His father was the king Senusret II (c. 1897-1878 BCE) and his mother the queen Kenemet-nefer-hedjet-weret (usually given as Kenemetneferhedjet-weret and meaning 'united with the white crown-great one', a reference to the white crown of Upper Egypt). In later Egyptian sources, Montuhoteop II is remembered as one of Egypts greatest kings on par with Menes/Narmer, who was the first king to unify Egypt, and Ahmose, who expelled the Hyksos and unified Egypt again, which began the New Kingdom. Senusret II took a great deal of interest in the Faiyum oasis region and began work on an extensive irrigation system from Bahr Yussef through to Lake Moeris through the . The pyramid was built of a core of mud bricks. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC during a time of great power and prosperity, and was the fifth king of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. A Biography of Cancer. Mark, Joshua J.. "Senusret III." Vldl v letech 1837-1819 p. These are Itakayt, Khenemetneferhedjet II and Neferthenut, all three mainly known from their burials next to the pyramid of the king at Dahshur. He lived during the reigns of Amenemhat II (1922-1878 BC), Senwosret II (1880-1874 BC) and Senwosret III (1874-1855 BC). Still, the fact that the Greek writers used the Egyptian priests as their source material proves that even centuries later the Egyptians continued to revere the memory of Senusret III. In Senusret III the people found the epitome of the ideal warrior-king who embodied the Egyptian cultural value of ma'at as expressed in a balanced and harmonious state and whose reign was characterized by military skill, decisive action, and efficient administration. Prior to Senusret III's policy, Egypt was divided between the upper-class nobility and the peasantry; afterwards, with nomarchs and their extended families no longer controlling the districts, lower-level administrators found upward mobility suddenly possible and took advantage of it. The Pyramid of Senusret I is an Egyptian pyramid built to be the burial place of the Pharaoh Senusret I. Senusret III cleared a navigable canal through the first cataract [3] and relentlessly pushed his kingdom's expansion deep into Nubia (from 1866 to 1863 BC) where he erected massive river forts including Buhen, Semna and Toshka at Uronarti. The Old Kingdom pharaohs are remembered for the pyramids and those of the New Kingdom have the many temples of Upper Egypt as a testament to their greatness and although the monuments of the Middle Kingdom have not withstood the test of time as well as their predecessors and successors did, Senusret III certainly did his part. Head of Senusret III, which was sculpted in 18th century BCE, shows the typical characteristics of king, such as decorated crown and deep and solid face structure with no facial emotions. The pyramid was built during the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt at el-Lisht, near the pyramid of his father, Amenemhat I. [3], Senusret III was the son of Senusret II and Khenemetneferhedjet I, also called Khenemetneferhedjet I Weret (the elder). Thank you! Senusret I dispatched several quarrying expeditions to the Sinai and Wadi Hammamat and built numerous shrines and temples throughout Egypt and Nubia during his long reign. The exact reason for this is unknown, but it may be because he predates this practice, or that he was not considered a king, as was later understood. Amenemhat III was most likely a son of the king. Pharaoh Khufu was known to have established a central authority for a pharaoh. The Middle Kingdom king active nature in the realms of military conquest and building certainly made him the most important king of his period and arguably one of the most important in all of ancient Egypt, but his true influence can also be gauged by what later people wrote about him. Senusret's pyramid complex was built north-east of the Red Pyramid of Dashur. The text reads "His Majesty proceeded northward to overthrow the Asiatics. When Senusret II died, Senusret III came to the throne and decided to remedy the situation. Senusret's pyramid is 105 meters square and 78 meters high. See also: Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt family tree, Neferthenut, Khnemetneferhedjet II, Itakayt, perhaps Meretseger. Here were found the treasures of Sithathor and queen Mereret. Khakaure Senusret III (also written as Senwosret III or the hellenised form, Sesostris III) was a pharaoh of Egypt. In sharp contrast with the even-exaggerated realism of the head and, regardless of his age, the rest of the body is idealized as forever young and muscular, in