The Battle of Kadesh (1275 BCE)

In 1275 BCE – ‘in the fifth year of his reign’ (http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/78/) – Ramesses II ‘marched from Egypt toward Syria to secure the border City of Kadesh (from the rule of Hittite empire), a valuable stop on the trade routes of the day’ (ibid), leading his ‘force of around 20,000’ (http://www.allaboutturkey.com/kades.htm) divided in four divisions. It is said that the detail of the battle can be vividly pictured since enough documents were written by the both sides, including various reports, bulletins and even a poem by the Pharaoh himself. According to these accounts, it seems that the battle roughly went like the following way:

‘Ramesses, completely confident of victory, marched his first division in such haste that he soon outdistanced the other three. Nearing Kadesh, two bedouins were taken prisoner and interrogated as to the whereabouts of Muwatalli(sh, the Hittite king,) and his army, answering that the army was nowhere near Kadesh and that Muwatalli(sh) feared the might of Egypt and the young Pharaoh. The bedouins were actually spies, however, planted by the Hittites, and Muwatalli(sh) had already fortified Kadesh and his chariots (3,500 of them) and infantry (37,000 men) were waiting just over the next hill… (Then) Ramesses captured some other spies who revealed the unpleasant truth of his situation but the intelligence came too late. In his zeal to capture Kadesh and conquer the Hittite king, Ramesses had cut himself off from the rest of his army. He hastily sent messengers to the other three divisions just before the Hittite chariots crashed into his camp… ‘(http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/78/) 

‘Ramesses… sped in haste, with his small personal guard, to strategic hill near the marauding Hittites, erecting a fort and valiantly fending off his enemies, despite overwhelming numbers. Relief was at hand, when the second army that had travelled by boat, arrived and fought of the now disorganized Hittite forces. The enemy withdrew and took to Kadesh’ (http://www.allaboutturkey.com/kades.htm). 

Finally, Ramesses lead the remains of his divisions all together, which featured ‘the faster and more agile two-man… chariot(s) as compared with the three-man, heavier, Hittite vehicle(s)’ (http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/78/)and drove ‘the Hittite forces back to the Orontes river where many drowned’ (ibid).

Ramesses II

Full text is available:  http://wrex2009.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/the-battle-and-the-treaty-of-kadesh/