Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt

Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt
1077 BC–943 BC
Gold funerary mask of pharaoh Psusennes I
Capital	Tanis
Common languages	Egyptian language
Religion	Ancient Egyptian Religion
Government	Absolute monarchy
Historical era	Third Intermediate Period of Egypt
• Established	1077 BC
• Disestablished	943 BC
Preceded by Succeeded by Twentieth Dynasty of Egypt Twenty-second Dynasty of Egypt

The Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt (notated Dynasty XXI, alternatively 21st Dynasty or Dynasty 21) is usually classified as the first Dynasty of the Ancient Egyptian Third Intermediate Period, lasting from 1077 BC to 943 BC.

History

After the reign of Ramesses III, a long, slow decline of royal power in Egypt followed. The pharaohs of the Twenty-first Dynasty ruled from Tanis, but were mostly active only in Lower Egypt, which they controlled. This dynasty is described as 'Tanite' because its political capital was based at Tanis. Meanwhile, the High Priests of Amun at Thebes effectively ruled Middle and Upper Egypt in all but name. The later Egyptian Priest Manetho of Sebennytos states in his Epitome on Egyptian royal history that "the 21st Dynasty of Egypt lasted for 130 years". ^[1]

Pharaohs of the 21st Dynasty

Main article: List of pharaohs

Dynasty XXI Kings of Egypt

Pharaoh	Image	Prenomen (Throne name)	Horus-name	Reign	Burial	Consort(s)	Comments
Smendes / Nesbanebdjed I		Hedjkheperre Setepenre	Kanakhtmeryreseuser Amunkhepesheferseqamaat	1077 - 1051 BC	unknown	Tentamun	Only controlled Lower Egypt during his reign. Founder of the 21st Dynasty.
Amenemnisu		Neferkare Heqawaset	(unknown)	1051 - 1047 BC	unknown
Psusennes I / Hor-Pasebakhaenniut I		Akheperre Setepenamun	Kanakhtemdedamun Userfausekhaemwaset	1047 - 1001 BC	NRT III, Tanis	Mutnedjemet Wiay	Precise length of reign unknown. Either 41 or 46 years.
Amenemope		Usermaatre Setepenamun	(unknown)	1001 - 992 BC	Tanis		Manetho writes in his Epitome that Amenemope ruled Egypt for 9 years.
Osorkon the Elder		Akheperre Setepenre	(unknown)	992 - 986 BC	unknown		Osorkon the elder ruled Egypt for 6 years.
Siamun		Netjerkheperre Setepenamun	Kanakhtmerymat Sameryenamunperemhauef	986 - 967 BC	unknown		Siamun is believed to have ruled Egypt for 19 years. Egyptologists have amended Manetho's figure of 9 years for this king to [1]9 years based on a Year 17 known for him in the Karnak Priestly Annals
Psusennes II / Hor-Pasebakhaenniut II		Titkheperure Setepenre	(unknown)	967 - 943 BC	unknown

Timeline of the 21st Dynasty

Footnotes

1. Kenneth A. Kitchen, The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100–650 BC), 3rd edition, 1986, Warminster: Aris & Phillips Ltd, p.531

Further reading

• Jaroslav Černý, Studies in the Chronology of the Twenty-First Dynasty, JEA 32 (1946), 24-30

See also

• Family tree of the Twenty-first, Twenty-second, and Twenty-third Dynasties of Egypt
• Theban High Priests of Amun

External links

• http://www.narmer.pl/dyn/21en.htm