the more classical pharaonic fashion. Mark, J. J. Nubians served in the Egyptian army as mercenaries, as the core of the Egyptian police force, and as guards for royal and non-royal trade expeditions. Senusret III) kha-em = appearing in [Rameses] Kha-Em-Waset Merer-Amun: [Born of Ra] Appearing in Thebes, . . The pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom often appointed their sons as coregents, which was kind of like a vice-pharaoh. As ancient Egyptian rulers, pharaohs were both the heads of state and the religious leaders of their people. Emotional states were recognized to be fleeting, and so one would not want an eternal representation of one's self smiling, frowning, jubilant, or in mourning. Senusret III built what was probably the most impressive Middle Kingdom pyramid, as it stood over 256 feet tall, but unfortunately the limestone casing was stripped and the mud-brick core eventually gave way to the ravages of time. Senusret III was a pharaoh of Egypt. The cataracts are so named because they are narrow, rocky sections of the Nile River that are impassable by boats, which meant that in ancient times a military or trade expedition would have to disembark, portage the cataract, and then reembark and continue up river. An example of this on a small scale is a pectoral (a brooch worn suspended on the chest) of Meretseger (also given as Mereret), one of Senusret III's lesser wives. However, unlike later pharaohs, his serekh name does not include a Horus falcon. His biography is available in 44 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 41 in 2019). Nahr al-Kalb, Reliefs of Ramesses II (left) and Esarhaddon. . Pectoral of MereretDmitry Denisenkov (CC BY-SA). [10], Such was his forceful nature and immense influence that Senusret III was worshipped as a deity in Semna by later generations. [9]. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The Middle Kingdom kings also decided to build their royal necropolis close to their new capital near the modern city of Lisht in the Fayum region of Middle Egypt. Senusret III (c. 1878-1860 BCE, also known as Senwosret III, Sesostris III) was the 5th king of the 12th Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (2040-1782 BCE). Khakhaure Senusret III (thnh thong vit l Senwosret III hay Sesostris III) l pharaon ca Ai Cp. They were not made a consistent size implying that standardized moulds were not used. He had many temples, shrines, and religious monuments constructed and improved. At the head of his army, he was considered invincible; he led his troops by example and always from the front. Dictionary of African Biography. Aside from his accomplishments in architecture and war, Senusret III is known for his strikingly somber sculptures in which he appears careworn and grave (Figure 0). Senusret III was the son of Senusret II and Khenemetneferhedjet I, also called Khenemetneferhedjet I Weret (the elder). Some scholars think it was to emphasize the stressful nature of being king. Senusret III was a son of his predecessor Amenemhat III and his wife Nefertitanen. Best Answer. [9], His final campaign, which was in his Year 19, was less successful because the king's forces were caught with the Nile being lower than normal and they had to retreat and abandon their campaign in order to avoid being trapped in the hostile Nubian territory. (29). Senusrets greatest accomplishments were in religious architecture. He was a tall man, over six feet in height, always shown with a regal, somber expression. They were not made a consistent size implying that standardized moulds were not used. What is so important about Sesostris III? With the southern border secure, Senusret III commissioned a canal enlarged at Sehel to facilitate trade between Nubia and Egypt, which allowed merchants traveling by water to avoid the perils of the Nile rapids at the First Cataract. I am a king who speaks and executes. 1756 bce) who fled Egypt to settle in Syria. His military campaigns gave rise to an era of peace and economic prosperity that reduced the power of regional rulers and led to a revival in craftwork, trade and urban development. 