Masaherta
Encyclopedia
Masaharta or Masaherta was the High Priest of Amun
High Priests of Amun at Thebes
While not regarded as a dynasty, the High Priests of Amun at Thebes were nevertheless of such power and influence that they were effectively the rulers of Upper Egypt from 1080 to c.943 BC, after this period their influence declined...

 at Thebes
Thebes, Egypt
Thebes is the Greek name for a city in Ancient Egypt located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the river Nile within the modern city of Luxor. The Theban Necropolis is situated nearby on the west bank of the Nile.-History:...

 between 1054 BC and 1045 BC.

His father was Pinedjem I
Pinedjem I
Pinedjem I was the High Priest of Amun at Thebes in Ancient Egypt from 1070 BC to 1032 BC and the de facto ruler of the south of the country from 1054 BC. He was the son of the High Priest Piankh. However, many Egyptologists today believe that the succession in the Amun priesthood actually ran from...

, who was the Theban High Priest of Amun and de facto ruler of Upper Egypt from 1070 BC, then declared himself pharaoh in 1054 BC and Masaharta succeeded him as high priest. His mother was probably Duathathor-Henuttawy
Duathathor-Henuttawy
Duathathor-Henuttawy or Henuttawy was an ancient Egyptian princess and later queen. She is likely to have been the daughter of Ramesses XI, last king of the 20th dynasty by Tentamun. She married Pinedjem I, the Theban High Priest of Amun who was de facto ruler of Upper Egypt and took on pharaonic...

, the daughter of Ramesses XI
Ramesses XI
Ramesses XI reigned from 1107 BC to 1078 BC or 1077 BC and was the tenth and final king of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. He ruled Egypt for at least 29 years although some Egyptologists think he could have ruled for as long as 30...

, last ruler of the 20th dynasty. His aunt Tentamun
Tentamun (21st dynasty)
Tentamun was an ancient Egyptian queen, the wife of Smendes of the 21st dynasty. She is likely to have been the daughter of Ramesses XI, last ruler of the previous dynasty...

, another daughter of Ramesses married Pharaoh Smendes I, who ruled Lower Egypt. One of Masaharta's brothers was Psusennes I
Psusennes I
Psusennes I, or Greek Ψουσέννης], Pasibkhanu or Hor-Pasebakhaenniut I Egyptian ḥor-p3-sib3-ḫˁỉ--niwt] was the third king of the Twenty-first dynasty of Egypt who ruled from Tanis between 1047 – 1001 BC...

, who followed Smendes's successor, the short-lived Amenemnisu
Amenemnisu
Neferkare Amenemnisu was a pharaoh during the 21st Dynasty of ancient Egypt.Amenemnisu's existence was only confirmed in 1940 when the tomb of his successor Psusennes I was discovered by Pierre Montet. A gold bow cap inscribed with both Amenemnisu's royal name, Neferkare, and that of his successor...

 as pharaoh.

Masaharta was responsible for the restoration of the mummy of Amenhotep I
Amenhotep I
Amenhotep I was the second Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt. His reign is generally dated from 1526 to 1506 BC. He was born to Ahmose I and Ahmose-Nefertari, but had at least two elder brothers, Ahmose-ankh and Ahmose Sapair, and was not expected to inherit the throne...

 in the 16th regnal year of Smendes. Several of his inscriptions are known from the Karnak
Karnak
The Karnak Temple Complex—usually called Karnak—comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II . Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some...

 temple of Amenhotep II
Amenhotep II
Amenhotep II was the seventh Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt. Amenhotep inherited a vast kingdom from his father Thutmose III, and held it by means of a few military campaigns in Syria; however, he fought much less than his father, and his reign saw the effective cessation of hostilities...

, from ram-headed sphinxes also in Karnak, and a large falcon statue. He died of illness around the 24th regnal year at el-Hiba. His mummy was found in the Deir el-Bahri cache
DB320
Tomb DB320 is located next to Deir el-Bahri, in the Theban Necropolis, opposite modern Luxor contained an extraordinary cache of mummified remains and funeral equipment of more than 50 kings, queens, royals and various nobility.-Usage of tomb:The tomb is thought to have initially been the last...

 along with several family members; it is now in Luxor
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...

. He was succeeded as high priest by his brother Djedkhonsuefankh
Djedkhonsuefankh
Djedkhonsuefankh was a High Priest of Amun in Thebes from 1046-1045 BC. He was the second son of Pinedjem I. He succeeded his brother Masaherta during a time of great turmoil in the city of Thebes. Von Beckerath has suggested that it is possible that he died a violent death, accounting for his very...

, who served only for a short time and was followed by another brother, Menkheperre
Menkheperre
Menkheperre, son of Pharaoh Pinedjem I by wife Henuttawy , was the High Priest of Amun at Thebes in Ancient Egypt from 1045 BC to 992 BC and de facto ruler of the south of the country....

. The God's Wife of Amun
God's Wife of Amun
God's Wife of Amun was the highest ranking priestess of the Amun cult, an important Ancient Egyptian religious institution centered in Thebes during the Egyptian 25th and 26th dynasties...

 was their sister Maatkare
Maatkare Mutemhat
Maatkare was an ancient Egyptian high priestess, a God's Wife of Amun during the 21st dynasty.-History:She was the daughter of High Priest of Amun Pinedjem I, who was the de facto ruler of Southern Egypt from 1070 BCE onwards, then proclaimed himself pharaoh in 1054 BCE. Her mother was...

during Masaharta's reign.

His wife is likely to have been the Singer of Amun Tayuheret, whose mummy was found in the Deir el-Bahri cachette. It is possible that he had a daughter called Isetemkheb, since a lady by this name is called the daughter of a high priest on her funerary objects; it is also possible, though, that she was Menkheperre's daughter.
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