| Nebiriau VII the Good Husband | |
|---|---|
| |
| Pharaoh of Egypt | |
| Reign | 3 January 1480 – 6 February 1502 |
| Coronation | 29 January 1480 (Mendes) 26 june 1491 (Mennefer) 28 September 1491 (Waset) |
| Predecessor | Unas IV |
| Successor | Senusret VIII |
| Co-Ruler | Hatshepsut VI |
| Born | April 23, 1458 Palace of Mendes, Djededet, Egypt |
| Died | December 9, 1506 (aged 48) |
| Spouse | Hatshepsut VI |
| Issue | Senusret VIII, King of Egypt Amongst Others |
| Full name | |
| Horus Name: Kanakht Tutmesut Sekhemra Khutawy Nebty Name: Wehemmesut Sekhemkhepesh Golden Horus Name: Userrenput Djeserkhau Praenomen: Sara Nebmaatra Setepensatis Nomen: Nebiriau Saanhur Merenptah | |
| House | Nebiriau |
| Father | Unas IV |
| Mother | Sobekneferu XV |
| Religion | Kemetism |
Nebiriau VII (born Nebiriau Sahura Unas Sobekhotep Imyremeshaw April 23, 1458 – December 9, 1506) was the Pharaoh of Lower Egypt from 1480 until his voluntary abdication in 1502. He succeeded his father, Unas IV, and was crowned on January 29, 1480. Nebiriau's reign, along with that of his wife, Hatshepsut, marked the beginning of the Modern Kingdom of Egypt. They worked together to reunify a divided Egypt, with Hatshepsut taking an active role in governance after being crowned Queen of Upper Egypt in 1589.
Under their rule, they successfully restored Egyptian control over key cities, such as Syene and Elephantine, and embarked on ambitious construction projects, including the port city of Nebiriauniut. The couple's reign ushered in a period of political and cultural renewal. Tragically, Queen Hatshepsut died in 1502, which led Nebiriau to voluntarily abdicate—a rare and unprecedented move in Egyptian history. He spent his final years advising his son and passed away in 1506, leaving behind a legacy of a unified and prosperous Egypt.
Nebiriau's wife and co-ruler Hatshepsut VI
Early Life[]
Nebiriau Sahura Unas Sobekhotep Imyremeshaw was born on April 23, 1458, to Crown Prince Unas and Crown Princess Sobekneferu during the reign of his great-grandfather, Unas III. At the time of his birth, Egypt had recently been divided. His great-grandfather had rebelled and seized Lower Egypt from his great-great-grandfather, Neferhotep V, out of paranoia that Neferhotep intended to disinherit him in favor of his brother, Mentuhotep.
Upon Nebiriau’s birth, King Neferhotep V sent a letter to Sais requesting to see his great-great-grandson. Although both Nebiriau’s father, Unas, and grandfather, Sahura, considered this a rightful request, a stubborn Unas III refused to allow it. On July 6, 1459, Crown Prince Sahura organized a clandestine meeting in which Nebiriau was secretly presented to his great-great-grandfather. Less than a year later, Neferhotep V died, and the Menkheperuran Dynasty officially split into two branches. Pharaoh Unas III became a reviled figure for dividing the kingdom and committing the ultimate taboos of betraying both his father and his king. The people's hopes turned to Crown Prince Sahura.
Unas III died in 1469, and his funeral was sparsely attended. Until the death of Dedumose VIII, Unas III’s funeral had the smallest turnout in memory. Upon ascending the throne as Sahura VI, the new king began negotiating a treaty with Merenptah VII, the King of Upper Egypt. The two rulers agreed to a peace treaty and a non-aggression pact. Sahura VI’s son and successor, Unas IV, later negotiated a military alliance with Dedumose VII. As part of the alliance, a marriage was arranged between Unas IV’s heiress, Hatshepsut, and Nebiriau. Although neither party was thrilled about this clause of the treaty, they eventually came to depend on one another.
In January 1480, Unas IV died, and Nebiriau succeeded him as king.
Reign[]
In 1480, Nebiriau ascended to the throne of Lower Egypt upon the death of his father, Unas IV. As Nebiriau VII, he was crowned on 29 January 1480 in Mendes at the age of 21. Notably absent was his wife, Hatshepsut, who was not only pregnant but also the heir to a rival claimant to the throne.