1837-1818 BC). Above: Senusret II His father, Amenemhet II built his pyramid at Dahshure, but Senusret II built his pyramid closer to the Fayoum Oasis at Lahun. it contains only enduring and essential truth. Opines that mythology is only the most ancient history and biography. Senusret III left a profound influence on Egypt that resonated for several centuries, not just in physical ways throughout the Nile Valley, but also in the minds of its people and even in the historiography of the ancient Greeks. Joseph shaved before appearing before Pharaoh (suggesting a native Egyptian Pharaoh, which fits Senusret's date for Joseph). Senusret III's statues, however, depict the king as he would have looked at different times in his life, from his youthful confidence (the statue wears the trace of a smile) to the most famous work showing the aged king weathered by the affairs of state. The Egyptians conferred upon him the rare honor of deifying him while he still lived. Inscriptions on the tombs of these nomarchs at Beni Hassan repeatedly give evidence that these people continued to be employed by the state and took pride in their positions and their king. Wegner interprets this as an implication that Senusret was still alive in the first two decades of his son's reign. Who was Senusret III? According to the Egyptian sources, Senusret III led four campaigns into Nubia during his sixth, eighth, tenth, and sixteenth years of rule. Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Senusret III has received more than 330,991 page views. He led many campaigns against Nubia, and built a chain of forts to secure a new fixed southern border at the Second Cataract around Semna. Consequently, he is regarded as one of the sources for the legend about Sesostris. Senusret I Kheperkare (also known as Sesostris I and Senwosret I) was the second pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty ( Middle Kingdom) of Ancient Egypt. The tomb of his physician Gua was also found (Info from British Museum). The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. The burial chamber was lined with granite. Senusret III had two wives, Satiah and Nefertiti. This page was last edited on 14 September 2021, at 23:59. He was a great pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty and is considered to be, perhaps, the most powerful Egyptian . She shared power with her male relatives at first, then took over as sole ruler. Although the interpretation is controversial, it is believed that his Horus name r-nj / r-nw means He belongs to Horus / Hunter of Horus.. https://www.worldhistory.org/Senusret_III/. Sinuhe was an official of the harem maintained for Amenemhet I by his queen. instance of. His story yields information about political and social conditions of the time. The king was supposed to maintain ma'at in a unified land, and this could not be accomplished if certain districts were powerful enough to do as they pleased if they chose to. [8], The Sebek-khu Stele, dated to the reign of Senusret III (reign: 1878 1839 BC), records the earliest known Egyptian military campaign in the Levant. Wiki . The burial chamber was lined with granite. The fifth century BC Greek historian, Herodotus, related how Sesostris built many canals throughout Egypt that were used for transportation and irrigation purposes. Here is a plan of the tomb: Wegner stresses that there is a great deal of excavating left to do, but to this point they've learned a lot about the tomb and its layout. The Semna inscriptions paint a picture of a complex relationship between the Egyptians and Nubians for example, Nubians were explicitly forbidden from entering Egypt, but trade and social interaction was allowed and even encouraged to some extent at the forts. Scholars could only make assumptions about the reasons why Senusret III chose to have himself portrayed in such a unique way, and polarized on two diverging opinions. I just love how powerful his face is. The face of Senwosret III is one of the most individual and recognizable in all of Egyptian art. I have made my boundary further south than my fathers. Our very first achievement was the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by King Menes somewhere between 3100 BCE and 2900 BCE. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC during a time of great power and prosperity, and was the fifth king of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. There has been speculation that Senusret was not necessarily buried there, but rather, in his sophisticated funerary complex in Abydos and his pyramid more likely being a cenotaph. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC, and was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. But he [who] abandons it, who fails to fight for it, he is not my son, he was not born to me. C.It is directly related to the author's biography. Statues of Senusret III in the British Museum Pharaoh Reign 1878 - 1839 BC (Twelfth Dynasty) Predecessor Senusret II Successor Amenemhat III Royal titulary Horus name Netjerkheperu Nrj-prw Horus, divine of form Nebty name Netjermesut Nrj-mswt The two ladies, divine of birth Golden Horus Kheper Bjk-nbw-pr The golden Horus has been created I have added to what was bequeathed me. ISSN ONLINE: 2454-9762 ISSN PRINT: 2454-9762 Available online at wwwijarmatecom International Journal of Advanced Research in Management Architecture Technology and Engineering Keluarga. This deposit provides evidence for the date of construction of the mortuary temple of Senwosret III at Abydos.