Quick Facts
Biography
Tiye was an Ancient Egyptian queen of the twentieth dynasty; a secondary wife of Ramesses III, against whom she instigated a conspiracy.
Tiye is known from the Judicial Papyrus of Turin, which recorded that there was a harem conspiracy against Ramesses, in which several people in high positions in the pharaoh's government were involved. The conspirators wanted to kill the king and place Tiye's son Pentawer on the throne, instead of the appointed heir, Ramesses IV who was the son of one of the king's two chief wives, Tyti. The conspirators were caught, brought to trial, and several of them, including Pentawer, were forced to commit suicide. It is not known what happened to Tiye. It is also unknown whether Ramesses III fell victim to the conspiracy or died of other causes, although in 2011 it was determined that his throat had been slit, but his successor was his appointed heir, Ramesses IV.