Wahkare Khety

Wahkarê Khety

Achthoês,^[1] Khety III

Pharaoh

Reign

c. 50 years (9th or 10th Dynasty)

Predecessor

possibly Qakare Ibi or Wadjkare (if 9th Dynasty);
Neferkare VIII (if 10th Dynasty)

Successor

uncertain (if 9th Dynasty);
Merikare (if 10th Dynasty)

Royal titulary

Prenomen (Praenomen)

Wahkare Khety
W3ḥ-k3-Rˁ-htj(j)
The ka of Ra is purified, the divine ruler

Nomen

Khety
ẖtj(j)
Divine ruler

Turin Canon

Khety
ẖtj(j)
Divine ruler

Children

Merikare?

Burial

unknown

Wahkare Khety was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 9th or 10th Dynasty during the First Intermediate Period. His name is attested in the Royal canon of Turin.^[2]

Identity 1
- 9th Dynasty hypothesis 1.1
- 10th Dynasty hypothesis 1.2
Attestations 2
References 3

Identity

The identity of Wahkare Khety is controversial. While some scholars believe that he was the founder of the 9th Dynasty,^[3] many others place him in the subsequent 10th Dynasty.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

9th Dynasty hypothesis

If Wahkare Khety was the founder of the 9th Dynasty, he may be identified with the hellenized king Achthoês, the founder of this dynasty according to Manetho. Manetho reports:

"The first of these [kings], Achthoês, behaving more cruel than his predecessors, wrought woes for the people of all of Egypt, but afterwards he was smitten with madness and killed by a crocodile."^[1]^[8]

If this hypothesis is correct, Wahkare Khety may have been a Herakleopolitan prince who profited from the weakness of the Memphite rulers of the 8th dynasty to seize the throne of Middle and Lower Egypt around 2150 BC. This hypothesis is supported by contemporary inscriptions referring to the northern, Herakleopolitan kingdom as the House of Khety,^[9] although that only proves that the founder of the 9th Dynasty was a Khety, but not necessarily Wahkare Khety.

10th Dynasty hypothesis

Many scholars believe instead that Wahkare Khety was a king of the 10th Dynasty, identifying him with the Khety who was the alleged author of the famous Teaching for King Merikare, thus placing him between Neferkare VIII and Merikare. In this reconstruction, Wahkare is the last Herakleopolitan king bearing the name Khety, and the cruel Achthoês founder of the 9th Dynasty is identified with Meryibre Khety, and the House of Khety must refer to him instead.
From the Instructions, it is known that Wahkare Khety, in alleance with the nomarchs of the Lower Egypt, managed to repels the nomad "Asiatics" who for generations roamed in the Nile Delta. Those nomarchs, although recognizing Wahkare's authority, ruled de facto more or less independently. The expulsion of the Asiatics allowed the establishment of new settlements and defense structures on the northeastern borders, as well as the reprise of trades with the Levantine coast.^[10] Wahkare, however, warned Merikare not to neglect guarding these borders, as the "Asiatics" still were considered a danger.^[11]
In the south, Wahkare and the faithful nomarch of Asyut Tefibi, retook the city of Thinis, previously captured by the Thebans led by Intef II; however, the troops of Herakleopolis sacked the sacred necropolis of Thinis, a serious crime sadly reported by Wahkare himself, which caused the immediate reaction of the Thebans, who later finally captured the Thinite nomos. After those events Wahkare Khety decided to leave the bellicose policy and begin a phase of peaceful coexistence with the southern kingdom, which endured until part of the reign of his successor Merikare, who succeeded the long reign – five decades – of Wahkare.^[12]

