Twelfth dynasty of Egypt

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Twelfth dynasty of Egypt

The Eleventh (all of Egypt), Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Dynasties of ancient Egypt are often combined under the group title, Middle Kingdom

Middle Kingdom of Egypt

The middle kingdom is the period in the history of ancient Egypt stretching from the establishment of the Eleventh dynasty of Egypt to the end of the Fourteenth dynasty of Egypt, roughly between 2040 BC and 1640 BC....
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n rulers, in the History of Egypt

History of Egypt

The history of Egypt is the longest continuous history, as a unified state, of any country in the world. The Nile valley forms a natural geographic and economic unit, bounded to the east and west by deserts, to the north by the sea and to the south by the Cataracts of the Nile....
, for the Twelfth Dynasty are as follows:

The chronology of the Twelfth Dynasty is the most stable of any period before the New Kingdom

New Kingdom

The New Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in ancient Egyptian History of Ancient Egypt between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt, and Twentieth dynasty of Egypt....
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The Eleventh (all of Egypt), Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Dynasties of ancient Egypt are often combined under the group title, Middle Kingdom

Middle Kingdom of Egypt

Rulers

Known rulers, in the History of Egypt

History of Egypt

**Twelfth Dynasty**
Name	Dates
Amenemhat I Amenemhat I Amenemhat I, also Amenemhet I, was the first ruler of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt . He ruled from Twelfth dynasty of Egypt.Amenemhet I was not of royal lineage, and the composition of some literary works and, in architecture, the reversion to the pyramid-style complexes of the Sixth dynasty of Egypt rulers are often considered to...	1991 BC – 1962 BC
Senusret I Senusret I Senusret I was the second pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from 1971 BC to 1926 BC, and was one of the most powerful kings of this Dynasty.... (Sesostris I)	1971 BC – 1926 BC
Amenemhat II Amenemhat II Nubkhaure Amenemhat II was the third pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of Ancient Egypt, not much is known about his reign. He ruled Egypt for 35 years from 1929 BC to 1895 BC and was the son of Senusret I through the latter's chief wife, Queen Nefru....	1929 BC – 1895 BC
Senusret II Senusret II Khakeperre Senusret II was the fourth pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from 1897 BC to 1878 BC. His pyramid was constructed at El-Lahun.... (Sesostris II)	1897 BC – 1878 BC
Senusret III Senusret III Khakhaure Senusret III was a pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC, and was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt.... (Sesostris III)	1878 BC – 1839 BC
Amenemhat III Amenemhat III Amenemhat III, also spelled Amenemhet III , was a pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from ca.1860 BC to ca.1814 BC, the latest known date being found in a papyrus dated to Regnal Year 46, I Akhet 22 of his rule....	1860 BC – 1814 BC
Amenemhat IV Amenemhat IV Amenemhat IV, alt. Amenemhet IV or Sobehneferu, was Pharaoh, likely ruling between ca. 1815 BC and ca. 1806 BC. He served first as the junior coregent of Amenemhat III and completed the latter's temple at Medinet Maadi, which is "the only intact temple still existing from the Middle Kingdom" according to Zahi Hawass, Secretary-General o...	1815 BC – 1806 BC
Sobekneferu Sobekneferu Sobekneferu was an ancient Egypt female pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt. Her name meant "the beauties of Sobek." She was the daughter of Pharaoh Amenemhat III....	1806 BC – 1802 BC

The chronology of the Twelfth Dynasty is the most stable of any period before the New Kingdom

New Kingdom

Manetho

Manetho was an Egyptian historian and priest from Sebennytos who lived during the Ptolemaic dynasty, ca. 3rd century BC. Manetho wrote the Aegyptiaca ....
stated that it was based in Thebes

Thebes, Egypt

Thebes was a city in Ancient Egypt located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the river Nile . It was the capital of Waset, the fourth Upper Egyptian Nome ....
, but from contemporary records it is clear that the first king moved its capital to a new city named "Amenemhat-itj-tawy" ("Amenemhat the Siezer of the Two Lands"), more simply called Itjtawy

Itjtawy

Itjtawy , is the as-yet unidentified location of the royal city founded by Twelfth dynasty of Egypt Egyptians King Amenemhat I during year 20 of his reign....
. The location of Itjtaway has not been found, but is thought to be near the Fayyum, probably near the royal graveyards at el-Lisht

El-Lisht

Lisht or el-Lisht is an Egyptian village located south of Cairo. It is the site of Middle Kingdom of Egypt royal and elite burials, including two pyramids built by Amenemhat I and Senusret I....
. Egyptologists consider this dynasty to be the apex of the Middle Kingdom

Middle Kingdom

The Middle Kingdom may refer to*China*The Middle Kingdom of Egypt*A group of midwest U.S. states associated with the Society for Creative Anachronism...
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The order of its rulers is well known from several sources — two lists recorded at temples in Abydos

