sons and one daughter. Her children include: Prince Ramesses, Crown Prince from the death of Amunherkhepeshef(the specifics remain disputed) to Year 52 of Ramesses II Princess-Queen Bintanath, firstborn daughter and later wife of Ramesses Prince Khaemwaset, High Priest of Ptah. Crown Prince from Year 53 to 55 of Ramesses II Pharaoh Merneptah, Ramesses' 13th son and ultimate successor (he outlived the first 12 princes) Princess Isetnofret (?), possible wife of Merenptah as Isetnofret II, However, although this view has been proposed, the theory has been refuted by other scholars. Merneptah's wives never held the titles of "King's Daughter" or "King's Sister," and his age makes it impossible for him to have married his older sisters. When Merneptah was young, he was not considered the heir to the throne, and princesses would only marry the pharaoh himself or the crown prince.