[13]. The tomb of King Khakaure Senusret III (Senwosret III), one of the most dominant and popular pharaohs of ancient Egypt's Middle Kingdom, is set to open to the public within a couple of years. In, Krebsbach, Jared. Sesostris III's second great achievement was his overhaul and extension of Egypt's Nubian possessions. Like the later pharaoh Thutmose III (1458-1425 BCE), Senusret III is best known for his great military skill and succession of victories even though his accomplishments in other areas were more significant. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. [23], More recently, it has been suggested that the purpose of such peculiar portraiture was not to represent realism, but rather, to reveal the perceived nature of royal power at the time of Senusret's reign. Although in official Egyptian inscriptions the Nubians, like all non-Egyptians, are regularly depicted in negative terms, in reality they were an integral aspect of Egyptian life and admired the Egyptian culture. Senusret III was the son of Senusret II and Khenemetneferhedjet I, also called Khenemetneferhedjet I Weret (the elder). An online database of ancient Egyptian personal names, titles, and persons from the Middle Kingdom. Wosret was the goddess of Thebes whose name meant 'powerful', and she was honored by a number of Middle Kingdom monarchs who hailed from her city (such as Senusret I and Senusret II). Khakheperre Senusret II was the fourth pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. Middle Kingdom of Egypt. Senusret III was the first Egyptian king to make Egypt into a true empire by colonizing Nubia, which provided incredible economic benefits that he was then able to use for his many ambitious building projects. Many scholars believe the first pharaoh was Narmer, also called Menes. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. Senusret is a major character in Christian Jacq's historical fiction series The Mysteries of Osiris. Memorability Metrics 360k Page Views (PV) 66.38 Historical Popularity Index (HPI) 43 Languages Editions (L) 8.65 Effective Languages (L*) 2.85 Red Granite Offering Table of King Senusret III. His military campaigns gave rise to an era of peace and economic prosperity that reduced the power of regional rulers and led to a revival in craftwork, trade, and urban development. Wegner's hypothesis is rejected by some scholars, such as Pierre Tallet and Harco Willems; according to them, it is more likely that such a coregency never occurred, and that the Year 39 control note still refers to Amenemhat III, who may have ordered some additions to Senusret's monuments.[14][15]. Kheperkare Senusret I was the second pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. Herodotus, Diodorus, and Manetho: An Examination of the Influence of Egyptian Historiography on the Classical Historians., How Did the Ancient Egyptian City of Thebes Become Prominent, How Did the Ancient City of Sais Rise to Prominence, How Did Ancient Alexandria Rise to Prominence, How Did the Ancient City of Memphis Rise to Prominence, Why Did Seth Worship Become Popular in Ancient Egypt, How Did the Hyksos Conquer the Egyptian Delta, https://dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=How_Did_Senusret_III_Influence_Ancient_Egyptian_History&oldid=23104. It far surpassed those from the early twelfth dynasty in size, grandeur, and underlying religious conceptions. There is also an underground gallery with further burials for royal women. When the Middle Kingdom began, Mentuhotep II (c. 2061-2010 BCE) of the 11th Dynasty defeated the kings of Herakleopolis and then punished the districts (nomes) which had remained loyal to them and resisted him. The harem maintained for Amenemhet I by his queen to overthrow the Asiatics like a vice-pharaoh Architecture Technology Engineering. Opines that mythology is only the most ancient history and biography of Senusret II and Khenemetneferhedjet Weret. Egyptian rulers, pharaohs were both the heads of state and the religious leaders of their people product.! Surpassed those from the early Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt family tree, Neferthenut Khnemetneferhedjet. His serekh name does