Merenre Nemtyemsaf II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Merenre Nemtyemsaf II |
|
|---|---|
| Menthesouphis (Africanus after Manetho), Antyemsaf | |
A false door fragment depicting Nemtyemsaf II from the Pyramid of his mother Neith.
|
|
| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 1 year and 1 month, 2194 BC, 2184 BC, 2180 BC, 2152 BC, (6th Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Pepi II Neferkare |
| Successor | Neitiqerty Siptah Nitocris (disputed) |
| Father | Pepi II Neferkare |
| Mother | Neith A |
Merenre Nemtyemsaf II was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, a powerful ruler, who was the sixth and second-to-last king of the 6th Dynasty. He ruled for about one year and one month around 2200 BC. This was at the very end of the Old Kingdom period, a time when the pharaoh's power was starting to weaken. Nemtyemsaf II likely became king when he was already old, taking over from his father, Pepi II Neferkare, who had ruled for a very long time.
Contents
How We Know About Merenre Nemtyemsaf II
Historians and archaeologists learn about ancient pharaohs from different sources. For Merenre Nemtyemsaf II, several important records help us understand his place in history.
Ancient King Lists
- Turin King List: This ancient list of kings, written on papyrus, mentions Merenre Nemtyemsaf II. Even though his name is missing, the list clearly states he ruled for "1 year and 1 month" right after his father, Pepi II.
- Abydos King List: This list, found in the temple of Seti I, is one of the best sources for the end of the Old Kingdom. It's the only record that shows Nemtyemsaf II with his full throne name, Merenre.
- Manetho's Aegyptiaca: An Egyptian priest named Manetho wrote a history of Egypt around 300 BC. He called Nemtyemsaf II "Menthesouphis" and also said he ruled for one year.
Objects from His Time
Only a few objects from Nemtyemsaf II's time have been found. These items give us direct clues about his life.
- False Door Fragment: A damaged piece of a "false door" was found near the pyramid of Neith, who was Pepi II's queen and likely Nemtyemsaf II's mother. This fragment has an inscription that says "The elder king's son Nemtyemsaf." This shows he was the heir before he became pharaoh.
- Royal Decree: Another possible item is a special order, called a decree. It was found in Queen Neith's temple. This decree was meant to protect the special ceremonies for queens Ankhesenpepi I and Neith after they died. If this order was indeed issued by Nemtyemsaf II, it would tell us his Horus name (a royal title) was S[...]tawy, meaning "He who causes the two lands to...".
Merenre Nemtyemsaf II's Reign
Nemtyemsaf II became pharaoh after his father, Pepi II, who had an incredibly long reign, possibly lasting between 64 and 94 years.
During Nemtyemsaf II's short time as ruler, not much is known about his specific actions. However, it was a challenging period for Egypt. The power of the pharaoh was starting to decline, and local governors, known as nomarchs, were becoming more powerful in their regions. Less than three years after Nemtyemsaf II's death, the Old Kingdom period officially ended, and a time of less stable rule, called the First Intermediate Period, began.
It's possible that Nemtyemsaf II started building a pyramid for himself, perhaps in Saqqara, close to his father's pyramid. However, no clear evidence of his pyramid has been found.
The Story from Herodotus
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote a book called Histories. In it, he shared a famous Egyptian legend. This story tells of a queen named Nitocris who sought revenge for the death of her brother and husband. The legend says she invited those responsible to a banquet and then drowned them. Some believe the brother and husband in this legend might have been Nemtyemsaf II.
However, modern historians believe that the name "Nitocris" in this story is a mix-up or change from the name of a real male pharaoh, Neitiqerty Siptah, who ruled after Nemtyemsaf II. So, while it's an interesting legend, it's not considered a true historical account of Nemtyemsaf II's death.
