Sobekhotep III

Last updated

Sekhemre Sewadjtawy Sobekhotep III was an Egyptian king of the mid Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt who reigned three to four years.

Contents

Family

Parents and siblings

Scarab of Sobekhotep III giving the name of his father, god's father Mentuhotep. Sobekhotep III scarab.png
Scarab of Sobekhotep III giving the name of his father, god's father Mentuhotep.

The family of the king is known from several sources. A monument from Sehel Island shows Sobekhotep with his father Mentuhotep, his mother was king's mother Iuhetibu (Yauheyebu), his brothers Seneb and Khakau, and a half-sister called Renseneb. Renseneb was a daughter of Iuhetibu and her second husband Dedusobek. [2]

Wife and children

Sobekhotep III had two wives, Senebhenas and Neni. A stela from Koptos (Qift), [3] now in the Louvre (C 8), mentions the daughters of Neni: Iuhetibu Fendy and Dedetanqet. Iuhetibu Fendy wrote her name in a cartouche. [2] This is the second time in Egyptian history that a king's daughter received this honor.

Senebhenas is shown with Sobekhotep on an altar in Sehel Island and a stela in Wadi el-Hol. [3] The stela depicts Sobekhotep III before the god Monthu. He receives an ankh and a was-scepter from the god. Sobekhotep is followed by his father Montuhotep, his mother Iuhetibu, and his wife Senebhenas. [2]

Reign

Sobekhotep III is known from many objects [4] [5] despite the fact that the Turin King List gives him a reign of only four years [6] and two to four months in length. He added inscriptions to the temple of Menthu at Madamud [7] and built a chapel at El Kab. [8] On Sehel [9] an altar with his name was found.

A number of scarab seals have been found that were from an officier of the ruler's table Sobekhotep begotten of the officier of the ruler's table Mentuhotep. [10] It is possible that these seals belonged to Sobekhotep III before he became king.

Sobekhotep III was the first of a group of Thirteenth Dynasty kings about whom there exists historical records. This group of Thirteenth Dynasty kings are all known from many objects. These kings produced many seals and there are many private monuments that can be dated to these reigns. This would seem to indicate that Egypt was relatively stable during this period.

Attestations

The main attestations of Sobekhotep III are found in Upper Egypt. Only small finds (tradables) are attested in Lower Egypt and Nubia. For a full list, see Ryholt 1997:343-44 File 13/26.

Lower Egypt

Upper Egypt

Louvre E 13891 with Cartouche of Sobekhotep III (usurped) GD-FR-LouvreEG133.JPG
Louvre E 13891 with Cartouche of Sobekhotep III (usurped)

Nubia

At the fortress of Mirgissa (Nubia), a scarab-impression with the royal name of Sobekhotep III and the King's Mother Iuhetibu . [14] Also a seal-impression with the name Sekhemre Sewadjtawy, a seal with two impressions. [15]

Non-contemporary attestation

The Turin King List 7:24 contains the entry: "The Dual King Sekhem[ka]re Wadjtawy Sobekhotep, 4 years, 2 months x days" {nsw-bit sḫm-kꜢ-rꜤ wꜢḏ-tꜢ.wy sbk-ḥtp rnpt 4 Ꜣbd 2 hrw x}. [16] In the list, Sekhemre Wadjtawy Sobekhotep is preceded by [Mer]ib[ra] ...Seth (7:23) and succeeded by Khasekhemra Neferhotep, son of Haankhef (7:25).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khendjer</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Userkare Khendjer was a minor king of the early Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. Khendjer possibly reigned for four to five years, archaeological attestations show that he was on the throne for at least three or four years three months and five days. Khendjer had a small pyramid built for himself in Saqqara and it is therefore likely that his capital was in Memphis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neferhotep I</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Khasekhemre Neferhotep I was an Egyptian pharaoh of the mid Thirteenth Dynasty ruling in the second half of the 18th century BC during a time referred to as the late Middle Kingdom or early Second Intermediate Period, depending on the scholar. One of the best attested rulers of the 13th Dynasty, Neferhotep I reigned for 11 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wegaf</span> Egyptian Middle Kingdom pharaoh

Khutawyre Wegaf was a pharaoh of the early Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt in the late Middle Kingdom/Second Intermediate Period. He is known from several sources, including a stele and statues. In the Turin King List he is the first ruler of this dynasty with a reign of 2 regnal years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sobekhotep IV</span> Egyptian king

Khaneferre Sobekhotep IV was one of the more powerful Egyptian kings of the 13th Dynasty, who reigned at least eight years. His brothers, Neferhotep I and Sihathor, were his predecessors on the throne, the latter having only ruled as coregent for a few months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merhotepre Sobekhotep</span> Egyptian king

Merhotepre Sobekhotep was an Egyptian king of the late 13th Dynasty during the Second Intermediate Period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sedjefakare Kay Amenemhat VII</span> Egyptian pharaoh of the 13th Dynasty

Sedjefakare Kay Amenemhat VII was an Egyptian pharaoh of the early 13th Dynasty in the late Middle Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sekhemre Khutawy Sobekhotep</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Sekhemre Khutawy Amenemhat Sobekhotep was an Egyptian pharaoh of the early 13th Dynasty in the late Middle Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sekhemre Wahkhau Rahotep</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Sekhemre Wahkhau Rahotep was an Egyptian pharaoh who reigned during the Second Intermediate Period, when Egypt was ruled by multiple kings. The Egyptologists Kim Ryholt and Darrell Baker believe that Rahotep was the first king of the 17th Dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merhotepre Ini</span> Egyptian pharaoh of Dynasty XIII