In 1581, Nebiriau’s first child, Princess Shepenwepet, was born. The following year, in 1582, Nebiriau ordered the construction of a temple to Bastet in Bubastis, known as Bubasteum. However, in 1582, Nubian King Shabaka IV attacked Upper Egypt as part of a treaty between Unas IV and Merenptah VII. Nebiriau VII was required to send aid. For four years, Egyptian forces battled the Kingdom of Nubia, but they were ultimately defeated. The divided state of the Egyptian crown reignited the ancient rivalry between the lands of Nekhbet and Wadjet. The victorious Nubian army marched as far as the gates of Thebes, forcing King Dedumose VII to sign a peace treaty in which he relinquished the lands between Syene and Behdet. This humiliation prompted Egypt to begin collaborating more actively. Egypt would not recover both cities until 1500.
In 1484, Nebiriau VII’s son was born to Crown Princess Hatshepsut of Upper Egypt. Nebiriau and Hatshepsut decided to name him Senusret, after Senusret the Blessed, founder of the Menkheperure dynasty. In 1486, Nebiriau began construction of the port city of Nebiriauniut on the northern coast of Egypt.
In 1589, King Dedumose VII died, and Nebiriau's wife, Hatshepsut, was crowned Queen in Thebes, now finally sovereign in her own right. Hatshepsut began taking an active role in government. In 1490, she created the Transitional Council, which merged the institutions of both kingdoms into a single one, beginning with the army. Decrees were signed with Hatshepsut’s name first, as she was considered the more legitimate ruler due to her great-great-grandfather, Mentuhotep X, being the chosen heir of King Neferhotep V. That same year, the monarchs moved their capital to Memphis, where they were both re-crowned as monarchs of their respective realms: Lower Egypt on 26 June 1491 and Upper Egypt on 28 September 1491.
In 1492, Nebiriau VII began organizing the Egyptian army for an attack on the cities of Syene and Elephantine. In 1594, he began fortifying Nekhen, Nekheb, and Waset. The following year, on 16 June 1595, Nebiriau launched simultaneous attacks on Elephantine and Syene. Despite initial resistance, the cities soon fell due to popular revolts. The Egyptian citizens massacred the Nubian garrisons, and by 2 July, both cities were firmly under Egyptian control. Nebiriau waited for the Nubian army to arrive, but it never came. Two weeks later, he learned that the Nubians had bypassed him and were attacking Thebes. Nebiriau led a large contingent to confront the Nubian army, only to discover that the Nubians had retreated and retaken Syene. Enraged, Nebiriau returned to Syene and began besieging it again. He ordered the fortification of Elephantine and began a siege by starving the city into submission. Nebiriau also sent a small contingent to raid Nubian towns. After two years, the Syene garrison surrendered. Princess Amanirenas was captured and used as leverage in the negotiations. In 1501, Egypt and Nubia signed a peace treaty, with the princess being released and the lands between Syene and Behdet restored to Egyptian control. Later that year, Nebiriau ordered the reconstruction of both cities. He and his wife approved new urban plans on 18 May 1501.
In August 1501, Queen Hatshepsut discovered she was pregnant again, and as a result, she passed most of her duties to her husband, Nebiriau. The political marriage had evolved into a loving relationship. On 1 February 1502, Hatshepsut went into labor, and the child was born that day. Tragically, the queen died of childbed fever on 5 February 1502. King Nebiriau, devastated by her death, made the unprecedented decision to voluntarily abdicate the throne the following day. As of 2052, he remains the only Pharaoh of the modern Kingdom to have abdicated and the first to do so since the 858 abdication of Sobekneferu VI.
Nebiriau lived another four years, during which he advised his son and became chief state councillor. He never recovered from Hatshepsut’s death and remained a gloomy figure for the rest of his life. He died on 9 December 1506.
Legacy[]
Nebiriau VII and his wife, Queen Hatshepsut, are credited with ushering in the era known as the Modern Kingdom of Egypt. Their reign marked a period of stability and consolidation, beginning with the unification of the divided Egyptian state. The couple’s leadership was pivotal in bringing together the lands of Lower and Upper Egypt, transforming them into a unified kingdom once more. Their efforts in governance, military strategy, and urban planning laid the foundation for Egypt’s resurgence.
Hatshepsut, especially after her coronation as queen in 1589, played a significant role in the administration, and together with Nebiriau, they implemented reforms that strengthened Egypt's political institutions. The creation of the Transitional Council and the strategic relocation of the capital to Memphis were essential steps in uniting the two realms.
Despite facing military setbacks, including a prolonged conflict with Nubia, Nebiriau’s leadership was crucial in regaining control of critical cities like Syene and Elephantine. His military acumen and diplomatic efforts led to the signing of peace treaties, the recovery of Egyptian territories, and the eventual rebuilding of the cities lost during the conflict.
The tragic death of Queen Hatshepsut in 1502 marked a turning point in Nebiriau’s reign, leading to his unprecedented abdication. His voluntary abdication in the wake of his wife’s death made him the first pharaoh to do so in centuries, leaving a lasting impact on the history of Egyptian monarchy.