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Volume 10 issue 5 April 2009

ANCIENT EGYPT explores the WORLD WIDE WEB ...

HIGH PRIESTS & KINGS

This month’s NETFISHING continues its look at the history of Egypt by seeing what the World Wide Web has to say about the dual reign of Kings and High Priests during the Twenty-first Dynasty.

Whilst to us today it might appear that the authority of the kings of the Twenty-first Dynasty was undermined by the ‘co-rule’ of the high priests (the effective rulers of Upper Egypt), this may not have been considered the case at the time, for the kings and high priests were often of the same family, and were closely related to one another. In addition Egypt may have been seen as a theocracy during this period, with both the King and the High Priest thought of as being the god Amun’s representatives on earth.

Refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-first_dynasty_of_Egypt_Family_Tree

http://www.cesras.org/Prd/TIP/21a-family.html

http://www.rayandjuliesegypt.co.uk/pages/Third%20Intermediate%20Period.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Intermediate_Period_of_Egypt

At Thebes, Masaharta had taken over the role of high priest whilst his father, Pinudjem, was claiming kingly titles and placing his name within a cartouche. Masaharta predeceased his father and was succeeded by a shadowy figure called Djed-Khonsef-Ankh, who ruled as High Priest for about a year only. Little is known about this high priest but he was probably a younger brother of Masaharta, although his true parentage is unknown. On the death of Djed-Khonsef-Ankh, another son of Pinudjem was appointed as High Priest at Thebes, Menkheperra, and so Pinudjem and his sons ruled as successive high priests during the reign of Kings Smendes I, Amenemnisu, and on into the reign of King Psusennes I.

Refer: High Priest Menkheperra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menkheperre

http://ib205.tripod.com/menkheperre.html

Pinudjem eventually died and was buried in the cache tomb DB320 at Deir el-Bahri along with the royal mummies he had sought to preserve. His son Menkheperra continued in the role of high priest and does not appear to have sought the kingship of the South, although he did put his priestly titles within a cartouche next to his own name. Menkheperre continued in his position as High Priest into the reign of King Amenemope, successor to King Psusennes I. King Amenemope, a son of Psusennes I, ruled as king for only some seven years, but during this time he was served by three high priests: Menkheperra, Smendes II and Pinudjem II.

Refer: High Priest Smendes II http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smendes_II

High Priest Pinudjem II http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinudjem_II

http://ib205.tripod.com/pinudjem_2.html

King Amenemope was buried in a small chamber next to his father’s tomb. The major artefact of his reign was his death mask, which, unusually for a king, is made only from gilded cartonnage rather than from solid gold.

Refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amenemope_(pharaoh)

Following the death of King Amenemope, the succession passed away from the established line of kings and high priests and instead seems to move into a line of Libyan descent, with the next king being Osorkon the Elder a name of Libyan extraction.

Refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osorkon_the_Elder

Osorkon the Elder was followed onto the throne by his son Siamun. King Siamun adopted a vigorous building programme in the north of Egypt and sought to protect Egypt’s trading interests by forming an alliance with King Solomon of Judea.

Refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamun

http://www.phouka.com/pharaoh/pharaoh/dynasties/dyn21/06siamun.html

After the death of King Siamun, the throne appears to have returned to the Egyptian line of descent, with the last king of the Twenty-first Dynasty being a King Psusennes II – a son of High Priest Pinudjem II.

Refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psusennes_II

It appears that Psusennes II may well be the same person as a little-known king who ruled at the end of the Twenty-first Dynasty, referred to as Psusennes III.

Refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psusennes_III

It is during the latter stages of the Twenty-first Dynasty that Libyan settlers, the Meshwesh, become an important factor in Egyptian history. The Meshwesh were recognised for their military skills and usefulness to Egypt and so were allowed to settle in the western Delta.

Refer: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Meshwesh

Generations later, the tribe was so powerful that the son of their ‘Great Chief ’ was allowed to marry into the royal family itself, marrying a daughter of King Psusennes II. Such were the tribal values of the Meshwesh that when King Psusennes II died, the throne of Egypt did not pass to his son-in-law, Osorkon, but instead passed to the Great Chief of the Meshwesh, Osorkon’s father, Sheshonq I – so founding the Twenty-second Dynasty of Egypt. Libyans, once one of the traditional enemies of Egypt, had finally triumphed and had become rulers of this land.

Victor Blunden

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