Merhotepre Ini was a minor king in Ancient Egypt, thought to be the successor of Merneferre Ay in the late Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt. The Turin King List may assigned him a brief reign of 2 Years, 3 or 4 Months and 9 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sobekhotep VIII</span> Ancient Egyptian ruler during the Second Intermediate Period

Sekhemre Seusertawy Sobekhotep VIII was an ancient Egyptian ruler during the Second Intermediate Period whose exact chronological placement remains uncertain. He may have ruled over the Theban region in Upper Egypt. Scholars debate whether he belonged to the 13th, 16th, or 17th Dynasty. If Sobekhotep VIII was a king of the 16th Dynasty, it is thought that he is listed in the Turin Canon (11:2), which credits him with a 16-year reign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sekhemre Sementawy Djehuty</span> Egyptian Pharaoh

Sekhemre Sementawy Djehuty was a minor king reigning over parts of Upper Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khahotepre Sobekhotep VI</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Khahotepre Sobekhotep VI was an Egyptian king of the late 13th Dynasty during the Second Intermediate Period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seankhenre Mentuhotepi</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Seankhenre Mentuhotepi was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh during the fragmented Second Intermediate Period. According to egyptologists Kim Ryholt and Darrell Baker, he was the fifth king of the 16th Dynasty reigning over the Theban region in Upper Egypt. Alternatively, Jürgen von Beckerath sees him as the fifth king of the 17th Dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sekhemkare Amenemhat Senebef</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Sekhemkare Amenemhat Senebef was an Egyptian pharaoh of the early 13th Dynasty, often considered as the final part of the late Middle Kingdom or early Second Intermediate Period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senebhenas</span>

Senebhenas(snb-ḥnˁ=s, "Health is with her") was the wife and queen consort of the ancient Egyptian king Sobekhotep III, who reigned in the 13th Dynasty, about 1750 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iuhetibu Fendy</span> Kings Daughter

IuhetibuFendy was an ancient Egyptian princess of the Thirteenth Dynasty. She was the daughter of king Sobekhotep III and of queen Neni. Iuhetibu Fendy is known from two sources. She appears on a rock-cut stela in the Wadi el-Hol and she appears on a stela from Abydos now in the Louvre in Paris (C8). On the stela she is shown together with her sister Dedetanqet in front of the fertility god Min. Her two names are written within a cartouche, a privilege that was given in this time very rarely to royal women and points to a special status of Iuhetibu Fendy. Iuhetibu Fendy bears a double name. The first name Iuhetibu was also the name of Iuhetibu Fendy's grandmother. Naming children after grandparents was not uncommon in Ancient Egypt. Fendy is a nickname meaning "nose".

Neni was an ancient Egyptian queen of the Thirteenth Dynasty. She was the wife of king Sobekhotep III and the mother of two of his daughters: Iuhetibu Fendy and Dedetanqet. The only title attested for Neni is king's wife, the regular title of queens of this period. Not much else is known about her. There is a stela set up by her steward attesting that Neni had her own estates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mentuhotep (god's father)</span>

Mentuhotep was the non-royal father of the ancient Egyptian king Sobekhotep III, who ruled for about three years in the Thirteenth Dynasty, around 1750 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seneb (king's son)</span>

Seneb was an ancient Egyptian living in the Thirteenth Dynasty about 1750 BC. He is known from a number of sources around king Sobekhotep III, who was his brother. The father of Seneb was the god's father Mentuhotep, his mother was the king's mother called Iuhetibu. Seneb bears the title king's son, although he was not the son of a king. In the Thirteenth Dynasty the title king's son was often used as title of honor and did not automatically mean that the title bearer was the son of a king. Seneb's own family is known from a stela now in Vienna. His wife was called Nebtit and their children were:

Khakau was the brother of King Sobekhotep III of the Thirteenth Dynasty and part of a powerful family taking power in a time of political turmoil in Upper Egypt. Although not of royal birth, he was given the title of "king's son" by his brother.

References

  1. Petrie, Flinders: A History of Egypt From the Earliest Times to the 16th Dynasty . (1897).
  2. 1 2 3 M. F. Laming Macadam, "A Royal Family of the Thirteenth Dynasty", Journal of Egyptian Archaeology , 37 (Dec., 1951), pp. 20-28. doi : 10.2307/3855152. JSTOR   3855152.
  3. 1 2 Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. ISBN   0-500-05128-3.
  4. A scarab of Sobekhotep III, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  5. Another scarab of Sobekhotep III, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  6. Following Ryholt: ''The Political Situation, p. 71. However, the four is partly destroyed; year 3 is also possible.
  7. F. Bisson de la Roque, J. J. Clère, Fouilles de Médamoud (1927), Cairo 1928, p. 44; Porter & Moss V (1937), pp. 146-49.
  8. Ryholt, The Political Situation, p. 344.
  9. Macadams, M.F.L.: Gleanings from the Bankes MSSIn: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology32 (1946), 60, pl. VIII; H.A. Wild: A Bas-Relief of SekhemRe-Sewadjtowe Sebkhotpe In: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology37 (1951), p. 12-16.
  10. Martin, G.T., Egyptian Administrative and Private Name Seals Oxford 1971, n. 575-588. ISBN   0900416017. S2CID   107104556.
  11. BM EA 30506.
  12. Louvre Museum C8.
  13. Mirgissa 32-1-120.
  14. BMFA, Ryholt 1997:344; unclear if this is the same impression as Mirgissa 32-1-120.
  15. "Turin King List: Column 7" . Retrieved 2024-11-02.

Bibliography

Preceded by Pharaoh of Egypt
Thirteenth Dynasty
Succeeded by