The last king of the Sixth Dynasty of Old Kingdom was Pepi II, who reigned for an astonishing ninety-four years—the longest known reign of any monarch in human history. Long reigns by absolute rulers have been known to make a smooth transfer of power to the successor difficult, and Pepi’s reign was perhaps no exception.
At the end of this traumatic period, Egypt was reunited again. The nomarchs (provincial governor in ancient Egypt) of Thebes in Upper Egypt gained control of the country and established the Middle Kingdom.
It was also during the Middle Kingdom that more systematic and detailed bookkeeping emerged. In the Middle Kingdom, the Pharaoh relied on four crucial functions: the Vizierate, the Treasury, the Priesthood and the Military. During the period of the Middle Kingdom (2050-1800 B.C.) the power of the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom waned as priests and nobles gained more independence and influence.
The rulers of the Twelfth Dynasty restored the power of the pharaoh over the whole of Egypt although they could not control the nomarchs. They brought order and peace to Egypt and encouraged trade northward toward Palestine and south toward Ethiopia.
The Middle Kingdom was a golden age of peace, prosperity and advances in the arts and architecture.
The Middle Kingdom lasted until 1780 BC, when during the Thirteenth Dynasty the pharaoh’s control began to weaken. Nobles were again plotting to take power from pharaohs. This time, Egypt also faced a serious threat from outside.
Middle Kingdom Egypt in ancient Egypt (2050–1780 BC)
