Shoshenq III

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King Usimare Setepenamun Shoshenq III ruled Egypt's 22nd Dynasty for 39 Years according to contemporary historical records. Two Apis Bulls were buried in Year 4 and Year 28 of his reign and he celebrated his Heb Sed Jubilee in his Regnal Year 30. Little is known of the precise basis for his successful claim to the throne since he was not a son of Osorkon II and Shoshenq's parentage and family ties are unknown.

From Shoshenq III's Regnal Year 8, his reign was marked by the loss of Egypt's political unity, with the appearance of Pedubast I at Thebes. Henceforth, the kings of the 22nd Dynasty only controlled Lower Egypt. The Theban High Priest Osorkon B (the future Osorkon III) did date his activities at Thebes and (Upper Egypt) to Shoshenq III's reign but this was solely for administrative reasons since Osorkon did not declare himself king after the death of his father, Takelot II. On the basis of Osorkon B's well known Chronicle document, most Egyptologists today accept that Year 25 of Takelot II is equivalent to Year 22 of Shoshenq III. (see D. Aston, JEA 75(1989), pp.139-153)

[edit] Family

Shoshenq III had at least 4 sons–Bakennefi A, Pashedbast B, Pimay who was known as the 'Great Chief of the Ma, son of the Lord of the Two Lands, Shoshenq', and Takeloth C–but they all appear to have predeceased their father through his nearly 4 decade long rule. Shoshenq's third son, Pimay ('The Lion' in Egyptian), was once thought to be identical with king Pami ('The Cat'), but it is now believed that they are two different individuals, due to the separate orthography and meaning of their names.

Shoshenq III was buried in the looted Royal Tomb NRT V at Tanis.