Battle of Kadesh (1274 BC)

The Hittites win decisively at Kadesh. Ramesses II is either killed or captured. Could the Hittites have gone on and even conquered Egypt?
 
The Hittites win decisively at Kadesh. Ramesses II is either killed or captured. Could the Hittites have gone on and even conquered Egypt?

No. They would have imposed their domination up to Palestine, more likely but taking Egypt is out of question regarding their numbers, their objectives.

Still, a killed Ramses II would pose certain problems of sucession, and they would have a free hand to take over Amurru, Syria, Phenicia, Palestina under their sphere.
 
With the young Pharoh dead and I suspect without a clear successor at this point Egypt isin for a period of instability. Lets the Hittites dominate Canaan (Palestine) and probably impose a peace treaty favourabke to the Hittites.
 
Dear god, no...

The Hittites would certainly become the hegemonic power in Syria and the Levant, with Egyptian power potentially shrinking all the way back to Sharuhen (near the modern Egyptian - Israeli border). However, the Hittites simply do not have the logistical power at the time to invade and conquer Egypt, which is protected by both natural barriers quite foreign to the Hittites, and a sophisticated fortification system. Additionally, the Hittites may also be plagued by internal troubles in short order (the Hittite court was a viper's nest of intrigue at the time), further hampering their ability to invade Egypt.

Also, Egypt would not simply roll over after a defeat at Kadesh. It would be wounded, of that there's no doubt, but it wouldn't be rendered incapable. It is also far more stable than Hatti at the time, as Ramesses II (despite being young, though not quite as young as people seem to think) had several sons who were both old enough and capable enough to step up in the event of his death at Kadesh.

Whoever ends up ruling Egypt may lead a counteroffensive to limit the Hittite gains. They probably won't be able to do much - the Hittites could extend their border as far south as Sharuhen, as I already mentioned, and the best the Egyptians could probably hope for is pushing them back to the area around Jerusalem/Megiddo. If not, the Egyptians will simply retreat inward and lick their wounds, and possibly emerge a generation or two later with a vengeance when the Hittites may or may not be suffering from growing pains and internal strife.
 
He was roughly 30 years old at the time and his eldest son could at max had 8 years since it is mentioned he was born during the coregency with Seti that did not start before 1282.
 
The Hittites win decisively at Kadesh. Ramesses II is either killed or captured. Could the Hittites have gone on and even conquered Egypt?

It might have been feasible but I don't know that it would have interested them. The big prize was the area around what later became Antioch. That's the way the trade routes ran and was the source of all their cash.
 
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