 The Pharaohs, part 3
The New Kingdom
The New
Kingdom spanned 500 years, from about 1570BC to 1070BC, and
we see some of the greatest Pharaohs of all appearing here.
In the case of the greatest Pharaohs, their bodies survive
to this day, having been hidden away from tomb robbers in
2 caches at Deir-el-Bahari and in the tomb of Amenhotep in
the Valley of Kings. During the 500 years encompassed
by the New Kingdom, there were 3 Dynasties:
The 18th Dynasty: 1570 -
1293 (14 Pharaohs)
The 19th Dynasty: 1293 - 1185 (8 Pharaohs)
The 20th Dynasty: 1185 - 1070 (10 Pharaohs)
Here they are:
| Name |
Dates |
Notes |
| . |
|
|
| The
18th Dynasty |
| Ahmose I |
1570 - 1546 |
Stabilised borders by bringing Nubia to heel.
Body found in 1881. |
| Amenhotep I |
1551 - 1524 |
Initiated building work at Karnak. Body
found in 1881 in the royal mummy cache. |
| Tuthmosis I |
1524 - 1518 |
Campaigned against Nubia. |
| Tuthmosis II |
1518 - 1504 |
Campaigned in Syria and Nubia. |
| Queen Hatshepsut |
1498 - 1483 |
Wife of Tuthmosis II. Perhaps murdered
by her son. Reign not recorded. |
| Tuthmosis III |
1504 - 1450 |
Known as "The Napoleon of ancient
Egypt". Captured over 350 cities. Body found in 1881. |
| Amenhotep II |
1453 - 1419 |
Crushed revolt in Syria on father's death.
His tomb in the Valley of Kings used to hide many later mummies. |
| Tuthmosis IV |
1419 - 1386 |
Body found 1898 in Amenhotep II's tomb. |
| Amenhotep III |
1386 - 1349 |
Started building temple at Luxor. |
| Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) |
1350 - 1334 |
Introduced monotheistic worship of the Aten
(the sun's disc). Weakening of governmental control. |
| Smenkhkare |
1336 - 1334 |
|
| Tutankhamun |
1334 - 1325 |
Aged c. 9 when he became Pharaoh. Move
back towards old religion. Tomb discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Murdered? |
| Ay |
1325 - 1321 |
Became Pharaoh by marrying Tut's widow (also
his granddaughter). |
| Horemheb |
1321 - 1293 |
|
| . |
|
|
| The
19th Dynasty |
| Ramesses I |
1293 - 1291 |
Not of royal blood. Vizier of Horemheb. |
| Seti I |
1291 - 1278 |
Major building at home and war against the
Hittites. |
| Ramesses II |
1279 - 1212 |
Also known as "Ramesses the Great".
Added to Karnak and Luxor. Died aged c. 92, body found in mummy cache, 1881. |
| Merneptah |
1212 - 1202 |
Crushed several revolts. |
| Amenmesses |
1202 - 1199 |
Usurped throne on death on Merneptah.. |
| Seti II |
1199 - 1193 |
|
| Siptah |
1193 - 1187 |
|
| Queen Twosret |
1187 - 1185 |
|
| . |
|
|
| The
20th Dynasty |
| Setnakhte |
1185 - 1182 |
|
| Ramesses III |
1182 - 1151 |
Defeated Sea Peoples. Plot to kill him
discovered and ringleaders executed. |
| Ramesses IV |
1151 - 1145 |
|
| Ramesses V |
1145 - 1141 |
|
| Ramesses VI |
1141 - 1133 |
Mummy mutilated by grave robbers. |
| Ramesses VII |
1133 - 1126 |
Economic instability and inflation. |
| Ramesses VIII |
1133 - 1126 |
|
| Ramesses IX |
1126 - 1108 |
Scandal broke - tombs in the Valley of Kings
were being robbed. |
| Ramesses X |
1108 - 1098 |
|
| Ramesses XI |
1098 - 1070 |
|
| . |
|
|
The death of Ramesses XI
ushered in yet another period of instability. This time, however, Egypt would never
fully recover. Different dynasties would now compete for power, as the country was
subjected to outside pressures and influences. In other words, the country was being
divided when unity was essential. Foreign rulers became the norm - Nubians and
Persians were some of the groups which came to prominence. Finally, 332BC saw the
conquest and subjugation of Egypt by Alexander the Great.
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