Amenhotep II (Circa 1426-1400 BC)

Amenhotep II was a pharaoh from the 18th dynasty of Egypt, famous for his legendary athletic ability, but overshadowed by his descendants, like his great-great grandson King Tut.

Amenhotep II was born to Thutmose III and a minor wife of the king: Merytre-Hatshepsut. He married Queen Tiye, who was the mother of the next king, Thutmose IV (circa 1400-1390 BC). He ruled for twenty-six years, during which Egypt was prosperous and mostly at peace.

Amenhotep inherited a vast kingdom from his father Thutmose III, and held it by means of a few military campaigns in Syria; however, he fought much less than his father, and his reign saw the effective cessation of hostilities between Egypt and Mitanni, the major kingdoms vying for power in Syria.

His principal activities as king were to preserve the hegemony over most of Nubia and the Levant that the military campaigns of Thutmose III had established.

Amenhotep’s first campaign was against uprisings in northern Syria, during which he extracted loyalty oaths from other Asiatic princes. Returning from Asia, he forwarded the body of a rebel Asiatic chief to the Nubian capital, where it was hung on the town wall as an example.
Amenhotep II (Circa 1426-1400 BC)

Who is Amenhotep I?

Amenhotep I, also called Amenophis I, king of ancient Egypt (reigned 1514–1493 BC), was a son of Ahmose I and Ahmose-Nefertari, but had at least two elder brothers, Ahmose-ankh and Ahmose Sapair. Ahmose I was the founder of the 18th dynasty (1539–1292 BCE).

However, his elder brothers died before him, thus clearing the way for Amenhotep I ascension to the throne.

Amenhotep I was the second king of the 18th Dynasty to ascend the throne after the death of his father Ahmose I. The name Amenhotep means: “Amun is satisfied”. His throne name was Djeserkare: “Holy is the Soul of Re”.

Amenhotep I probably came to power while he was still young himself, and his mother, Ahmose-Nefertari, appears to have been regent for him for at least a short time.

Amenhotep I effectively extended Egypt’s boundaries in Nubia (modern Sudan). He inherited the kingdom formed by his father's military conquests and maintained dominance over Nubia and the Nile Delta but probably did not attempt to maintain Egyptian power in the Levant.

Because of perhaps a dozen years of peaceful rule during Amenhotep I's reign, his accomplishments included elaborate building work. Amenhotep I repaired and restored many ancient temples along the Nile.

The most important temples built by Amenhotep I was the temple of Amun at Karnak, a temple in Nubia at Sai, as well as structures in Upper Egypt at Elephantine, Kom Ombo, Abydos, and the Temple of Nekhbet.
Who is Amenhotep I?

Hatshepsut (1504 – 1458 BC) - the first female pharaoh to rule Egypt

Hatshepsut had a glorious reign over Egypt and was the first female pharaoh to rule Egypt with the full power of the position. Hatshepsut, the elder daughter of the 18th-dynasty king Thutmose I and his consort Ahmose, was born around 1504 B.C., and when her father died without sons, Hatshepsut married her half-brother, Thutmose II, to help him become pharaoh.

After the death of her husband, Thutmose II, she began acting as regent for her stepson (born to a secondary wife), the infant Thutmose III. When Thutmose III was about eight years old, she took the throne herself and officially became his coruler around 1473 B.C. Hatshepsut also took a new name, Ma’at kare, sometimes translated as Truth (ma’at) is the Soul (ka) of the Sun God (Re). The key word here is ma’at—the ancient Egyptian expression for order and justice as established by the deities.

She sought to reinvent her image, and in statues and paintings of that time, she ordered that she be portrayed as a male pharaoh, with a beard and large muscles.

Upon taking control, at only twenty-two years of age, Hatshepsut followed the example of her 18th dynasty predecessors and solidified her power with a short and successful military campaign to the south against the Kingdom of Kush.

Hatshepsut renewed trade with western Asia to the east, the far-off land of Punt to the south, and the Aegean Islands to the north. The resulting economic prosperity was reflected in the art of the time, which is characterized by remarkable innovations in sculpture and decorative arts.

Toward the end of her reign, Hatshepsut allowed Thutmose to play an increasingly prominent role in state affairs; following her death, Thutmose III ruled Egypt alone for 33 years.
Hatshepsut (1504 – 1458 BC) - the first female pharaoh to rule Egypt

Akhenaten (1380 BC - 1336 BC)

Akhenaten was born in Egypt around 1380 BC. He was the second son of Amenhotep III (1386-1353 BCE) and his wife Tiye, husband of Queen Nefertiti, and father of both Tutankhamun (by a lesser wife named Lady Kiya) and Tutankhamun's wife Ankhsenamun

When his older brother died, Akhenaten became the crown prince of Egypt. He grew up in the royal palace learning about how to be the leader of Egypt.

