Sobekhotep IV facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sobekhotep IV |
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Statue of Sobekhotep IV (Louvre)
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | About 10 years (13th Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Neferhotep I and his coregent Sihathor |
| Successor | Merhotepre Sobekhotep |
| Consort | Tjan |
| Children | Sobekhotep-Miw ♂, Sobekhotep-Dja-Dja ♂, Haankhef-Iykherneferet ♂, Amenhotep ♂, Nebetiunet ♀ |
| Father | Haankhef |
| Mother | Kemi |
| Burial | Possibly tomb S10 at Abydos |
Khaneferre Sobekhotep IV was an important Egyptian king of the 13th Dynasty. This dynasty ruled ancient Egypt from about 1803 BC to 1649 BC. Sobekhotep IV ruled for at least eight years, and possibly up to ten years.
Before him, his brothers Neferhotep I and Sihathor were kings. Sihathor only ruled for a few months alongside Neferhotep I. Sobekhotep IV was born in Thebes, a major city in ancient Egypt. We know this from a special stone tablet, called a stela, found in the Amun temple at Karnak. Many monuments, like statues and seals, show that he was a powerful ruler. He also ordered building projects in cities like Abydos and Karnak.
Contents
Who Was Sobekhotep IV's Family?
His Parents and Grandparents
Sobekhotep IV's father was named Haankhef. He was known as a 'god's father'. His mother was Kemi, who was called a 'king's mother'.
His grandparents on his father's side were Nehy and Senebtysy. Nehy was a soldier. We do not know anything about his mother's parents.
His Wife and Children
Sobekhotep IV likely had more than one wife, but only one is known for sure. Her name was Tjan, and she was called a "king's wife."
Tjan had two children with Sobekhotep IV: a son named Amenhotep and a daughter named Nebetiunet. The king also had three other sons: Sobekhotep Miu, Sobekhotep Djadja, and Haankhef Iykhernofret. We do not know who their mother was.
What Was Sobekhotep IV's Royal Court Like?
Sobekhotep IV's royal court was similar to his brother Neferhotep I's. This shows that he continued his brother's way of running the government.
Important officials in his court included the Vizier Neferkare Iymeru. A vizier was like a prime minister. The treasurer, who managed the money, was named Senebi. The high steward, who looked after the royal household, was Nebankh.
What Did Sobekhotep IV Do as King?
Sobekhotep IV was very active during his rule. A stela found at Karnak tells us that he gave gifts to the Amun-Ra temple. Door frames with his name were also found at Karnak, showing he built there. He also restored a statue of an older king, Mentuhotep II, at Karnak.
In Abydos, several stone blocks with his name show that he built parts of the local temple. His vizier, Neferkare Iymeru, said on his own statue that he built a canal and a "house of millions of years" for the king. This statue was found at Karnak, so these buildings might have been there too.
In his sixth year as king, Sobekhotep IV sent an expedition to the amethyst mines at Wadi el-Hudi. This area is in southern Egypt. Four stelae were set up there to mark this trip. Another stela from Wadi Hammamat is dated to his ninth year as king.
It is thought that Sobekhotep IV was buried in a large tomb at Abydos. This tomb, called S10, was found near the burial complex of Senusret III. While it was first thought to belong to another king, its style suggests it was for Sobekhotep IV.
Was Egypt United Under Sobekhotep IV?
Sobekhotep IV was a strong ruler of the 13th Dynasty. He controlled important areas like Memphis, Middle Egypt, and Thebes. However, many experts believe that he did not rule over all of Egypt.
Some Egyptologists, like Kim Ryholt, think that another group, the 14th Dynasty, controlled the eastern Nile Delta at this time.
Other experts, N. Moeller and G. Marouard, suggest that the 15th Dynasty Hyksos king Khyan ruled the eastern Delta. They found evidence in an old building in Tell Edfu, Upper Egypt. This building was used for a long time. In 2010 and 2011, archaeologists found 41 seals with King Khyan's name and nine seals with Sobekhotep IV's name in the same area.
This discovery suggests that Khyan might have been an earlier Hyksos king. It also suggests that the 15th (Hyksos) Dynasty might have existed at the same time as the 13th Dynasty. This means Khyan controlled part of northern Egypt while Sobekhotep IV ruled the rest.
However, not everyone agrees with this idea. Robert Porter believes Khyan ruled much later than Sobekhotep IV. He points out that king's seals were sometimes used long after their death. Other experts, like Nicolas Grimal, also place Khyan and Sobekhotep IV about 100 years apart. Alexander Ilin-Tomich studied the pottery found with the seals. He concluded that there is no strong reason to believe Khyan and Sobekhotep IV ruled at the same time.
No matter which theory is correct, it seems that either the 14th Dynasty or the 15th Dynasty controlled the Delta region when Sobekhotep IV was king. This means Egypt was likely divided during his reign.
Images for kids
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Cartouche of Sobekhotep IV.
