Kingdom of Egypt
Geography, Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom, Ramses & Monotheism
Geography
- Egypt is located near the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. It borders Libya, Israelto, and Sudan. Egypt has a land area about the same as Texas and New Mexico combined! (1,001,449 km2 )
- Egypt is divided by the black land and red land. The black land was fertile land near the Nile. The Nile was a useful river for growing crops, the only land in Egypt that was accessible for farming. Every year, after the Nile flooded, black silt was deposited.
- The red land was desert like that surrounded Egypt on two sides. The main purpose to protect ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and armies. By having deserts so close, this gave Egypt an advantage for sources of precious metals and stones.
Old Kingdom (2686 - 2182 BC)
- The third dynasty of pharaohs began the Old Kingdom.
- King Djoser wanted Imhotep, who was an architect, to build a monument for him so Djoser would be remembered after his death. This was known as the Step-Pyramid at Saqqara (which is near Memphis). This began the era of pyramid building, which continued throughout the Old Kingdom.
- Pyramid building reached is height when the Great Pyramid of Giza was built for Khufu, who reigned for 23 years. This pyramid is now known as one of the seven wonders of the world. Giza is the largest pyramid in Egypt and is the tallest structure in the world for close to 4,000 ears (481 ft; total weight - 6.5 million tons)
Pyramids were also built for Khafra and Menkaura, Khufu's successors at Giza. Throughout the third and fourth dynasties, the pharaohs provided a stable government and military. This time period was the height of the Old Kingdom. - During the fifth dynasty, Userkhaf made poor economic decisions and the building of expensive pyramids, led to a decrease in wealth for the kingdom. King Pepy II was the king of the sixth dynasty and ruled for 94 years. When he died the Old Kingdom fell in chaos.
- The seventh and eighth dynasties were very unsuccessful. When the eighth dynasty fell, there was a civil war between the provincial governors. This civil was consisted of multiple Bedouin invasions, famine, and disease. Two separate kingdoms emerged from the war. A line of rulers in Heracleopolis ruled the area of Egypt between Memphis and Thebes. A different family ruled in Thebes and challenged the Heracleopolitans. Mentuhotep, the Theban prince, was able to conquer Heracleopolis which led to the bringing together of the two kingdoms. This began the eleventh dynasty.
Middle Kingdom (2055 - 1786 BC)
- When Muntuhoptep IV, the last ruler of the eleventh dynasty, was assassinated, King Amenemhet I took over. He moved the capitol to Itj-tawi, which was southwest of Memphis. Amenemhet I began the custom of taking over as king during their predecessor's lifetime. This would create the smooth transitions between each ruler and aided the success of the twelfth dynasty. Amenemhet I was killed while he was on a military campain in Lybia, but his successer, Sosostris I, was ready to step in; due to the fact that he had began working with Amenemhet for years before he was murdered.
- Sesostris I was focused on southern Egypt during his reign. He also began the building of the temple of Amun and the Chapel at Karnak. Not much is known about his two successors Amenemhet II and Sesostris II.
- Sesostris III colonized Nubia and built forts along the outskirts of Nubia to protect the Egyptian trade routes from Bedouins. This ended the peace between Egypt and Nubia. Sesostris III also led military campaigns in Palestine And Syria. He was the first Egyptian king to be portrayed as older. Statues of him showed the features of an old man. Before Sesostris III, all kings were portrayed as young men.
- Amenemhet III followed his father, Sesotris III, in the line of kings. He stregthened Egypt's southern border along Nubia. Amenemhet increased mining activity in Sinai as well as Tura, Wadi Hammamat, and Aswan. Multiple shrines and statues were built during his reign.
- When Amenemhet III died he passed the crown onto Amenemhet IV, who was not part of the royal family but had appointed before his death. Nefrusobek, Amenemhet III's daughter followed Amenemhet IV. When she died, this marked the official end of the twelfth dynasty.
- Throughout the thirteenth dynasty, around 70 pharaohs ruled throughout 113 years. Somehow Egypt maintained control over Nubia throughout this dynasty. Very little is known about the fourteenth dynasty, but it marked the end of the Middle Kingdom.
- When the Hyksos, who were from Phonecia, took over Egypt, they founded the fifteenth dynasty. Once conquered, Avaris became the capitol of this Phonecian dynasty. The Hyksos pushed farther south and conquered the Abydene dynasty, which is considered the sixteenth dynasty, occupied the lower part of Egypt. King Khiyan was able to gain control over the parts of Egypt that were still considered Egyptian. When he died, Apophis took over. When the Thebans revolted, they were able to regain control over Egypt, beginning the seventeenth dynasty.
New Kingdom (1567 - 1085 BC)
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Monotheism
- Monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. This culture was brought to the Egyptians by Akhenaten, during the 18th Dynasty of the Pharaohs. Many Egyptians called Akhenaten the pioneer of monotheistic religion. After monotheism was brought to Egypt, it later evolved into Judaism.
- Sigmund Freud wrote a book called Moses and Monotheism, a book that argues that Moses was an Atenist priest that was forced out of Egypt after Akhenaten's death. Later in the book, it says Akhenaten was trying to promote monotheism, but later, that was achieved by Moses. Lastly, Freud states that monotheism was not a Jewish but an Egyptian invention from the Egyptian sun god, Aten.
Ramses
- Rameses II ruled for 67 years during the 19th dynasty was a huge asset to Egypt. He was know as one of the greatest warriors in Egyptian history. Ramses was born in 1303 BC and died in 1213 BC. His father was Pharaoh Sethi and his mother was Queen Tuya. His father became Pharaoh when he was around 5 years old. At age 15, Rameses was the Prince of Egypt. He married his two main wives, Nefetari and Isetnofret.
- At age 22, he began leading the army into battle by himself. He led the Egyptian Army against the Hittites, in the city of Kadesh, along with many other enemies. Ramses established the first major peace treaty in the world to help bring peace between the Egyptians and the Hittites.
- Ramses was well known for his interest in architecture and building. He built many of the temples in Egypt such as the Ramesseum, Abu Simbel, and Pi-Ramesses. Ramses II died around the age of 90 and was buried in the Valley of Kings. His body was later moved to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo because of mummy thieves.
- Ramses was often referred to Ramesses II, Ramesses the Great, and Ozymandias. Some historians believed that Rameses was the pharaoh from the Bible who Moses demanded that he free the Israelites. Another interesting fact is he had nearly 200 children during his long life. His son Merneptah became pharaoh after he died.