Who was the father of pharaoh Siptah?

The article is devoted to the question of parentage of the last male Pharaoh of XIX dynasty Siptah and his relationship to the Ramesside dynasty. The author examines three of his predecessors - Merenptah, Sethos II and Amenmessu, each of whom is usually regarded in historiography as Siptah's father. According to the author, there are no facts proving that Sethos II was the father of Siptah. On the contrary, the text on the ostracon CGC 25515 from workmen' village in Deir el-Medina, which mention about construction of Sethos II' royal tomb in Valley of the Kings and his death in his 6^th regnal year, designates his successor on the throne Siptah not as the king's son but by very strange epithet "other". The author thinks that this fact can point out the absence of direct parentage between Sethos II and Siptah. Besides the author came to conclusion that Amenmessu could not be the father of Siptah because of the lack of any evidence too. The one argument that is usually used to prove their direct parentage, is the naos from British museum that is lost now. However, his shows that Horus name reproduction contains the inscription which mention the Horus name of Siptah as -||e. It is usually translated as "appearing in (the city) Khemmis". As it is widely accepted, this epithet can supposedly prove the direct parentage between Siptah and Amenmessu because the last bore the epithet «one whom (the goddesses) Isis nursed in (the city) Khemmis». The mention of one and the same place-name in epithets of both the Pharaohs can supposedly point out the direct parentage between the above-mentioned kings. But the author could not be translated as "appearing in (the city) Khemmis", but only as "appearing as the king of Lower Egypt". That is why the epithet of Siptah has nothing to do this the one of Amenmessu, and there are no other arguments to prove their direct parentage. In author's opinion, only Merenptah could pretend to this role. This opinion can be proved by the fact of changing Siptah's throne name from "Ramses-Siptah" on "Merenptah-Siptah" at the beginning of his reign. As it is suggested by many scholars, the mother of Siptah was the Asiatic concubine, and he had no legal rights to ascend the throne. The Great Chancellor Bay, one of the main political figures of end of the XIX Dynasty, mentioned that the accession of Siptah was accompanied by some struggles, and Bay must establish the young king on the throne of his father. One can suggest that Siptah could change his name to prove his legitimacy by reference of the origin from Merenptah.

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