On Tuthmosis
III's death, the Asiatic cities revolted against his successor Amenhotep II
(c. 1453 - 1419). In the 2nd year of his reign, Amenhotep moved across Palestine, entered
Syria, and subjugated the revolt, taking much booty in the process, which was used to
enrich the temple of Amun at Karnak. He also captured 7 rebel princes, who were sacrificed
in the traditional way - they were hit with a mace by Amenhotep, and then hung upside down
from the prow of his boat. 6 were subsequently hung from the walls of a Theban temple, and
the other one from the walls of Napata, in Nubia. In year 3, Amenhotep moved south and
finished his father's temples at Aswan and Amada. He also campaigned in the Galilee area
in year 9, after which there was peace.
His tomb was in the Valley of the Kings (KV35). Although it was plundered before the end
of the 20th dynasty, it was used as a hiding place for other royal mummies. When the
archaeologist Victor Loret entered the tomb in 1898, he found a total of 16 mummies there.
Tuthmosis IV (c. 1419 - 1386) had, as a prince, ordered the clearing of
the sand around the Sphinx at Giza. There is a lack of texts dealing with his reign,
though it's possible that there was a campaign in Nubia in year 8, and perhaps also some
Syrian ones, as he is referred to as the "Conqueror of Syria" in 1 surviving
source.
Howard Carter found his tomb (KV43) in 1903. His mummy had been discovered 5 years earlier
in KV35.
Tuthmosis was followed on the throne by a son by one of his chief wives, Amenhotep
III (c. 1386 - 1349). His reign was the most prosperous and stable in Egyptian
history, with little need for any military activity. The only exception to this was a
low-key campaign in Nubia in year 5 led by his son and viceroy of Kush, Merymose.Amenhotep oversaw the further embellishment of
Karnak, and built a new temple to Amun at Luxor. He also built a huge mortuary temple,
which was destroyed in the next dynasty. The only remnants of this are the "Colossi
of Memnon", which are 2 60ft-high seated statues of the king. The northern one was
said to make a moaning noise at dawn and dusk, but this was stopped by repairs carried out
under the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (AD 193 - 211).
He was buried in KV22, rediscovered by the
French in 1799. His mummy was probably found in KV35 in 1898, though there are recent
suggestions that the mummy traditionally attributed to him might in fact belong to
Akhenaten or Ay.
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