Tefnakht, whose reign takes place during the Third Intermediate Period, is a notable figure in Egyptian history. Originally from Sais, a city in the Nile delta, he was able to distinguish himself and impose his influence within the Egyptian political landscape of the time. He is not recognized as a pharaoh per se, but rather as the founder of the XXIVth dynasty, and his most frequent title is that of “great chief of the west”.
The autonomy of Sais and the ambitions of Tefnakht
During his reign, Tefnakht consolidated the autonomy of Sais and extended his control to other city-states in the Nile delta. His expansionist policies brought him into conflict with the XXII Dynasty based in Tanis. However, despite his ambitions, Tefnakht never succeeded in unifying the whole of Egypt under his rule.
Stone stories: the testimony of the donation stele
Among the sources of information on Tefnakht, the stele of donation, an engraved stone on which Tefnakht recorded a donation made to a temple, is particularly valuable. This document offers a unique insight into the personality of the leader of Sais and his attempts to strengthen his power.
Tefnakht and archaeology: a puzzle being reconstructed
The figure of Tefnakht remains partly mysterious, and archaeologists continue to put together the pieces of the puzzle that represent his life and his reign. Their research provided insight into the political context of Tefnakht's time, as well as the strategies he employed to expand his influence. But, as with many ancient Egyptian figures, each new discovery opens the door to new questions, making the story of Tefnakht ever more fascinating.
📋 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 | ||