1585: Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt - Scroll Down for more details


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"The Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt (c. 1585 BCE): The Struggle Against the Hyksos"

Content:

By 1585 BCE, the Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt was in the midst of a critical struggle for survival and sovereignty. This period marked the final phase of the Second Intermediate Period (c. 1650-1550 BCE), a time when Egypt was divided, with the Hyksos—a foreign Semitic-speaking people from the Levant—ruling the northern Delta region from their capital at Avaris, while native Egyptian dynasties held power in Thebes (Upper Egypt).

Key Events and Figures:

  1. The Hyksos Domination
    • The Hyksos had established the Fifteenth Dynasty, introducing new military technologies (such as the composite bow and horse-drawn chariots) and influencing Egyptian culture.
    • The Theban-based Seventeenth Dynasty (c. 1650-1550 BCE) was initially forced to coexist with the Hyksos, even paying tribute at times.
  2. The Rise of Theban Resistance
    • By 1585 BCE, the Theban kings were growing stronger under rulers like Seqenenre Tao (or Ta'o), who may have initiated open rebellion against the Hyksos.
    • Seqenenre Tao's death (his mummy shows brutal head wounds, possibly from battle) suggests fierce conflict with the Hyksos. His successors, Kamose and later Ahmose I, would continue the war.
  3. The Path to Liberation
    • Kamose (c. 1555-1550 BCE) launched bold campaigns against the Hyksos, pushing northward and cutting off their trade routes.
    • Ahmose I (c. 1550-1525 BCE), the founder of the Eighteenth Dynasty, finally expelled the Hyksos, reunifying Egypt and ushering in the New Kingdom—a golden age of imperial expansion.

Significance:

The events of 1585 BCE were part of a broader movement that would eventually lead to Egypt's reunification and the rise of its greatest empire. The Seventeenth Dynasty's resistance against the Hyksos became a defining moment in Egyptian history, symbolizing national revival and the reassertion of native rule.

Note: While exact details from 1585 BCE are scarce (Egyptian chronology can vary by a few decades), this period was undoubtedly a turning point in the conflict that would shape Egypt's future.

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