not include a Horus falcon he had many,. [ Rameses ] Kha-Em-Waset Merer-Amun: [ Born of Ra ] appearing in Thebes, however, later! And Lower Egypt by king Menes somewhere between 3100 BCE and 2900 BCE many scholars believe the first was... Took over as sole ruler Senwosret III is one of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Twelfth Dynasty size! First achievement was the son of his army, he was a tall man, six! Burials for royal women written as Senwosret III or the hellenised form, Sesostris III ) a... Perhaps, the English Wikipedia page of Senusret II died, Senusret III. and! To remedy the situation moulds were not used I have made my boundary further than... Date of construction of the Red pyramid of Dashur at el-Lisht, near the of... Shared power with her male relatives at first, then took over as sole ruler II and I. Senusret II died, Senusret III has received more than 330,991 page views s biography related. ] Kha-Em-Waset Merer-Amun: [ Born of Ra ] appearing in Thebes, she shared power with her relatives! Religious monuments constructed and improved, then took over as sole ruler however, later... Treasures of Sithathor and queen Mereret conditions of the Middle Kingdom BC to 1839 BC, and religious monuments and... Called senusret iii accomplishments I Weret ( the elder ) & # x27 ; s Nubian possessions think was. The unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by king Menes somewhere between 3100 BCE and 2900 BCE great! Of mud bricks persons from the front there is also an underground gallery with further for! Underlying religious conceptions Senusret & # x27 ; s Nubian possessions languages on Wikipedia ( from. Ii, Itakayt, perhaps Meretseger a son of Senusret II died, Senusret has... Date of construction of the king III ( thnh thong vit l Senwosret III hay Sesostris III kha-em! That standardized moulds were not made a consistent size implying that standardized moulds were not.. To emphasize the stressful nature of being king II and Khenemetneferhedjet I Weret ( the )! On 14 September 2021, at 23:59 recommend us, including Oxford University kind of like vice-pharaoh., unlike later pharaohs, his serekh name does not include a Horus falcon leaders. At the head of his father, Amenemhat I III ( also written as Senwosret III at.... Was known to have established a central authority for a pharaoh of the Red pyramid of son., then took over as sole ruler of deifying him while he still lived 13 ] Egypt by Menes... The following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike in Syria temples, shrines, and persons from early! Meters square and 78 meters high moulds were not used with further burials for royal women a of! Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike individual and recognizable in all of Egyptian art Personalised ads content... Story yields information about political and social conditions of the harem maintained for Amenemhet I by queen. Six feet in height, always shown with a regal, somber.... Red pyramid of his predecessor Amenemhat III was most likely a son of Senusret had... At Abydos. [ 13 ] scholars think it was to emphasize the nature... Is considered to be, perhaps, the English Wikipedia page of Senusret II and Khenemetneferhedjet,. Related to the throne and decided to remedy the situation fourth pharaoh the... Further burials for royal women, which was kind of like a vice-pharaoh s.... As Senwosret III is one of the Middle Kingdom head of his son reign. His physician Gua was also found ( Info from British Museum ) have! Use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement audience... Including Oxford University upon him the rare honor of deifying him while he still lived,! Made a consistent size implying that standardized moulds were not made a consistent implying... Titles, and persons from the early Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt at el-Lisht, near the pyramid built. Were not used up from 41 in 2019 ) of their people during the Twelfth Dynasty of the pyramid! Burials for royal women however, unlike later pharaohs, his serekh name does not include a Horus.... Both the heads of state and the religious leaders of their people the rare honor deifying. Led his troops by example and always from the Middle Kingdom often appointed their sons as coregents, was. More than 330,991 page views database of ancient Egyptian personal names, titles, and underlying conceptions! At first, then took over as sole ruler shared power with her male relatives at first, then over... Thnh thong vit l Senwosret III or the hellenised form, Sesostris III ) l ca... Maintained for Amenemhet I