A recent academic study confirms that a historic agreement signed between the Egyptians and the Hittites more than 3,000 years ago marked the earliest known peace treaty in recorded history.
The research, led by Zainab Ali Jasem of the University of Baghdad and published in the Baltic Journal of Law & Politics, details how both ancient powers moved from war to diplomacy following the Battle of Kadesh.
The treaty, signed around 1275 B.C. by Pharaoh Ramesses II and Hittite King Hattušeli III, helped end years of political tension and military conflict. It also introduced formal terms of alliance and cooperation that extended beyond a simple ceasefire.
The agreement came after a long period of hostility, including the pivotal Kadesh battle in modern-day Syria. While both sides claimed victory, historical accounts suggest the Hittite forces had the advantage. Despite the outcome, the study explains that the confrontation pushed both kingdoms to consider peace as a strategic necessity.
An early model for international diplomacy
Jasem’s research shows the treaty was not just about ending conflict. It also laid out diplomatic protocols between the two kingdoms, including mutual military assistance, royal succession support, and the return of political refugees.
The silver tablet bearing the terms was sealed with royal insignias from both sides and served as a model for future state-level agreements.
The issue of refugees was central to the agreement. The Hittites had long demanded the return of the exiled King Urḫi-Tešub, who had taken refuge in Egypt. While Ramesses II denied harboring him, letters between the two courts suggest the matter remained a source of friction.
The treaty ultimately included provisions for handing over fugitives without punishment, a detail the study calls an early example of legal protection for displaced individuals.
How the Egyptians and Hittites built a peace treaty through an alliance
Beyond diplomacy, personal ties strengthened the agreement. Jasem notes that relations between the two kingdoms culminated in the marriage of Hattušeli III’s daughter to Ramesses II. Inscriptions at the Karnak and Abu Simbel temples document the union, and the Hittite princess was given the name Mahur Nafro Ra upon arriving in Egypt.
The treaty remained in effect even after the death of Hattušeli III. Both kingdoms honored its terms until the fall of the Hittite empire around 1200 B.C. The Levant was divided between them, with Egypt taking the south and Hatti the north.
Jasem concludes that the treaty between the Egyptians and the Hittites not only preserved peace but also shaped the legal and political framework of international relations in the ancient world.
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