Shoshenq III

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Shoshenq III
Pharaoh of Egypt
Reign	837–798 BC,  22nd Dynasty
Predecessor	Osorkon II
Successor	Shoshenq IV
Royal titulary ----
Consort(s)	Djed-Bast-Es-Ankh, Tjesbastperu
Children	Ankhesen-Shoshenq, Bakennefi A, Pashedbast B, Pimay, Takelot C
Died	798 BC
Burial	NRT V, Tanis

King Usermaatre Setepenre or Usimare Setepenamun Shoshenq III ruled Egypt's 22nd Dynasty for 39 years according to contemporary historical records. Two Apis Bulls were buried in the fourth and 28th years 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, although Christian Settipani claims that filiation as probable.

From Shoshenq III's eighth regnal year, 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, most Egyptologists today accept that Taklot II's 25th regnal year is equivalent to Shoshenq III's 22nd year.^[1]

[edit] Family

Shoshenq III married Djed-Bast-Es-Ankh, the daughter of Takelot, a High Priest of Ptah at Memphis, and Tjesbastperu, Osorkon II's daughter.^[2] He had at least 4 sons and 1 daughter: Ankhesen-Shoshenq, Bakennefi A, Pashedbast B, Pimay the 'Great Chief of the Ma', and Takelot C, a Generalissimo. A certain Padehebenbast may also have been another son of Shoshenq III but this is not certain. They all appear to have predeceased their father through his nearly four decade long rule. Shoshenq III's third son, Pimay ('The Lion' in Egyptian), was once thought to be identical with king Pami ('The Cat' in Egyptian), but it is now believed that they are two different individuals, due to the separate orthography and meaning of their names. Instead, it was an unrelated individual named Shoshenq IV who ultimately succeeded Shoshenq III.

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

[edit] Notes

1. ^ David Aston, JEA 75 (1989), pp.139-153)
2. ^ Nos ancêtres de l'Antiquité, 1991. Christian Settipani, p.153,163,164 and 166