HISTORY 26

Lecture Twelve:

The Middle Kingdom(c. 2055 - 1650 BC)

The First Intermediate Period

Dynasties 9 and 10 (2160 - 2055 BC)9th and 10th Dynasties:

Herakleopolitan (2160 - 2025)

Khety (Meryibra)Khety (Nebkaura)Khety (Wahkara)Merykara

11th Dynasty: Thebes only (2125 - 2055)

[Mentuhotep I]Intef I (Sehertawy)Intef II (Wahankh)Intef III

(Nakhtnebtepnefer)

Ancient Egypt

Beginning of the Middle Kingdom

Dynasty 11 (2125 - 1985 BC)11th Dynasty: Thebes

only (2125 - 2055)

[Mentuhotep I]Intef I (Sehertawy)Intef II (Wahankh)Intef III

(Nakhtnebtepnefer)

11th Dynasty: All Egypt(2055 - 1985)

Mentuhotep II (Nebhepetra)

Mentuhotep III (Sankhkara)

Mentuhotep IV (Nebtawyra)

Nebhepetra Mentuhotep II(2055 - 2004 BC)

Sematawy, “The One Who Unites Two Lands”The Stele of Intef III and Mentuhotep II at Wadi Shatt el-Rigal

Government during the 11th Dynasty

Capital: Thebes Khety, the Vizier; Meru, the

Chancellor; Henenu, the Steward Governor of Upper Egypt (old);

Governor of Lower Egypt (new) The king’s control over his officials

increased, while the power of the nomarchs waned.

Egyptian influence in the outside world was restored.

Nebhepetra Mentuhotep II(2055 - 2004 BC)

Mentuhotep’s Mortuary Complex

(Deir el-Bahri)

Mentuhotep’s Mortuary Complex

(Deir el-Bahri)

Osiris - Fertility and Regeneration

A mixture of regional and Memphite techniques

Sarcophagus of Queen Ashaiyet

The Middle Kingdom ‘Renaissance’

Dynasty 12 (1985 - 1773 BC)Amenemhat I

(Sehetepibra)Senusret I (Kheperkara)Amenemhat II

(Nubkaura)Senusret II

(Khakheperra)Senusret III (Khakaura)Amenemhat III

(Nimaatra)Amenemhat IV

(Maakherura)Queen Sobekneferu

(Sobekkara)

Sehetepibra Amenemhat I (1985 - 1956 BC)

Wehemmesu‘The Repeating of Births’

The Prophecy of NefertyI show you the land in turmoil:The weak-armed is strong-armed,One salutes him who is saluted.I show you the undermost

uppermost,What was turned on the back

turns the belly.Men will live in the graveyard,The beggar will gain riches,The great [will rob] to live.The poor will eat bread,The slaves will be exalted.Gone from the earth is the name

of On (Heliopolis),The birthplace of every god.

Then a king will come from the South,

Ameny, the justified, by name,Son of a woman of Ta-Sety, child of

Upper Egypt.He will take the white crown,He will wear the red crown;He will join the two lands…Rejoice, O people of his time,The son of man will make his name

for all eternity!The evil-minded, the treason-

plotters,They suppress their speech in fear

of him;Asiatics will fall to his sword,Libyans will fall to his flame,Rebels to his wrath, traitors to his

might,As the serpent on his brow subdues

the rebels for him.

Amenemhat-itj-tawy(or simply, Itjtawy)

The Pyramid at Lisht

Egyptian Expansion

The End of the Middle Kingdom

Dynasty 13 (1773 - after 1650 BC)Wegaf (Khutawyra)

Sobekhotep II (Sekhemra-khutawy)Iykhernefert Neferhotep (Sankhtawy-sekhemra)Ameny-intef-amenemhat (Sankhibra)Hor (Awibra)Khendjer (Userkara)Sobekhotep III (Sekhemra-sewadjtawy)Neferhotep I (Khasekhemra)SahathorSobekhotep IV (Khaneferra)Sobekhotep VAy (Merneferra)