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"The Nubian Ascendancy: Egypt Under Kerma's Shadow (1528 BCE)"
In the year 1528 BCE, Egypt was in a period of transition and vulnerability. The Second Intermediate Period (c. 1650-1550 BCE) had left the Nile Delta under the control of the Hyksos, a foreign dynasty ruling from Avaris, while a weakened native Egyptian dynasty held power in Thebes. Meanwhile, to the south, the Kingdom of Kerma in Nubia (modern-day Sudan) was reaching the height of its power—posing both a threat and an opportunity for Egypt.
The Kerma Kingdom, centered around the city of Kerma, was a formidable force. By 1528 BCE, it had grown wealthy through trade in gold, ivory, and ebony, and its military strength was considerable. Some scholars suggest that the Nubians may have even allied with the Hyksos against Theban Egypt, though evidence remains debated.
The Theban kings of the 17th Dynasty were engaged in a struggle to expel the Hyksos, and Nubian aggression complicated matters. However, by the mid-16th century BCE, the tide would turn. Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty, would eventually defeat the Hyksos (c. 1550 BCE) and then turn his attention southward, launching campaigns into Nubia to reassert Egyptian dominance.
While 1528 BCE itself does not mark a single decisive event, it was part of a broader era of Nubian assertiveness that forced Egypt to reckon with its southern neighbor. The eventual Egyptian reconquest of Nubia under the New Kingdom (post-1550 BCE) would lead to centuries of Egyptian control, but the memory of Kerma's power lingered—foreshadowing later conflicts, including the rise of the Kingdom of Kush, which would one day rule Egypt as the 25th Dynasty.
Precise records from this exact year are scarce, as much of our understanding comes from archaeology and later Egyptian accounts, which may be biased. The full extent of Nubian influence in 1528 BCE remains a topic of ongoing research.
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