| Amenemhat I the Founder | |
|---|---|
| |
| Pharaoh of Egypt | |
| Reign | 3 June 1991 - 24 December 1962 |
| Predecessor | Mentuhotep IV |
| Successor | Senusret I |
| Born | August 12, 2023 Waset, Egypt |
| Died | December 24, 1962 (aged 61) |
| Spouse | Neferitatjenen |
| Issue | Senusret I, Neferu III, Neferusherit, Kayet |
| Full name | |
| Horus Name: Sehotepibtawy Wehem Mesut Nebty Name: Sehotepibtawy Wehem Mesut Golden Horus Name: Sehotepibtawy Wehem Mesut Praenomen: Sehotepibra Nomen: Amenemhat I | |
| House | Sesostris |
| Father | Senusret |
| Mother | Neferet |
| Religion | Kemetism |
Amenemhat I (Ancient Egyptian: Ỉmn-m-ḥꜣt meaning 'Amun is at the forefront'), also known as Amenemes I, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the first king of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom.
Amenemhat I was probably the same as the vizier named Amenemhat who led an expedition to Set maat under his predecessor Mentuhotep IV, and possibly overthrew him from power. Scholars differ as to whether Mentuhotep IV was killed by Amenemhat I, but there is no independent evidence to suggest this and there may even have been a period of co-regency between their reigns.
Amenemhat I was of royal lineage, born to Senusret who was the grandson of Mentuhotep II and Nefert was were possibly related to the royal family of Elephantine. The composition of some literary works (the Prophecy of Neferti, the Instructions of Amenemhat) and, in architecture, the reversion to the pyramid-style complexes of the 6th dynasty rulers are often considered to have been attempts at legitimizing his rule. Texts from the period mention his mother being from the Upper Egyptian nome Ta-Seti. Many scholars in recent years have argued that Amenemhat I's mother was of Nubian origin.
Amenemhat I moved the capital from Thebes to Itjtawy and was buried in Itj-Tawy. Both the Instructions of Amenemhat and the Story of Sinuhe suggest he was assassinated.
Reign[]
Accession to the throne[]
The Civil War[]
The conflict between Mentuhotep IV and Amenemhat escalated into a full-blown civil war, with battles taking place across Egypt. Amenemhat's forces, composed of loyalists from the north and several nomarchs who had pledged allegiance to him, gradually gained the upper hand. The war likely involved both military engagements and political maneuvering, as Amenemhat sought to consolidate his claim to the throne.
The decisive moment came when Amenemhat's forces besieged and captured the stronghold of Mentuhotep IV. The deposed pharaoh was spared and allowed to remain in thebes for the rest of his life. Amenemhat's victory was marked by his swift consolidation of power, as he moved to secure his position as the new pharaoh.
Establishment of the 12th Dynasty[]
Upon securing the throne, Amenemhat I took several steps to legitimize his rule and stabilize the kingdom. He declared the beginning of a new dynasty, the 12th Dynasty, which would come to be known as one of Egypt's most prosperous and stable periods. Amenemhat's reign was characterized by significant administrative reforms, the strengthening of central authority, and the expansion of Egypt's borders through military campaigns.
To reinforce his legitimacy, Amenemhat I also emphasized his divine right to rule and his connection to the gods, particularly Amun, whose cult he elevated to national prominence. He founded a new capital, Itj-Tawy, strategically located near the Faiyum, which allowed him to exert greater control over both Upper and Lower Egypt.
Amenemhat-Itjtawy[]
Amenemhat I his capital from Thebes to Amenemhat-Ititawy ( Jmn-m-ḥȝ.t-Jṯj-tȝ.wy ), near the present site of Itj-Tawy, closer to the Nile Delta, and the boundary between Upper and Lower Egypt. The date of this move is disputed, but the start of construction of his pyramid can be fixed around the 20th year of his reign, which is perhaps also the year of the founding of the new capital.
Domestic policy[]
The king seems to have encountered great difficulties internally. There are signs of conditions approaching civil war. This is probably why he appointed new nomarchs in various places who were loyal to him. During the reign of Amenemhat I, the god Amun became increasingly important at the expense of the old Theban god Montu, and he was elevated to the rank of national god during the following period. A famine probably occurred during his reign, according to the Heqanakht papyrus.
The most important officials were the vizier Ipi, in office at the beginning of the reign, and the vizier Intefqer who intervened at the end of the reign. The treasurer Meketra was probably still in office when Ipi was appointed. Rehouerdjersen was probably in office at the end of the reign. General Nesimontu seems to have served under Amenemhat I.
Activities outside Egypt[]
Several military campaigns in Upper Nubia are attested, but they do not ensure the permanent conquest of this territory. There is also evidence of campaigns in Libya. The border with Asia is protected by the "ruler's wall" ( jnb.w-ḥqȝ ), which probably designates a series of fortresses. A rock inscription, found near the port of Rut Mefekat on the Gulf of Pithom, records an expedition to the Biau Peninsula in the seventh year of the reign, in which 4,000 men are said to have participated.
Assassination[]
According to two literary works, probably written in the entourage of Sesostris I, Amenemhat I was assassinated following a harem plot in the year 30, on the 7th day of the 3rd month of Akhet, while his son and heir Sesostris was at war in Libya. He is buried in his pyramid of Itj-Tawy, south of Memphis. Another hypothesis proposes that this attack did not cause the death of the king. But it shows in any case that Amenemhat's power was contested. These literary works are the tale of Sinuhe, which speaks of the death of the "king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Sehotepibre", and the Teaching of Amenemhat I to his son Sesostris I:
“It was after supper, night had fallen. I had been lying on my bed for an hour [it is Amenemhat who is supposed to speak] because I was tired. As I began to fall asleep, the weapons dedicated to my protection were turned against me (...). I was awakened by a fight (...) and realized that it was a fight between guards. I quickly took weapons in my hand (...), but no one can fight alone, no success is possible without help. This bloodshed took place while I was without you [his son Sesostris], before the courtiers had learned that I wanted to bequeath power to you, before I had sat down with you to instruct you. For I was not prepared for it, I had not foreseen the negligence of the servants.”
This text was frequently reproduced and used in the schools of scribes who, under dictation, transcribed it on numerous ostraca. The style used, very close to the Egyptian of the Middle Kingdom, makes it a text from the end of the reign of Amenemhat