Smenkhkare was an enigmatic pharaoh of the XVIIIe egyptian dynasty, whose reign would be around 1335 to 1334 BC. He was probably one of the successors of Akhenaten and the predecessor of Tutankhamun. The historical context of his reign is marked by the Amarna period, a time of religious and cultural upheaval in Egypt.
Identity and origins
Smenkhkare's identity remains a mystery to Egyptologists. It is possible that he was a son of Akhenaton or a brother of him. Some researchers have even suggested that Smenkhkare could be a woman, identified with Nefertiti or another wife of Akhenaten. However, these hypotheses remain highly debated and none have been definitively proven.
Rule and politics
Smenkhkare's reign was very short, probably less than two years, and few documentary sources survive to describe his policies. It is possible that Smenkhkare sought to ease religious tensions in Egypt by softening the monotheistic reform initiated by Akhenaten. However, this hypothesis is uncertain and remains subject to debate among Egyptologists.
Buildings and monuments
Due to the brevity of his reign and the lack of documentary sources, it is difficult to attribute any constructions or monuments to Smenkhkare with certainty. Some sources suggest that he commissioned work at the Temple of Aten in Karnak, but this information is inconclusive.
Succession and posterity
After Smenkhkare's death, Tutankhamun ascended the throne and began the restoration of ancient Egyptian cults. Smenkhkare's reign, though short and enigmatic, bears witness to the uncertainties and changes that characterized the Amarna period in Egypt.
📋 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 | ||