Abydos, Egypt

Abydos , one of the most ancient cities of Upper and Lower Egypt, is about 11 km west of the Nile at latitude 26? 10' N. The Egyptian name of both the eighth Nome of Upper Egypt and its capital city was Abdju, technically, 3bdw as in the hieroglyphs shown to the right, the hill of the symbol or reliquary, in which...
and one at Saqqara

Saqqara

Saqqara or Sakkara, Saqqarah is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis, Egypt....
, as well as Manetho

Manetho

Manetho was an Egyptian historian and priest from Sebennytos who lived during the Ptolemaic dynasty, ca. 3rd century BC. Manetho wrote the Aegyptiaca ....
's work. Because a recorded date during the reign of Senusret III

Senusret III

Khakhaure Senusret III was a pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC, and was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt....
can be correlated to the Sothic cycle

Sothic cycle

The Sothic cycle or Canicular period is a period of 1461 ancient Egyptian years or 1460 Julian calendar years . During a Sothic cycle, the 365-day year loses enough time that the start of the year once again coincides with the heliacal rising of the star Sirius ....
, many events during this dynasty are frequently assigned to a year BC or BCE

Common Era

Common Era, abbreviated as CE, is a designation for the calendar system most commonly used in the Western world, and also internationally, for numbering the year part of the calendar date....
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The pharaohs of the Twelfth Dynasty are credited with the earliest known construction of a canal running through the Wadi Tumilat; it would later be renewed under kings Necho II

Necho II

Necho II was a king of the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt , and the son of Psammetichus I by his Great Royal Wife Mehtenweskhet. His prenomen or royal name Wahemibre means "Carrying out the Wish of Ra Forever." Necho played a significant role in the histories of the Assyrian Empire, Babylonia and the Kingdom of Judah....
and Darius I

Darius I of Persia

Darius I or Darius the Great was the son of Hystaspes and Persian Empire from 522 BC to 486 BC. Darius is the dominant Latin language spelling used by the Roman historians....
; (see Darius the Great's Suez Inscriptions

Darius the Great's Suez Inscriptions

Darius the Great's Suez Inscriptions were texts written in Old Persian, Median, Assyrian and Egyptian language on five monuments erected in Wadi Tumilat, commemorating the opening of a canal between the Nile and The Bitter Lakes....
).

Amenemhat I and Senusret I

This dynasty was founded by Amenemhat I

Amenemhat I

Amenemhat I, also Amenemhet I, was the first ruler of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt . He ruled from Twelfth dynasty of Egypt.Amenemhet I was not of royal lineage, and the composition of some literary works and, in architecture, the reversion to the pyramid-style complexes of the Sixth dynasty of Egypt rulers are often considered to...
, who may had been vizier

Vizier (Ancient Egypt)

The vizier was the highest official in Ancient Egypt to serve the king, or pharaoh during the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Vizier is the generally accepted rendering of ancient Egyptian tjati, tjaty etc, among Egyptologists....
to the last pharaoh

Pharaoh

Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. In antiquity this title began to be used for the ruler who was the religious and political leader of united ancient Egypt, only during the New Kingdom, specifically, during the middle of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt....
of the Eleventh Dynasty

Eleventh dynasty of Egypt

The Eleventh dynasty of ancient Egypt was one group of rulers, whose earlier members are grouped with the four preceding dynasties to form the First Intermediate Period, while the later members are considered part of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt....
, Mentuhotep IV

Mentuhotep IV

Nebtawyre Mentuhotep IV was the last king of the 11th Dynasty. He seems to fit into a 7 year period in the Turin Canon for which there is no recorded king, and is known from a few inscriptions in Wadi Hammamat that record expeditions to the Red Sea coast and to quarry stone for the royal monuments....
. His armies campaigned south as far as the Second Cataract of the Nile and into the Near East, and he reestablished diplomatic relations with Byblos

Byblos

Byblos is the Greek language name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic language name of Jbeil and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades....
and the rulers in the Aegean Sea

Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkans and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey respectively....
. His son Senusret I

Senusret I

Senusret I was the second pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from 1971 BC to 1926 BC, and was one of the most powerful kings of this Dynasty....
followed his father's triumphs with an expedition south to the Third Cataract, but the next rulers were content to live in peace and enjoy the trade and tribute brought to them until the reign of Senusret III.

