Sheshonq I, also known as Sesonchôsis, was an Egyptian pharaoh who reigned for about twenty years, between 945 and 924 BC. He is the founder of the XXII dynasty and is celebrated as a hero in the Amazigh calendar: Yennayer.
Sheshonq I managed to reunite Egypt and lead a successful campaign in Canaan. He also conquered Jerusalem and captured the treasures of Solomon's temple. These exploits are immortalized on the Bubastite portal, at Karnak.
Origins and descendants of Sheshonq I
The Pasenhor stele tells us about the origins and lineage of Sheshonq I. It details the ancestry of the latter, revealing that he comes from a line of influential personalities who occupied positions of responsibility from the end of the previous dynasty. He married Karoma I and Pentreshmes, with whom he had two sons, Osorkon I et Nimlot I. He also has two other children whose mothers are unknown.
Ascension and reign of Sheshonq I
The ascension of Sheshonq I coincides with the rise to power of the Mâchaouach, one of the peoples of the sea who had settled in the Nile delta around Bubastis. After gradually expanding their territory to Fayoum, they managed to take control of the kingdom's armed force.
Sheshonq I, who became pharaoh, succeeded in centralizing power by entrusting key positions to those close to him. For example, he named his son Nimlot I king of Heracleopolis, a key position in controlling Middle Egypt, and placed Iupout and Djedptahefânkh, two other of his sons, in charge of the Theban clergy.
Assured of the stability of his kingdom, Sheshonq I was able to carry out campaigns of expansion towards the east and the west, regaining control of key territories and restoring to Egypt an essential role in the region.
Architectural and cultural contributions
Sheshonq I also marked his reign with numerous architectural contributions, such as the restoration of the great temple of Khnum at Elephantine, the erection of a monument at Thebes, the construction of a complete temple at El Hibeh and the enlargement of the temple ofAmun in Tanis.
He also erected many statues dedicated to the goddess Sekhmet in the temple of Mut, in Thebes, making Bastet, associated with Sekhmet, the great national goddess.
Death and burial
The tomb of Sheshonq I was discovered in the funerary complex of Tanis. The tomb was richly decorated and contained a number of treasures, including a black granite sarcophagus. It was unearthed by Pierre Montet in 1939.
Despite successive lootings, Montet was able to recover several precious objects, including the fragments of a necklace with golden scarabs. These elements, as well as the sarcophagus itself, are exhibited in the Cairo Museum.
Inheritance
The legacy of Sheshonq I is undeniable. He founded a new dynasty and managed to restore some stability and revive Egypt's international prestige. Despite the instability that followed his reign, his impact was lasting.
Sheshonq I is also an interesting character from the perspective of biblical history. He is generally identified as the “Shishak” mentioned in the Book of Kings, who plundered Jerusalem.
His conquests and architectural achievements, such as the Bubastite portal at Karnak, are testimonies to the power and influence of Egypt in his time.
Overall, Sheshonq I marked the history of ancient Egypt and remains a leading figure of the XXII dynasty.
📋 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 | ||