Sethnakht, also called Seti III, was the first pharaoh of the XXe dynasty, and he reigned in a troubled time, marked by the end of the New Empire Egyptian. His reign was relatively short, but he managed to stabilize the country and establish the foundations for his dynasty.
Ascension to the throne
The circumstances surrounding Sethnakht's ascension to the throne are somewhat obscure. We know that he did not belong to the royal line of the XIXth dynasty, and it seems that he was a general or a high official before coming to power. He took advantage of the troubles that afflicted Egypt at that time to seize the throne.
Restoration of order
One of the main challenges Setnakht faced early in his reign was the restoration of order and stability in Egypt. The country had been weakened by internal conflicts, foreign invasions and economic problems. Sethnakht strove to restore royal authority and pacify the country.
Setnakht also took steps to strengthen the Egyptian economy, reforming the administration and restoring control over resources and temples. These efforts contributed to the stabilization of the country and the consolidation of the power of the XXe dynasty.
The reign
Sethnakht's reign was short, probably lasting less than ten years. Although his reign was relatively brief, it is significant for marking the transition from XIXe and the XXe dynasty and for allowing his son, Ramesses III, to ascend the throne in a more stable context.
In terms of architectural achievements, Sethnakht left no great monuments, but he commissioned restoration works in existing temples and had his name engraved on statues and obelisks.
The end of the reign and the legacy
Sethnakht died after a relatively short reign, and he was buried in an unfinished tomb in the Valley of the Kings, tomb KV14, which was later reused and enlarged for his daughter-in-law Tawosret.
Sethnakht's legacy lies primarily in his ability to stabilize Egypt and establish the foundations for the XXe dynasty, which lasted for almost 120 years. His son, Ramesses III, became one of the last great pharaohs of the New Empire, and he is largely indebted to Sethnakht for the favorable conditions under which he was able to reign.
📋 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 | ||