Senusret II

Finding Nubia

Nubia

Nubia is a region in Southern Egypt along the Nile and in what is now northern Sudan. Most of Nubia is situated in Sudan with about a quarter of its territory in Egypt....
had grown restive under the previous rulers, Senusret sent punitive expeditions into that land; he also sent an expedition into the Levant

Levant

The Levant describes, traditionally, the Eastern Mediterranean at large, but can be used as a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia formed by the lands bordering the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean, roughly bounded on the north by the Taurus Mountains, on the south by the Arabian Desert, and on the west by the M...
. These military campaigns gave birth to a legend of a mighty warrior named Sesostris

Sesostris

Sesostris was the name of a legendary king of ancient Egypt who led a military expedition into parts of Europe, as related by Herodotus....
, a story retold by Manetho, Herodotus

Herodotus

Herodotus of Halicarnassus was a Greeks historian who lived in the 5th century BC and is regarded as the "Father of History" in Western culture....
, and Diodorus Siculus

Diodorus Siculus

Diodorus Siculus , was a Roman Greece historian who flourished in the 1st century BC. According to Diodorus' own work, he was born at Agira in Sicily ....
. This conqueror not only subdued the lands as had Senusret III, but also conquered Asia and had crossed over into Europe to annex Thrace

Thrace

Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. Today the name Thrace designates a region spread over southern Bulgaria , northeastern Greece , and European Turkey ....
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Amenemhat III

Senusret's successor Amenemhat III

Amenemhat III

Amenemhat III, also spelled Amenemhet III , was a pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from ca.1860 BC to ca.1814 BC, the latest known date being found in a papyrus dated to Regnal Year 46, I Akhet 22 of his rule....
reaffirmed his predecessor's foreign policy. However, after Amenemhat, the energies of this dynasty were largely spent, and the growing troubles of government were left to the dynasty's last ruler, Queen Sobekneferu

Sobekneferu

Sobekneferu was an ancient Egypt female pharaoh of the Twelfth dynasty of Egypt. Her name meant "the beauties of Sobek." She was the daughter of Pharaoh Amenemhat III....
, to resolve. Amenemhat was remembered for the mortuary temple at Hawara

Hawara

Hawara is an archaeological site of Ancient Egypt, south of the site of Crocodilopolis at the entrance to the depression of the Al Fayyum oasis....
that he built, known to Herodotus, Diodorus, and Strabo

Strabo

Strabo was a Ancient Greeks history, geography and philosophy....
as the "Labyrinth

Labyrinth

In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos....
". Also under his reign the marshy Fayyum was first exploited.

Ancient Egyptian literature

It is during the Twelfth dynasty that we find the Ancient Egyptian literature

Ancient Egyptian literature

Ancient Egyptian literature comprises texts written in the Egyptian language during the History of ancient Egypt of Egypt. Writing first appeared in association with kingship on labels and tags for items found in royal tombs....
being refined. Perhaps best known from this period is The Story of Sinuhe, of which several hundred papyrus

Papyrus

Papyrus is a thick paper material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland Cyperaceae that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt....
copies have been recovered. Also written during this dynasty were a number of Didactic works, such as the Instructions of Amenemhat
Instructions of Amenemhat

Instructions of Amenemhat is a short ancient Egyptian poem written during the early Middle Kingdom of Egypt. The poem takes the form of an intensely dramatic monologue delivered by the ghost of the murdered 12th Dynasty pharaoh Amenemhat I to his son Senusret I....
and The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant
The Eloquent Peasant

The Eloquent Peasant is an Ancient Egyptian story about a peasant, Khun-Anup, who stumbles upon the property of the noble Rensi son of Meru, guarded by its harsh overseer, Nemtynakht....
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Pharaohs of the Twelfth through Eighteenth Dynasty

Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt

The Eighteenth Dynasty is perhaps the best known of all the dynasties of ancient Egypt. As well as a number of Egypt's most powerful pharaohs, it included Tutankhamun, whose tomb, uncovered by Howard Carter in 1922, was one of the greatest of all archaeological discoveries, being completely undisturbed by tomb robbers....
are also credited with preserving for us some of the most remarkable Egyptian

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt was an Ancient history civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile in what is now the modern nation of Egypt....
papyri

Papyrus

Papyrus is a thick paper material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland Cyperaceae that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt....
:

1800 BC – Berlin Papyrus
Timeline of mathematics

A timeline of pure mathematics and applied mathematics mathematics...
1800 BC – Moscow Mathematical Papyrus
Moscow Mathematical Papyrus

The Moscow Mathematical Papyrus is also called the Golenischev Mathematical Papyrus, after its first owner, Egyptologist Vladimir Goleni?cev....
1650 BC – Rhind Mathematical Papyrus
Rhind Mathematical Papyrus

The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus , is named after Alexander Henry Rhind, a Scotland antiquarian, who purchased the papyrus in 1858 in Luxor, Egypt; it was apparently found during illegal excavations in or near the Ramesseum....
1600 BC – Edwin Smith papyrus
Edwin Smith papyrus

The Edwin Smith Papyrus is the only surviving copy of part of an Ancient Egyptian textbook on Physical trauma surgery. It is among the world's earliest surviving examples of medical literature, the Kahun Gynecological Papyrus being older, and is the world's oldest surgical document....
1550 BC – Ebers papyrus
Ebers papyrus

The Ebers Papyrus of about 16th century BC is among the most important medical papyri of ancient Egypt. It is also commonly called Papyrus Ebers ....

Twelfth dynasty of Egypt

Rulers

Amenemhat I and Senusret I

Senusret II

Amenemhat III

Ancient Egyptian literature

See also