Mentuhotep I facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mentuhotep I |
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|---|---|
| Montuhotep I, Mentuhotep-aa | |
Sitting statue of Mentuhotep I from Elephantine, now in Cairo
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | c. 2135 BC (11th dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Intef the Elder |
| Successor | Intef I |
| Consort | Queen Neferu I |
| Children | Intef I ? Intef II ? |
| Father | possibly Intef the Elder |
Mentuhotep I (also known as Mentuhotep-aa, meaning "the Great") was an important figure in ancient Egypt. He might have been a local governor, called a nomarch, in the city of Thebes. He could have been an independent ruler of Upper Egypt during a time when Egypt was divided, known as the early First Intermediate Period.
Some historians think Mentuhotep I might not have been a real person. Instead, he might have been a legendary founder created later by the Eleventh Dynasty. This dynasty became powerful under kings like Intef II and Mentuhotep II.
Who Was Mentuhotep I?
Mentuhotep was likely a local governor in Thebes around 2135 BC. This was during a period when Egypt was not united under one pharaoh.
A list of kings found in the Festival Hall of Thutmose III at Karnak mentions a partial name "Men-". This name is in a royal cartouche, which is an oval shape used for royal names. This "Men-" is different from later kings like Mentuhotep II or Mentuhotep III.
The Karnak list does not show kings in perfect time order. So, it's hard to know exactly when this "Men-" pharaoh lived. Many experts believe that Mentuhotep I was a Theban governor who was later given a royal title by his family. This is why he is often called "Mentuhotep I."
Some Egyptologists think Mentuhotep I was a made-up ancestor. They believe he was invented later in the Eleventh Dynasty to give the family a strong founding figure. This is because no monuments from his time can be clearly linked to a king named "Mentuhotep I."
A statue from a holy place on Elephantine island calls a Mentuhotep the "Father of the gods." This title probably refers to his immediate successors, Intef I and Intef II. They ruled as kings over Upper Egypt. Because of this title, many Egyptologists believe this Mentuhotep was the father of Intef I and II. They also think he was never a pharaoh himself. This title was usually given to non-royal ancestors of pharaohs.
Mentuhotep's throne name is not known. Since he might not have been a king, or because no king from the 11th Dynasty used a throne name until Mentuhotep II, he probably never had one. His Horus name Tepi-a, meaning "The ancestor," was certainly given to him after his death.
Mentuhotep's Family
Mentuhotep's wife might have been Neferu I. The statue from Heqaib suggests he was the father of Intef I and Intef II.
The Karnak king list also mentions a non-royal person named Intef. This person is listed without a cartouche. This could be Intef the elder, son of Iku. He was a Theban governor who was loyal to the kings of Herakleopolis Magna during the early First Intermediate Period. However, the kings on the remaining parts of the list are not in time order, so this is not certain.
Mentuhotep's Time as Governor
As the governor of Thebes, Mentuhotep's rule might have reached south to the first cataract. This is a part of the Nile River with rapids and rocks.
Mentuhotep might have formed an alliance with the governor of Coptos. This alliance could have led his successor, Intef I, into war. Intef I fought against the Herakleopolitan kings of the 10th Dynasty. These kings ruled over Lower Egypt and had strong allies in Middle Egypt, like the governor Ankhtifi.
See also
In Spanish: Mentuhotep I para niños
