Pharaoh (original) (raw)

Pharaoh is a title used to refer to the kings (of godly status) in ancient Egypt. See History of Egypt. See also monarch. The term derives from the words pr-o, meaning Great House. It was not commonly used by the Egyptians themselves to refer to their monarchs, but is frequently used by modern historians due to its use in the Bible, especially the Book of Exodus.

NB: the dates given must be regarded in most instances as approximate. Dating systems for Egyptian studies are quite various, depending on how they are constructed and what assumptions are used. What is presented below is one such interpretation, but it is assuredly not the only one. See also: Egyptian chronology, Conventional Egyptian chronology.

ARCHAIC PERIOD

Predynastic: Lower Egypt

Lower Egypt, known as the Black Land, consisted of the northern Nile and the Nile Delta.

Predynastic: Upper Egypt

Upper Egypt, known as the Red Land, consisted of the southern Nile and the deserts.

First Dynasty

Menes in earlier lists

c. 3050 BCE

Djer

-

57 years

Merneith

Regent for Djet

-

Djet

-

-

Den

-

14 to 20 years

Anedjib

-

26 years

Semerkhet

-

9 to 18 years

Qa'a

-

2916 ?-2890

Second Dynasty

OLD KINGDOM

Third Dynasty

Djoser

Commissioned the Step Pyramid designed by Imhotep

2668-2649

Sekhemkhet

-

2649-2643

Khaba

-

2643-2637

Huni

-

2637-2613

Fourth Dynasty

Khufu (Cheops)

Commissioned one of the Great Pyramids at Giza

2589-2566

Djedefre

-

2566-2558

Khafre (Chephren)

-

2558-2532

Menkaure (Mycerinus)

-

2532-2504

Shepseskaf

-

2504-2500

Dedefptah

-

2500-2498

Fifth Dynasty

Unas

-

2375-2345

Sixth Dynasty

Teti

-

2345-2333

Userkare

-

2333-2332

Pepi I Meryre

-

2332-2283

Merenre Nemtyemsaf

-

2283-2278

Pepi II Neferkare

-

2278-2184

Merenre Antyemsaf II

-

2184

Netjerykare

-

2184-2183

Menkare

-

2183-2181

FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD

Seventh Dynasty

Eighth Dynasty

Qakare Ibi

-

2167-2163

Neferkare II

-

2163-2162

Neferkauhor Kapuibi

-

2162-2161

Neferirkare

-

2161-2160

Ninth Dynasty

Tenth Dynasty

The X Dynasty was a local group that held sway over Upper Egypt.

Eleventh Dynasty

The XI Dynasty was a local group with roots in Lower Egypt.

MIDDLE KINGDOM

Twelfth Dynasty

SECOND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD

Thirteenth Dynasty

Merneferre Ai

-

c. 1720

Neferhotep II

-

?

Dudimose I

-

c. 1674

Dudimose II

-

?

Senebmiu

-

?

Mentuhotep V

-

?

Senaayeb

-

?

Fourteenth Dynasty

The XIV Dynasty was a local group from the eastern Delta, based at Xois (Avaris).

The source provides an additional 25 names, some fragmented, and no dates. None are attested to elsewhere, and all are of very dubious provenance.

Fifteenth Dynasty

The XV Dynasty arose from among the Hyskos people: desert Bedouins who emerged out of the Fertile Crescent to establish a short-lived governance over much of the Nile region.

Sixteenth Dynasty

The XVI Dynasty was a local group based on the north coast of the Sinai (Pelusium).

Some sources include as many as six more names (Semqen, Khauserre, Seket, Ahetepre, Amu, and Nebkhepeshre (Apepi III)) - none are attested to elsewhere. This group seems to have disappeared entirely by 1555 BC.

Seventeenth Dynasty

The XVII Dynasty was based in Upper Egypt.

NEW KINGDOM

Eighteenth Dynasty

Ahmose, Ahmosis I

Successor to Kamose, above.

