(fl. 1196 BC)
Ruler of the throne at the end of Dynasty 19. He claims to have arranged the succession of Siptah after the death of Sety II. Egyptian inscriptions give him the title of chancellor, but a text from Ugarit calls him commander of the king’s guard. He had a tomb (KV13) in the Valley of the Kings. Bay has been identified as a Syrian by modern Egyptologists due to a later ambiguous reference, but there is no firm evidence of his background. He is now known to have been executed in year 5 of Siptah (1189 BC) by order of the king. Since the king was a minor, it is obvious that a rival faction at court, possibly head by Queen Dowager Tewosret, arranged for his demise. Tewosret succeeded to the throne the next year after the death of the king, so she was the ultimate beneficiary of Bay’s execution. He was presumably never buried in his valley tomb.
See also Sethnakhte.
Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier
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Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Rosalie and Antony E. David
Ancient Egypt. A Reference Guide. EdwART. 2011.