Sheshonk I | Pharaoh, Dynasty 22, & Egypt | Britannica (original) (raw)

sphinx of Sheshonk

sphinx of Sheshonk Sphinx of King Sheshonk, bronze figure from Egypt, c. 945–718 bce; in the Brooklyn Museum, New York. 3.4 × 6.8 cm.

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Also known as: Shishak, Shoshenq

Written and fact-checked by

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Quick Facts

Also spelled:

Shoshenq or Shishak

Flourished:

10th century bce

Flourished:

c.1000 BCE - c.901 BCE

Sheshonk I (flourished 10th century bce) was the first king (c. 943–c. 923 bce) of the 22nd dynasty of ancient Egypt (see ancient Egypt: the 22nd and 23rd dynasties).

Sheshonk came from a line of princes or sheikhs of Libyan tribal descent whose title was “great chief of the Meshwesh” and who appear to have settled in Bubastis in the eastern Nile River delta. He was a general under Psusennes II, the last king of the 21st dynasty (c. 1076–c. 944 bce), and probably ascended the throne without a struggle, making Bubastis his residence and marrying his son Osorkon to a daughter of Psusennes II.

According to the Bible, “Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem” (1 Kings 14:25–26) about 930 bce in support of Jeroboam, the pretender who challenged the right of Solomon’s son Rehoboam to succeed to the Israelite throne. Sheshonk’s victories in Palestine were celebrated by reliefs and inscriptions at Karnak. Although the biblical account reported the looting of the palace and temple, the name Jerusalem did not survive in the Egyptian record. A fragment bearing Sheshonk’s name was found at Megiddo.

Al-Jizah. Giza Necropolis, Giza Plateau, Cairo, Egypt. Side view of Sphinx with the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) rising in the background. The sides of all three of the Giza pyramids are astronomically oriented to be north-south, east-west (see notes) Britannica Quiz Pop Quiz: 18 Things to Know About Ancient Egypt

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.