He is also known as 'Akhenaton' or 'Ikhnaton' and also 'Khuenaten', all of which are translated to mean 'successful for' or 'of great use to' the god Aten.

Akhenaten took over as pharaoh around the year 1353 BC when his father died. Under his father's rule, Egypt had become one of the most powerful and wealthy nations in the world. Ancient Egypt was an economic and military powerhouse with strong international relations when Akhenaten ascended the throne towards the end of the 18th Dynasty.

By the time Akhenaten took the throne, his family had been ruling Egypt for nearly two hundred years and had established a huge empire dominating Palestine, Phoenicia, and Nubia.

He reigned for roughly 17 years during the 18th dynasty of Egypt’s New Kingdom. Akhenaten became best known for the new religion he created that centered on the Aten. The Aten was never shown in human or animal form, but represented as the sun disk with extended rays ending in hands.

Akhenaten sought the favor of the sun disc Aten, and introduced monotheism to stifle entrenched power and limit corruption amongst the influential priesthoods, bureaucracy, and nobles. He also wanted to cement his imprint as divine ruler of Egypt.

Akhenaten also overhauled its royal artistic style, moved Egypt’s capital to a previously unoccupied site, implemented a new form of architecture and attempted to obliterate the names and images of some of Egypt’s traditional gods.
Akhenaten (1380 BC - 1336 BC)

Ahmose Nefertari (circa 1570-1530 B.C.)

King Seqenenre Taa was the last king of the 17th Dynasty. He was a Pharaoh of Egypt of the Seventeenth Dynasty based in Upper Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period. He ruled over the last of the local kingdoms of the Theban region of Egypt.

His daughter, Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, was married to her brother, Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty and the New Kingdom. The royal couple bore several children, including Amenhotep I, who succeeded his father as king.

Ahmose-Nefertari was born in Thebes, likely during the reign of Senakhtenre Ahmose. Queen Ahmose-Nefertari was a lively participant, alongside her husband, King Ahmose, within the final defeat and ejection from Africa of the hated Hyksos invaders and occupiers. As such, she was considered a national hero and one among the outstanding figures in African history.

She ruled as a queen after her husband King Ahmose died, leaving his heir too young to rule. The new Kingdom therefore began on the strong shoulders of this powerful and shrewd woman, who made calculated decisions regarding religion and politics on behalf of her son.

She was powerful and influential during her lifetime, she maintained her power during the reign of her son, Amenhotep I. Both mother and son were venerated as a divinized couple by the Egyptians, especially in the Necropolis of Deir Al-Medina.

Ahmose Nefertari was the first queen to hold the important office of “God’s Wife of Amun”, effectively establishing her as the joint head of the priesthood of Amun. After death, Queen Ahmose Nefertari was deified and worshipped as a goddess of resurrection.
Ahmose Nefertari (circa 1570-1530 B.C.)

Ramses II

Ramses II (r. 1279-1213 BC) is the mightiest third pharaoh of the 19th dynasty of Egypt. Ramses was named after his grandfather, the great pharaoh Ramses I, who brought their commoner family to the ranks of royalty through his military prowess.

Ramses II’s father, Seti I, secured the nation’s wealth by opening mines and quarries. King Seti I gave the crown to Prince Ramses who turned to Ramses II.

He led several expeditions and focused on accomplishing his goals. This reflected his vision of a great nation and got him the title of “ruler of rulers”.

In 1275 BC, Ramses II began a campaign to recover the lost provinces in the north. The last battle of this campaign was the Battle of Kadesh, fought in 1274 BC against the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II.

His celebrated building accomplishments, including the marvels at Karnak and Abu Simbel, reflected his vision of a great nation and of himself as the “ruler of rulers.” He erected more monuments and statues—and sired more children—than any other pharaoh.

In the 30th years of his reign, Ramses was ritually transformed into an Egyptian god. 14 sed festivals were held during his entire reign.

Upon being declared a god, Ramses established the new capital city, Pi-Ramesses, in the Nile Delta and used it as the main base for his campaigns in Syria.

