The Decisive Battles of World History

x Following the retreating remnants of the Ra division, the Hittite

chariots charged the Ammon camp, overrunning the shield wall

formed to defend the camp. The charge took them into the midst

of a maze of tents and wagons, piles of supplies, and military gear.

x The chaos bought Ramesses vital time to arm and organize himself

and gather the chariots of the Ammon division, supplemented by the

surviving Ra chariots. He then led the assembled Egyptian chariots

in a counterattack against the now distracted and disorganized

Hittite chariots.

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entourage of chariots into the fray. Their effect was negated by the

timely and long-awaited arrival of the Egyptian reinforcements.

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accompanied by advance units of the third Egyptian division.

Assaulted from a new direction by the Ne’arin, the Hittites broke

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x The arrival of the main body of the P’tah division late in the day and

the reorganization of the surviving Ammon and Ra units further tilted

the balance in Ramesses’s favor and effectively ended the battle.

x Although the vast majority of his army, including all the infantry,

had not been engaged, Muwatalli withdrew within the walls of

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from the jaws of defeat.

x The day after the battle, Ramesses signed a truce with Muwatalli

and returned with his army to Egypt. The Hittites retained control

of Kadesh.

Who Won the Battle of Kadesh?
x In a narrow tactical sense, Ramesses can be considered the victor
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the campaign because they accomplished the main goal of the war:
possession of the city of Kadesh.