Attestations

There is no contemporary evidence bearing his name. A 12th Dynasty coffin inscribed with coffin texts bearing Wahkare Khety's name was found in Deir el-Bersha and now is in the Cairo Museum (CG 28088).^[13] It is unknown if the texts were originally inscribed for Wahkare Khety, or if they were simply copied later from an earlier source.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b William Gillian Waddell: Manetho (= The Loeb classical library. Bd. 350). Harvard University Press, Cambridge (Mass.) 2004 (Reprint), ISBN 0-674-99385-3, p. 61.
^ ^a ^b Thomas Schneider, Lexikon der Pharaonen. Albatros, Düsseldorf 2002, ISBN 3-491-96053-3, p. 172.
^ Jürgen von Beckerath, Handbuch der Ägyptischen Königsnamen, 2nd edition, Mainz, 1999, p. 74.
^ William C. Hayes, in The Cambridge Ancient History, vol 1, part 2, 1971 (2008), Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-077915, p. 996.
^ Nicolas Grimal, A History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford, Blackwell Books, 1992, p. 144–47.
^ Michael Rice, Who is who in Ancient Egypt, 1999 (2004), Routledge, London, ISBN 0-203-44328-4, p. 7.
^ Margaret Bunson, Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Infobase Publishing, 2009, ISBN 1438109970, p. 202.
^ Margaret Bunson, op. cit., p. 355.
^ Stephan Seidlmayer, Ian Shaw, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, ISBN 978-0-19-280458-7, p. 128.
^ William C. Hayes, op. cit., p. 466.
^ William C. Hayes, op. cit., p. 237.
^ William C. Hayes, op. cit., pp. 466–67.
^ Pierre Lacau, Sarcophages antérieurs au Nouvel Empire, tome II, Cairo, 1903, pp. 10–20.

Pharaohs

Protodynastic to First Intermediate period (<3150–2040 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

Protodynastic
(pre-3150 BC)

Lower	Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh Double Falcon

Upper	Scorpion I Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer / Menes

Early Dynastic
(3150–2686 BC)

I	Narmer / Menes Hor-Aha Djer Djet Merneith Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Horus Bird

II	Hotepsekhemwy Raneb Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Horus Sa Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

III	Nebka Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Khaba Qahedjet Huni

IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis

V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu Djedkare Isesi Unas

VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf II Netjerkare Siptah

1^st Intermediate
(2181–2040 BC)

VII VIII	Menkare Neferkare II Neferkare III Neby Djedkare Shemai Neferkare IV Khendu Merenhor Neferkamin Nikare Neferkare V Tereru Neferkahor Neferkare VI Pepiseneb Neferkamin Anu Qakare Iby Neferkaure Neferkauhor Neferirkare Wadjkare Khuiqer Khui

IX	Meryibre Khety Neferkare VII Nebkaure Khety Setut

X	Meryhathor Neferkare VIII Wahkare Khety Merykare

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV

Nubia	Segerseni Qakare Ini Iyibkhentre

XII	Amenemhat I Senusret I Amenemhat II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhat III Amenemhat IV Sobekneferu

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Sekhemrekhutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Djedkheperew Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Merkheperre Merkare Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi

XIV	Yakbim Sekhaenre Ya'ammu Nubwoserre Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Khakherewre Nebefawre Sehebre Merdjefare Sewadjkare III Nebdjefare Webenre Sekheperenre Djedkherewre Bebnum 'Apepi Nuya Wazad Sheneh Shenshek Khamure Yakareb Yaqub-Har

XV	Semqen 'Aper-'Anati Sakir-Har Khyan Apepi Khamudi

XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III

Abydos	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib

XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef Nubkheperre Intef Sekhemre-Heruhirmaat Intef Senakhtenre Ahmose Seqenenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Thutmose I Thutmose II Thutmose III Hatshepsut Amenhotep II Thutmose IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb

XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret

XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Smendes Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II

XXII	Shoshenq I Osorkon I Shoshenq II Takelot I Osorkon II Shoshenq III Shoshenq IV Pami Shoshenq V Osorkon IV

XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedubast I Shoshenq VI Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamun Menkheperre Ini

XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenranef

XXV	Piye Shabaka Shebitku Taharqa Tanutamun

Late and Hellenistic periods (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Necho I Psamtik I Necho II Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III

XXVII	Cambyses II Petubastis III Darius I Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II

XXVIII	Amyrtaeus

XXIX	Nepherites I Hakor Psammuthes Nepherites II

XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II

XXXI	Artaxerxes III Khabash Arses Darius III

Hellenistic
(332–30 BC)

Argead	Alexander the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV

Ptolemaic	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Ptolemy IX Soter Ptolemy X Alexander I Ptolemy XI Alexander II Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos Berenice IV Cleopatra Ptolemy XV Caesarion

Dynastic genealogies

4^th 11^th 12^th 18^th 19^th 20^th 21^st to 23^rd 25^th 26^th 27^th 30^th 31^st Ptolemaic

List of pharaohs

Wahkare Khety

Wahkare Khety

Contents

Identity

9th Dynasty hypothesis

10th Dynasty hypothesis

Attestations

References

Categories

Ra

Encyclopedia Article

Ancient Egypt

Encyclopedia Article

Suggestions

Setut

Encyclopedia Article

Merkare

Encyclopedia Article

Sewadjkare III

Encyclopedia Article

Wadjkare

Encyclopedia Article