Necho II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Necho II |
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| Nekau | |
A small kneeling bronze statuette, likely Necho II, now residing in the Brooklyn Museum
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 610–595 BC (26th dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Psamtik I |
| Successor | Psamtik II |
| Consort | Khedebneithirbinet I |
| Died | 595 BC |
Necho II (also known as Nekau or Nechoh) was a powerful king of Ancient Egypt. He ruled from 610 to 595 BC as part of the 26th Dynasty. This dynasty was based in the city of Sais.
Necho II started many big building projects across his kingdom. A famous Greek historian named Herodotus wrote that Necho II sent a group of Phoenician sailors on an amazing journey. They sailed from the Red Sea, all the way around Africa, and back to Egypt. This trip took three years!
Necho II also played a major role in the history of other powerful empires. These included the Neo-Assyrian Empire and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He also interacted with the Kingdom of Judah. Necho II is probably the pharaoh mentioned in some books of the Bible. He tried to stop the Babylonian Empire from growing too powerful. However, his Egyptian armies were eventually defeated and pushed out of Syria.
Contents
Who Was Necho II?
Necho's Family and Early Challenges
Necho II was the son of Psammetichus I and his Great Royal Wife, Mehtenweskhet. His royal name, Wahem-Ib-Re, meant "Carrying out the Heart (or Wish) of Re".
When Necho became king, the world was in chaos. Groups like the Cimmerians and Scythians had caused a lot of trouble. They had also helped the Babylonians defeat the mighty Assyrian Empire. Necho tried to help the last parts of the Assyrian army, but his forces were too small. They had to retreat.
Necho's Military Adventures
First Big Battle: Megiddo
In the spring of 609 BC, Necho led a large Egyptian army to help the Assyrians. His army mostly included hired soldiers. They marched along the coast into Syria, with his navy supporting them from the sea.
As they moved through the lowlands, they reached a hilly area. Here, the Judean army, led by their king Josiah, blocked their path. Josiah had sided with the Babylonians. A fierce battle took place at Megiddo, and King Josiah was killed.
Herodotus wrote about this campaign in his book, Histories:
Necho stopped work on his canal and turned to war. He built warships on both the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts. He used these ships as needed. He also fought a big battle at Magdolos with the Syrians and won. After that, he captured Cadytis (Kadesh), a large city in Syria.
Necho soon captured Kadesh and moved on. He joined forces with the Assyrians and they tried to capture Harran. Necho was the first pharaoh to cross the Euphrates River since Thutmose III. However, they failed to capture Harran and had to retreat. After this, the Assyrian Empire was fully taken over by the Babylonians.
The Second Book of Kings also describes the battle between Necho and King Josiah at Megiddo. After the battle, Necho returned to Egypt. On his way back, he found that the Judeans had chosen Jehoahaz as their new king. Necho removed Jehoahaz from power and replaced him with Jehoiakim. He took Jehoahaz back to Egypt as a prisoner, where he later died.
Second Campaign: Facing Babylon
The Babylonian king, Nabopolassar, wanted to control Syria. In 609 BC, he captured Kumukh, which cut off the Egyptian army based at Carchemish. Necho fought back the next year, retaking Kumukh after a four-month siege.
In 605 BC, Nabopolassar gave command of his army to his son, Nebuchadnezzar II. Nebuchadnezzar led the Babylonians to a major victory over the Egyptians at Carchemish. He chased the fleeing Egyptian soldiers all the way to Hamath.
Necho's dream of bringing back the Egyptian Empire's power in the Middle East was shattered. Nebuchadnezzar took control of all Egyptian land from the Euphrates River down to Judea. Even though Nebuchadnezzar spent many years fighting to keep these new lands, Necho could not get back much of his lost territory. For example, when Ashkalon rebelled, Egypt sent no help. Necho did manage to stop a Babylonian attack on Egypt's eastern border in 601 BC. He even captured Gaza while chasing the enemy.
In his later years, Necho focused on making friends with new allies. These included the Carians and, further west, the Greeks.
Amazing Projects and Exploration
During his time in Syria, Necho II started a huge project. He began digging a navigable canal from the Nile River to the Red Sea. This "Necho's Canal" was the earliest version of what would become the Suez Canal. This canal was meant to help trade between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Necho also created an Egyptian navy. This was unusual because most Egyptians did not like or fear the sea. Necho's navy operated along both the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts. He built warships, including possibly triremes.
The Phoenician Expedition Around Africa
Between 610 and 594 BC, Necho reportedly sent Phoenician sailors on an incredible journey. They sailed from the Red Sea, around Africa, and back to the mouth of the Nile River. This would have been the first time anyone completed the Cape Route.
Herodotus heard about this journey through stories. He found it hard to believe one detail: the Phoenicians said that "as they sailed on a westerly course round the southern end of Libya (Africa), they had the sun on their right." This means the sun was to their north. This detail makes the story seem more real, because it's exactly what would happen if you sailed south of the equator. At that time, most people didn't know that Africa was surrounded by ocean.
Death and What Happened Next
Necho II died in 595 BC. His son, Psamtik II, became the next pharaoh of Egypt. For reasons we don't fully understand, Psamtik II seems to have removed his father's name from many monuments. However, some historians are not sure if this really happened, as the evidence is not very clear.
See also
In Spanish: Necao II para niños