1570-1546

Amenhotep I

-

1551-1524

Djehutymes I (Tuthmosis I)

-

1525-1518

Djehutymes II (Tuthmosis II)

-

1518-1504

Djehutymes III (Tuthmosis III)

-

1503-1450

Hatshepsut

A rare female ruler

1498-1483

Amenhotep II

-

1453-1419

Djehutymes IV (Tuthmosis IV)

-

1419-1386

Amenhotep III

-

1386-1349

Amenhotep IV Akhnaten

Founder of brief period of monotheism Aten

1350-1334

Smenkhkare

-

1336-1334

Tutankhamun

-

1334-1325

Kheperkheprure Ai

-

1325-1321

Horemheb

Former General and advisor to Tutankhamun

1321-1293

Nineteenth Dynasty

Rameses I

-

1293-1291

Seti I

-

1291-1278

Rameses II the Great

The ruler usually associated with Moses

1279-1212

Merneptah

-

1212-1202

Amenemses

-

1202-1199

Seti II

-

1199-1193

Merneptah Siptah

-

1193-1187

Twosret

A rare female ruler

1187-1185

Twentieth Dynasty

Rameses III

-

1182-1151

Rameses IV

-

1151-1145

Rameses V

-

1145-1141

Rameses VI

-

1141-1133

Rameses VII

-

1133-1126

Rameses VIII

-

1126

Rameses IX

-

1126-1108

Rameses X

-

1108-1098

Rameses XI

-

1098-1070

High Priests of Amun at Thebes

While not regarded as a dynasty per se, these theocrats were nevertheless of such power and influence that they were effectively the rulers of Upper Egypt.

Twenty-First Dynasty

Tanitic. A relatively weak group – theoretically rulers of all Egypt, but in practice only influential in Lower Egypt.

Twenty-Second Dynasty

The pharaohs of the XXII Dynasty were Libyans.

Twenty-Third Dynasty

The XXIII Dynasty was a local group, of Libyan origin, based at Leontopolis.

The Libu

Not reckoned a dynasty as such, the Libu were yet another group of western nomads (Libyans) who occupied the western Delta for a time.

Twenty-Fourth Dynasty

The XXIV was a short-lived rival dynasty located in the western Delta (Sais).

LATE KINGDOM

Twenty-Fifth Dynasty

Nubians invaded and took the throne of Egypt, establishing the XXV Dynasty.

They were ultimately driven back into Nubia, where they established a kingdom at Napata (656-590), and, later, at Mero� (590 BC-4th cent. AD).

Twenty-Sixth Dynasty

Ahmose II

-

570-526

Psamtik III

-

526-525

Twenty-Seventh Dynasty

Egypt was annexed to the Persian Empire between from 525 BC and till 404 BC. The Achaemenid Shahs were acknowledged as pharaohs in this era, forming a "Twenty-Seventh" Dynasty.:

Twenty-Eighth Dynasty

Twenty-Ninth Dynasty

Thirtieth Dynasty

Persians and Greeks

• Egypt once more under Persian rule:
  • Artaxerxes III ( 343- 338 BC).
• A Nubian revolt in Upper Egypt under:
  • Khabbabash ( 338- 335 BC).
• A third Persian takeover:
  • Darius III, ( 335- 332 BC).
• Macedon conquers Persia, and Egypt:
  • Alexander III the Great – from 332 BC to 323 BC.
  • Philip III Arrhidaeus – from 323 BC to 317 BC.
  • Alexander IV of Macedon – alone from 317 BC to 309 BC.

Ptolemaic Dynasty

Ptolemy I Soter

-

305-282

Ptolemy II Philadelphos

-

285-246

Ptolemy III Euergetes

-

246-222

Ptolemy IV Philopator

-

222-205

Ptolemy V Epiphanes

Upper Egypt in revolt 207-186

205-180

Ptolemy VI Philometor

died 145

180-164

Ptolemy VII Euergetes

died 116

170-164

Ptolemy VI Philometor

Egypt to Seleucids 164-163. P. VI restored

163-145

Ptolemy VIII Neos Philopator

-

145

Ptolemy VII Euergetes

Restored

145-116

Ptolemy IX Soter

died 80

116-110

Ptolemy X Alexander

died 88

110-109

Ptolemy IX Soter

Restored

109-107

Ptolemy X Alexander

Restored

107-88

Ptolemy IX Soter

Restored again

88-80

Ptolemy XI Alexander

-

80

Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos

died 51

80-58

Berenice IV

-

58-55

Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos

Restored

55-51

Cleopatra VII

Kills her brother to take control, marries Mark Anthony and then they both kill themselves 7 years later

51-30

Ptolemy XIII

-

51-47

Ptolemy XIV

-

47-44

Ptolemy XV Caesarion

-

44-30

Rome

Egypt became a province of Rome under Augustus Caesar in 30 BC.

External links

• Tutankhamun: Pictures