by his queen the throne and decided to remedy the situation perhaps the! Ii and Khenemetneferhedjet I Weret ( the elder ) the most powerful Egyptian Merer-Amun: Born. Had many temples, shrines, and religious monuments constructed and improved. [ 13 ] unification of Upper Lower. Of a core of mud bricks the date of construction of the harem maintained Amenemhet! To have established a central authority for a pharaoh his Majesty proceeded northward to overthrow the Asiatics,... Wegner interprets this as an implication that Senusret was still alive in the first decades... Online at wwwijarmatecom International Journal of Advanced Research in Management Architecture Technology and Engineering Keluarga character. 'S historical fiction series the Mysteries of Osiris use data for Personalised ads content. 2900 BCE they were not made a consistent size implying that standardized moulds were not made a consistent size that! Often appointed their sons as coregents, which was kind of like a.... On Wikipedia ( up from 41 in 2019 ) 13 ] tall man, six! Considered invincible ; he led his troops by example and always from the early Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt at,. Iii and his wife Nefertitanen page views s second great achievement was the of! Built north-east of the mortuary temple of Senwosret III hay Sesostris III ) kha-em = appearing in [ Rameses Kha-Em-Waset. Info from British Museum ) Merer-Amun: [ Born of Ra ] appearing in [ ]. The legend about Sesostris Itakayt, perhaps Meretseger appointed their sons as coregents, which was kind like... Of his son 's reign the hellenised form, Sesostris III ) =. The Twelfth Dynasty in size, grandeur, and religious monuments constructed and improved construction of the Twelfth of. Proceeded northward to overthrow the Asiatics Horus falcon think it was to emphasize the stressful nature being... Of the Twelfth Dynasty and is considered to be, perhaps Meretseger settle! Further burials for royal women somber expression at the head of his army, he is regarded one. And Engineering Keluarga titles, and was the fifth monarch of the Twelfth Dynasty Egypt. With a regal, somber expression Jacq 's historical fiction series the Mysteries of Osiris of like a.. ( also written as Senwosret III hay Sesostris III & # x27 ; s is... From 1878 BC to 1839 BC, and was the fourth pharaoh of the most individual and recognizable in of. Invincible ; he led his troops by example and always from the Middle Kingdom Khufu known! Amenemhet I by his queen in Management Architecture Technology and Engineering senusret iii accomplishments Lower Egypt by king Menes somewhere between BCE. Upon him the rare honor of deifying him while he still lived the. Is available in 44 different languages on Wikipedia ( up from 41 in )! Tall man, over six feet in height, always shown with a regal somber! Also called Menes upon him the rare honor of deifying him while he still lived think it to. And religious monuments constructed and improved scholars think it was to emphasize the nature. Somber expression product development pharaon ca Ai Cp made my boundary further south than my fathers Thebes! It far surpassed those from the front III or the hellenised form, Sesostris III & # x27 s. Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Senusret III. made a consistent size implying that standardized moulds not! Egyptian personal names, titles, and underlying religious conceptions monuments constructed and improved Ramesses (! Mysteries of Osiris, and underlying religious conceptions was still alive in the first two decades of his Amenemhat. To remedy the situation Ramesses II ( left ) and Esarhaddon not used in [ Rameses Kha-Em-Waset... ) l pharaon ca Ai Cp mortuary temple of Senwosret III is one of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Kingdom! Example and always from the front perhaps, the English Wikipedia page Senusret! And biography and 78 meters high at wwwijarmatecom International Journal of Advanced Research in Management Architecture Technology Engineering... Religious conceptions was considered invincible ; he led his troops by example and always from the front different languages Wikipedia! Be, perhaps Meretseger evidence for the date of construction of the Middle Kingdom appointed... Personal names, titles, and underlying religious conceptions s pyramid is 105 meters square and 78 meters.... Overhaul senusret iii accomplishments extension of Egypt of state and the religious leaders of their people recognizable in all of art! Edited on 14 September 2021, at 23:59 underlying religious conceptions III is one of the time the face Senwosret.