He had over 200 wives and concubines, ninety-six sons and sixty daughters, most of whom he outlived. It was Merneptah, his 13th son, who came out as his eventual successor. And he was 60 years old.
Ramses II

Karnak Temple Complex

The origins of Karnak lay at beginning of the Middle Kingdom around 2000 BC with the creation of a modest shrine to Amen-Re. Karnak was a magnificent complex, containing about five temples.

The development of the temple of Amen-Re at Karnak can only be understood as a function of its extraordinary religious significance for the ancient Egyptians.

During the 18th Dynasty (1550-1075 BC)), the period of Egyptian imperial expansion, warrior kings came to Karnak to beg victory from the hands do Amen-Re. Later in thanks for their success, they poured booty plundered from foreign lands into the coffers at the Karnak temple.

Successive kings added to the temple building complex for more than 500 years, until eventually Karnak became so rich and reached gigantic size.

Ramses II (19th Dynasty) also contributed sections, and other pharaohs added chapels to the complex as late as the 26th Dynasty. Enclosing the 247 acre complex and shutting it off from the outside world was a perimeter wall 39 feet high and 26 feet thick.

Having vanished from memory, its true scientific rediscovery would not come until Napoleon’s expedition in 1799.
Karnak Temple Complex

Early Dynastic in Egypt

The time of the first three dynasties of the unified Egyptian state is referred to as the Early Dynastic Period (2950-2613 BC). Early Dynastic Period can be defined as the era between the unification of Egypt and the beginning of the Pyramid Age.

The first pharaoh of a united Egypt was Menes, a king of Upper Egypt, who united both Upper and Lower Egypt and rules from Memphis. However, due to the lack of contemporary records, some scholars have suggested that Menes could have been a a mythical figures.

Still, many experts (Manetho, Herodotus) consider that Menes and Narmer are the same person. Narmer was the first of the eight kings of the First Dynasty. The name of Narmer was found on a calcite vase from Abydos.

It was under the First Dynasty that the center of development and political power switched from the south to the north, and the city of Memphis was established at the apex of the Delta, on the west bank of the Nile southwest of present-day Cairo.

The best known of the First Dynasty kings was Den, who must have come to the throne at a young age, considering his long reign. Upon reaching his maturity, Den married Queen Herneth. He began vigorous military campaigns and fought in the eastern desert.

There is evidence of military operation against enemies in both Asia and Libya.  During his campaigns he overran an enemy encampment and brought a harem of females back to Egypt.

Much higher degree of craftsmanship is discernible in the artistic production of Den’s reign.

Den was the first king of Egypt to adopt the title conventionally transliterated as ‘he of the sedge and the bee’, rendered as ‘king of Upper and Lower Egypt’.
Early Dynastic in Egypt

Predynastic Era of Egypt

The Predynastic Period of Egypt is traditionally the period between the Early Neolithic and the beginning of the Pharaonic monarchy beginning with King Narmer.

The Predynastic people were presumably the ancestors of the Egyptians of historical times, thus a mixture of Hamitic, Semitic and Negroid.

The people in Predynastic lived in small villages which joined to form two kingdoms – Upper Egypt in the south and Lower Egypt in the north.

They made great strides in the development of agriculture, cultivating all sorts of grains, fruit and vegetables as well as flax.

The cattle herders may have brought their culture and practices to the people populating the Nile Valley about 5500 BC.

The domesticated plants and animals were the major economic importance in Predynastic Egypt. The important plant domesticates were wheat, barley and flax and the domesticated animals were sheep, goats, dogs, cattle and pigs.

During the Badarian period (5500-4000 BC), the people of the Nile Valley (Nilotes) began to cultivate barley and raised sheep, pigs and cattle.

At that time Egyptians were not as well organized nor well equipped especially for warfare. Their weaponry consisted of knives made of stone and needles carved from bone.

By the end of the Predynastic Period the Egyptians had learned to make cloth, pottery and items of gold and copper. They had invented a form of picture writing.

The Predynastic Period is divided into four separate phases:
*Early Predynastic - 6th to 5th millennium BCE (approximately 5500 - 4000 BCE)
*Old Predynastic - 4500 to 3500 BCE
*Middle Predynastic - 3500 to 3200 BCE
*Late Predynastic – 3200 to 3100 BCE.

In 3150 BC, Egypt first recorded the battle which unifying the Two Lands (Lower and Upper Egypt) and establishing the First Dynasty.

From then on the history of the country is divided into dynasties, Up to the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, 30 dynasties had reigned over the land.
Predynastic Era of Egypt