The Middle Kingdom, c.2040 - 1782BC

Intef III's successor was Mentuhotep I (c. 2060 - 2010). The man who was responsible for the reunification of Egypt, we can trace his route to this achievement by looking at how his Horus name changed during his rule. He started off calling himself "He who gives heart to the Two Lands", and then moved on to "Lord of the White Crown" (the White Crown being symbolic of Upper Egypt). Finally, he became known as "Uniter of the Two Lands".

The first part of his reign saw some bitter and bloody fighting between his army and that of the Herakleopolitain kings who ruled Upper Egypt. In the 1920s, a US-funded expedition led by Herbert Winlock found a mass grave of over 60 soldiers thought to have been killed in battle at this time. There also exist 2 large models of soldiers (1 depicting 40 Egyptian pikemen, the other showing 40 Nubian archers), which were found in the tomb of a contemporary local general.

In year 14 of Mentuhotep's reign, there was revolt in Abydos, captured for Lower Egypt by Mentuhotep's grandfather. It was crushed without any great problems, and all of Egypt was under Mentuhotep's control by year 39 of his reign, thus ushering in the Middle Kingdom.

He built his burial tomb at Deir el-Bahari. Constructed at the base of a cliff, it consisted of a stepped podium with square-cut pillars, and a terrace with a hall above that.

Mentuhotep I was unusual for the period in that he enjoyed a long reign. Due to his longevity, his son and successor Mentuhotep II (c. 2010 - 1998) would only have a relatively short time on the throne. However, it was put to good use, with the continuation of Mentuhotep I's policy of being defensive on his northern border, whilst sending trading expeditions south of the First Cataract. There is also evidence of several expeditions aimed at gathering building materials. Mentuhotep II was probably buried near his father at Deir el-Bahari.

Mentuhotep III (c. 1997 - 1991) was another short-lived monarch about whom little is known. In a surviving inscription, he's associated with his Amenemhet I, his successor. It is known from other sources that Mentuhotep's vizier and Governor of the South was also named Amenemhet. This vizier was sent south with 10,000 men to look for some stone to use as Mentuhotep's sarcophagus lid. It is therefore eminently possible that, on completing his task successfully, the vizier turned his 10,000 men on his own monarch, and made himself king. Whatever the truth, Mentuhotep III's tomb has never been found.