Menkheperre
Encyclopedia
Menkheperre, son of Pharaoh
Pinedjem I
by wife Henuttawy
(daughter of Ramesses XI
by wife Tentamon
), was the High Priest of Amun at Thebes
in Ancient Egypt
from 1045 BC to 992 BC and de facto ruler of the south of the country.
Menkheperre's eldest full brother Masaharta followed their father as High Priest. He was followed by another brother, Djedkhonsuefankh
, after whose death, in the 25th year of Smendes I, Menkheperre became High Priest. With his elder half-brother ruling at Tanis
as Pharaoh Psusennes I
, Menkheperre's power, like that of Masaharta, must have been somewhat curtailed. Menkheperre took as his throne name the title of "First prophet of Amun", just as his great-grandfather Herihor
had, perhaps an indication of this diminished role, though he kept the cartouche
unlike his successors in the temple.
Menkheperre married his niece Isetemkheb, daughter of his brother Psusennes I
and wife Wiay. Their children were:
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Pinedjem I
Pinedjem I
Pinedjem I was the High Priest of Amun at Thebes in Ancient Egypt from 1070 BC to 1032 BC and the de facto ruler of the south of the country from 1054 BC. He was the son of the High Priest Piankh. However, many Egyptologists today believe that the succession in the Amun priesthood actually ran from...
by wife Henuttawy
Duathathor-Henuttawy
Duathathor-Henuttawy or Henuttawy was an ancient Egyptian princess and later queen. She is likely to have been the daughter of Ramesses XI, last king of the 20th dynasty by Tentamun. She married Pinedjem I, the Theban High Priest of Amun who was de facto ruler of Upper Egypt and took on pharaonic...
(daughter of Ramesses XI
Ramesses XI
Ramesses XI reigned from 1107 BC to 1078 BC or 1077 BC and was the tenth and final king of the Twentieth dynasty of Egypt. He ruled Egypt for at least 29 years although some Egyptologists think he could have ruled for as long as 30...
by wife Tentamon
Tentamun (20th dynasty)
Tentamun was an ancient Egyptian queen, most likely the wife of Ramesses XI, last ruler of the 20th dynasty. She is mentioned on the funerary papyrus of her daughter Duathathor-Henuttawy, who was the wife of Pinedjem I and probably the daughter of Ramesses XI...
), was the High Priest of Amun at Thebes
High Priests of Amun at Thebes
While not regarded as a dynasty, the High Priests of Amun at Thebes were nevertheless of such power and influence that they were effectively the rulers of Upper Egypt from 1080 to c.943 BC, after this period their influence declined...
in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
from 1045 BC to 992 BC and de facto ruler of the south of the country.
Menkheperre's eldest full brother Masaharta followed their father as High Priest. He was followed by another brother, Djedkhonsuefankh
Djedkhonsuefankh
Djedkhonsuefankh was a High Priest of Amun in Thebes from 1046-1045 BC. He was the second son of Pinedjem I. He succeeded his brother Masaherta during a time of great turmoil in the city of Thebes. Von Beckerath has suggested that it is possible that he died a violent death, accounting for his very...
, after whose death, in the 25th year of Smendes I, Menkheperre became High Priest. With his elder half-brother ruling at Tanis
Tanis, Egypt
Tanis , the Greek name of ancient Djanet , is a city in the north-eastern Nile delta of Egypt. It is located on the Tanitic branch of the Nile which has long since silted up.-History:...
as Pharaoh Psusennes I
Psusennes I
Psusennes I, or Greek Ψουσέννης], Pasibkhanu or Hor-Pasebakhaenniut I Egyptian ḥor-p3-sib3-ḫˁỉ--niwt] was the third king of the Twenty-first dynasty of Egypt who ruled from Tanis between 1047 – 1001 BC...
, Menkheperre's power, like that of Masaharta, must have been somewhat curtailed. Menkheperre took as his throne name the title of "First prophet of Amun", just as his great-grandfather Herihor
Herihor
Herihor was an Egyptian army officer and High Priest of Amun at Thebes during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses XI although Karl Jansen Winkeln has argued that Piankh preceded Herihor as High Priest at Thebes and that Herihor outlived Ramesses XI before being succeeded in this office by Pinedjem I,...
had, perhaps an indication of this diminished role, though he kept the cartouche
Cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
unlike his successors in the temple.
Menkheperre married his niece Isetemkheb, daughter of his brother Psusennes I
Psusennes I
Psusennes I, or Greek Ψουσέννης], Pasibkhanu or Hor-Pasebakhaenniut I Egyptian ḥor-p3-sib3-ḫˁỉ--niwt] was the third king of the Twenty-first dynasty of Egypt who ruled from Tanis between 1047 – 1001 BC...
and wife Wiay. Their children were:
- Smendes IISmendes IINesbanebdjed II, or in Hellenized form, Smendes II, was a High Priest of Amun at Thebes in Ancient Egypt. He governed from about 992 BC to 990 BC....
, also called Nesbanebdjed II, who followed him as High Priest. - Henuttawy, wife of Smendes II, Chantress of Amun. She is mentioned on the 10th pylon of the Karnak temple. She was buried in the Deir el-Bahari tomb MMA60, her coffins are now in Boston and New York. She had a daughter called Isetemkheb.
- Pinedjem IIPinedjem IIPinedjem II was a High Priest of Amun at Thebes in Ancient Egypt from 990 BC to 969 BC and was the de facto ruler of the south of the country. He was married to his sister Isetemkheb D and also to his niece Nesikhons, the daughter of his brother Smendes II...
, High Priest after his brother's death. He married his sister Isetemkheb and became the father of Pharaoh Psusennes IIPsusennes IITitkheperure or Tyetkheperre Psusennes II Greek Ψουσέννης] or Hor-Pasebakhaenniut II Egyptian ḥr-p3-sb3-ḫˁỉ--nỉwt], was the last king of the Twenty-first dynasty of Egypt. His royal name means "Image of the transformation of Re" in Egyptian. Psusennes II is often considered the same person as...
. - Isetemkheb DIsetemkheb DIsetemkheb D was the sister-wife of the Theban High Priest of Amun Pinudjem II during the Twenty-first dynasty of Egypt.-Family:Isetemkheb D was the daughter of the King's Son, Theban High Priest of Amun and General, Menkheperre, and his wife, Isetemkheb C...
, wife of Pinedjem II. - Hori, priest of Amun and Seth. His mummy and coffins were found at Bab el-Gasus (Deir el-Bahari) and are now in Cairo.
- Meritamen, Chantress of Amun. She was buried at Bab el-Gasus under the pontificate of Psusennes II. Her coffins are in Cairo.
- GautseshenGautseshenGautseshen was an ancient Egyptian priestess, the singer of Montu. She lived during the reign of the 21st dynasty....
, Chantress of Montu. She was buried at Bab el-Gasus, her coffins and papyrus are now in Cairo. She was married to TjaneferTjaneferTjanefer was an ancient Egyptian priest during the reign of the 21st dynasty.His father was Nesipaherenmut, the Fourth Prophet of Amun, his mother was Isetemheb. According to the Karnak Priestly Annals in the 40th regnal year of Psusennes I Tjanefer served as the Fourth Prophet of Amun...
, Third Prophet of Amun. Their sons, Pinedjem and Menkheperre became Third and Fourth Prophet of Amun, respectively.