Horemheb was the last pharaoh of the XVIIIe egyptian dynasty, reigning from 1319 to 1292 BC He succeeded Aÿ, who had left no legitimate successor. Prior to his accession to the throne, Horemheb had served as a general during the reigns of Akhenaten, Tutankhamun and Ay.
The military role of Horemheb
As general and commander-in-chief of the Egyptian armies, Horemheb played a crucial role in maintaining Egypt's stability and security during the troubles caused by Akhenaten's reign and the Amarna Revolution. Under the reign of Tutankhamun, he participated in the restoration of Egyptian religious and cultural traditions.
The restoration of order and tradition
When Horemheb became pharaoh, he strove to restore order and stability to Egypt after the upheavals caused by Akhenaten. He undertook a campaign of restoration of temples and monuments damaged or neglected during the Amarna period, and reestablished the worship of the old gods, in particular that ofAmun.
Administrative and judicial reforms
Horemheb also led administrative and judicial reforms to fight corruption and improve state efficiency. He reorganized the administration, restored royal authority and promulgated a new code of laws.
Buildings and monuments
Horemheb was an active builder, commissioning the construction and restoration of many temples and monuments. In particular, he completed the funerary temple of Tutankhamun in Thebes and enlarged the Temple of Amun in Karnak. He also had his own tomb, KV57, built in the Valley of the Kings.
Succession and inheritance
Horemheb had no children and appointed his vizier, Paramessou, as his successor. Paramessou became Ramesses I and founded the XIXth dynasty. Horemheb's legacy lies in his contribution to the restoration of order and tradition in Egypt after the Amarna period. His reign marked the end of the XVIIIe dynasty and paved the way for the XIXth dynasty and the period of greatness of the Ramseids.
📋 LIST OF EGYPTIAN SOVEREIGNS 📋
Hotepsekhemwey / Sneferka / Nebra / ninetjer / Senedj / Noubnefer / Horus Ba / Peribsen / Sekhemib / Khasekhemwy / Neferkasokar / | |||
Djoser / Sanakht / Sekhemkhet / Spoon / Huni | |||
Sekhemre-Khutaouy Amenemhat-/Sobekhotep I/Sekhemkare Amenemhat-Senbef/Sekhemkare Amenemhat V/Ameny-Qemaou/Hotepibre Qémaou-Sa-Hornejhéritef/Ioufeni/Séânkhibrê Amény-Antef-Amenemhat (or Amenemhat VI)/Semenkarê Nebnoun/Sehotepibrê Sousekhtaouy | |||
Sekhaenre Yakbim/Nebuuserre Yaammou/Khauserre Qareh | |||
Semqen/Aper-Anat/Sakir-Har/Khyan/Apophis I/Apophis II?/Khamoudy | |||
/Sekhemre-Sementaouy Djehouty/Sekhemre-Sousertaouy Sobekhotep VIII | |||
Twenty-first dynasty | |||
Twenty-second dynasty | |||
Twenty-third dynasty | |||
Twenty-fourth dynasty | |||
1st Persian Dynasty | |||
Thirty-first dynasty (Achaemenid) | 2nd Persian Dynasty | ||