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In the past, Kadesh was under Egyptian authority, and they aimed to take it back. Egyptian king Ramesses II raised the army of 20,000 and started marching towards Kadesh. Hittites were aware of this and were hiding behind Kadesh with an army of 48,000 (including mercenaries). Through locals Hittites fed the Egyptian army a false information of Hittite delay, making Egyptians lax in their approach of the city. This gave Hittites the element of surprise, when night fell they attacked Egyptians who rested in front of the city and cut off pharaoh's division from rest of his army.

Egyptians would've faced defeat if not for the rough terrain which slowed down Hittite chariots. Egyptian took the chance and called the reinforcements, which came from two directions. This confused the Hittite army which was full of unruly mercenaries, and forced them to tactically withdraw. At dawn, armies clashed again but were evenly matched now, and Muwatalli suggested peace to pharaoh. Remesses II denied the peace terms but pulled his army from Kadesh and marched back to Egyptian homeland, with prisoners of war and tales of valor. Battle was left with no real victor, Hittite army was outmatched by smaller Egyptian army but Kadesh still lay in Hittite hands.