Pharaoh by Bolesław Prus. Short summary

5 seconds

After 33 years of reign, Ramses 12 declares his son heir. The young man blames the Egyptian priests for the country’s troubles; he wants to make them his loyal subjects and seize their wealth.

1 minute

For 33 years, Ramses 12 reigned on the throne of Pharaoh. He declared his son, also named Ramses, as his heir. The young man was very handsome, by then 22 years old. When the young man received the title, he would stand at the head of the Menfee Corps.

The acting pharaoh wants the offspring to perform well at the upcoming maneuvers, as a result of which he will be able to command one of the units of the great army. During the maneuvers everyone admires the future ruler’s abilities.

The young man believes that the Egyptian priests are the cause of the negative changes in his antiquity. Because of them, the army collapses and the previously enslaved people become insolent. Ramses wants to make the greedy priests his loyal subjects and take possession of their property.

His father does not give his son the corps, for he is spoken of by ill-wishers. The young man knows that the priests, led by Kherikhor, have done this. Soon Ramses becomes governor of Lower Egypt, trying to bring order to the treasury there, but he does not succeed.