Fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt
1650 BC–c. 1550 BC
Egypt during the Fifteenth Dynasty
Capital	Avaris
Common languages	Egyptian language
Religion	ancient Egyptian religion
Government	Absolute monarchy
Historical era	Second Intermediate Period of Egypt
• Established	1650 BC
• Disestablished	c. 1550 BC
Preceded by Succeeded by Fourteenth Dynasty of Egypt Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt 16th Dynasty of Egypt Abydos Dynasty Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt

The Fifteenth Dynasty was a group of foreign rulers in ancient Egypt. It was started by Salitis, who was a Hyksos leader from West Asia. His people had moved into Egypt and taken over Lower Egypt. The 15th, 16th, and 17th Dynasties are together known as the Second Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt. This dynasty ruled from about 1650 BC to 1550 BC.

The Hyksos Rulers of Egypt

The kings of the Fifteenth Dynasty were likely from Canaan. For example, Pharaoh Kamose once called Apophis, a king from this dynasty, "Chieftain of Retjenu." Retjenu was an old name for Canaan. These kings formed a "second Asiatic Kingdom" in the Nile Delta region. This area might have even included Canaan itself. This dynasty probably lasted for about 108 years.

The first king, Salitis, was called a Hyksos. This word meant "rulers of foreign lands" or "shepherds." He led his people into the Nile Delta area. They made their capital city at Avaris. These events led to the end of the Fourteenth Dynasty of Egypt. There is no clear sign of fighting at that time. The Canaanite people might have settled peacefully. This happened because the Fourteenth Dynasty was losing power. However, later on, there were many conflicts with Egyptian rulers.

Who Were the Hyksos?

The Egyptians called the people of Avaris in the Nile Delta "Aamu." This word was also used for people from Syria and the Levant. It meant "Western Asiatics."

The word Hyksos was used for foreign leaders. It meant "rulers of the Asiatics." This term was used before and after the Fifteenth Dynasty. It was not an official title for the kings of this dynasty. It was rarely used with their royal names. Only one old writing from Tell el-Dab'a mentions an unknown king as a Hyksos. The term "Hyksos" was more of a general name. It appeared in king lists after the Fifteenth Dynasty ended.

King Khyan might have used the title "Hyksos" early in his rule. But he later switched to traditional Egyptian royal titles. This happened when he took over more of Egypt. Only the first four kings of the Fifteenth Dynasty used the name "Hyksos." After that, their royal titles became purely Egyptian.

Where Did the Hyksos Rule?

A dagger with the name of Apophis

The Fifteenth Dynasty often fought with Egyptian dynasties to the south. These included the Sixteenth Dynasty, the Abydos Dynasty, and the Seventeenth Dynasty. There were short times of peace. During these times, they had some connections with Nubia.

After taking over the Nile Delta, the Fifteenth Dynasty expanded. They took control of Memphis. This caused the Thirteenth Dynasty at Memphis to fall. As Egyptian power weakened in Memphis, new dynasties appeared in the south. These were the Abydos Dynasty and the Sixteenth Dynasty at Thebes.

At one point, about 20 years after it started, the Fifteenth Dynasty ruled as far south as Thebes. They fought with Pharaoh Neferhotep III. The entire country of Egypt was conquered during the rule of Khayan. The Abydos Dynasty also disappeared during these southern conquests. Many statues and monuments from conquered areas were moved north to Avaris. Many of them were marked with new writings, especially by Apophis.

However, some experts disagree on how much land the Hyksos truly controlled. Alexander Ilin-Tomich believes the Hyksos kings only directly ruled the eastern Delta. The amount of control they had over Middle Egypt is not clear.

The Fifteenth Dynasty finally ended when Pharaoh Ahmose I conquered Avaris.

Trade and Connections

The Fifteenth Dynasty mainly traded with Canaan and Cyprus. Trade with Canaan was very active. They imported many Canaanite goods. This might have been because the dynasty had Canaanite roots.

According to old writings, the Hyksos imported many things. These included chariots, horses, ships, wood, gold, lapis lazuli, silver, turquoise, and bronze. They also brought in oil, incense, fat, and honey. The Fifteenth Dynasty also sent many stolen items from southern Egypt to Canaan and Syria. These items included Egyptian sculptures. King Apophis likely sent many of these Egyptian artifacts to the Near East. Trading with Cyprus was also very important for them.

Religious Practices

The Fifteenth Dynasty's connection to Egyptian religious traditions was unclear. Writers from the Eighteenth Dynasty said that the Hyksos "ruled without acknowledging Re." Re was a very important Egyptian god.

It is also said that the dynasty destroyed Egyptian monuments. They took Egyptian statues as treasure. They also robbed royal tombs. Pharaoh Ahmose complained that "pyramids have been torn down."

Kings of the Fifteenth Dynasty

Here are the known rulers of the 15th Dynasty:

Fifteenth Dynasty

Name	Image	Dates and comments
Salitis		Mentioned as the first king by an ancient historian named Manetho. We haven't found any archaeological proof of him yet. He ruled for 19 years.
Semqen		Listed in an ancient document called the Turin King List. Some experts think he was an early Hyksos ruler.
Aperanat		Also listed in the Turin King List. He might have been the second king of the dynasty.
Khyan		Ruled for more than 10 years.
Yanassi		Khyan's oldest son. He might be the king "Iannas" mentioned by Manetho.
Sakir-Har		Named as a Hyksos king on a door frame found at Avaris. We are not sure of his exact place in the list of kings.
Apophis		Around 1590–1550 BC. He ruled for over 40 years.
Khamudi		Around 1550–1540 BC.

The 15th Dynasty of Egypt was the first Hyksos dynasty. They ruled from Avaris. However, they did not control the entire country. The Hyksos preferred to stay in northern Egypt. This is because they came into Egypt from the northeast. The exact names and order of these kings are not always certain. The Turin King list suggests there were six Hyksos kings. An unclear king named Khamudi is listed as the last king of the 15th Dynasty.

How Many Kings Named Apepi?

Some experts think there were two kings named Apepi. This is mainly because this king used two different royal names, called prenomens: Awoserre and Aqenenre.

However, a Danish Egyptologist named Kim Ryholt has studied this period. He believes that these prenomens all belong to one king: Apepi I. This king ruled Egypt for more than 40 years. This idea is also supported because this king used a third prenomen during his rule: Nebkhepeshre.

It is likely that Apophis used different prenomens at different times during his long rule. This was not unusual. Several other kings, like Mentuhotep II, the famous Ramesses II, and Seti II, are known to have used two different prenomens during their time as pharaoh.