Intef II

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Intef II
Inyotef II, Antef II
Funerary stele of Intef II, on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Funerary stele of Intef II, on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Pharaoh of Egypt
Reign 2118–2069 BC,  11th dynasty
Predecessor Intef I
Successor Intef III
Royal titulary
Died 2069 BC

Intef II was a Pharaoh of the Eleventh dynasty during the First Intermediate Period. His capital lay at Thebes. At this time, Egypt was split between several local dynasties. After the death of the nomarch Ankhtifi, Intef was able to unite all the southern nomes down to the First Cataract. After this he clashed with his main rivals, the nomarchs of Herakleopolis Magna for the possession of Abydos. The city changed hands several times, but Intef was eventually victorious, extending his rule north to the thirteenth nome (see map).

After these wars, more friendly relations were established and the rest of Intef's reign was peaceful. The discovery of a statue of Intef II, wrapped in a sed festival robe, in the sanctuary of Heqaib at Elephantine suggests that this king's authority extended to the region of the First Cataract and, perhaps, over part of Lower Nubia by his 30th year.[3] This impression would appear to be confirmed by an expedition led by Djemi from Gebelein to the land of Wawat (ie: Nubia) during his reign.[4] Consequently when Intef II died, he left behind a strong government in Thebes which controlled the whole of Upper Egypt and maintained a border just south of Asyut.[5]

The earliest attested dating of the god Amun at Karnak occurs during his reign. The surviving sections of the Turin Canon for the Middle Kingdom with Intef II; it assigns this king a reign of 49 years.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Clayton, Peter A. Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. p72. 2006. ISBN 0-500-28628-0
  2. ^ Clayton, Peter A. Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. p72. 2006. ISBN 0-500-28628-0
  3. ^ Nicholas Grimal, A History of Ancient Egypt, Blackwell Books: 1992, p.145
  4. ^ Grimal, op. cit., p.145,
  5. ^ Grimal, op. cit., p.145
  6. ^ [1] The Ancient Egypt Web Site, Antef II, accessed September 7, 2007

[edit] Further reading

  • W. Grajetzki, The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt: History,Archaeology and Society, Duckworth, London 2006 ISBN 0-7156-3435-6, 12-15
Preceded by
Intef I		 Pharaoh of Egypt
Eleventh Dynasty		 Succeeded by
Intef III
 This article about Egyptology or subjects relating to ancient Egypt is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.