Psusennes II, also known as Titkheperure or Tyetkheperre, was the last king of the Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt. His royal name, which means “Image of the Transformations of Re” in Egyptian, illustrates the close connection he had with the sun god, Re. As pharaoh and High Priest ofAmun à Thebes, Psusennes II was a key figure in this period of Egyptian history.
The family legacy of Psusennes II
Son of Pinedjem II and Istemkheb, Psusennes II is also identified as the High Priest of Amun known as Psusennes III. His daughter, Maatkare B, was the Royal Wife of Pharaoh Osorkon I. The dynasty of Psusennes II was therefore very involved in the religious and political government of the time.
The reign of Psusennes II: between mystery and archaeological discoveries
The length of the reign of Psusennes II is the subject of debate among Egyptologists. According to different versions of the Epitome of Manetho, Psusennes II would have reigned between 14 and 35 years, although the majority of scholars agree on a duration of 15 years. However, German Egyptologist Rolf Krauss recently suggested that Psusennes II's reign lasted 24 years, based on personal information recorded in the Great Stela of Dakhla.
Psusennes II and Shoshenq I: an intriguing association
Several objects have associated Psusennes II with his successor, Shoshenq I. For example, an ancient statue of Thutmose III contains two columns of texts, one referring to Psusennes II, the other to Shoshenq I. This association reinforces the idea that Psusennes II actually reigned, as British Egyptologist Aidan Dodson points out.
A pharaoh attested by new discoveries
Recently, a precise date for the reign of Psusennes II was revealed thanks to the discovery of a new sacerdotal annal block. This document records the enthronement of a priest named Nesankhefenmaat in the chapel of Amun-Re within the Karnak complex, in the 11th year of the reign of Psusennes II. This discovery constitutes the first sure date attesting to the reign of this pharaoh.
📋 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 | ||