What is an Empire? A state that conquers and controls a group of states or territories. Imperialism – the process of creating and ruling an empire

The Middle Kingdom The New Kingdom The Egyptian Empire The Middle Kingdom The New Kingdom

1 The Egyptian Empire

The Middle Kingdom About 2300 BCE, pharaohs lost control of Egypt. Nobles battled for power creating about 200 years of confusion. A new dynasty of pharaohs finally emerged moving the capital from Memphis to Thebes. Egyptian life prospered greatly during this kingdom.

THE DRIVE FOR MORE LAND Egypt began taking control of the new land. They picked up Nubia to the South and Syria to the North. The Egyptians began to make new land pay tribute, which is a forced payment made by one nation to another to show obedience or gain protection. Egypt used these added resources to build a canal, more waterways and increased the size of farm lands.

The Arts Blossom Interest in arts, literature, and architecture increased greatly during this kingdom. Pyramids were no longer being built. Tombs of pharaohs were being cut into cliffs west of the Nile. This area is known as the Valley of the Kings.

Who were the Hyksos? Nobles began to plot against the pharaohs once again. During this time, Egypt was also facing attack from the Hyksos. The Hyksos were mighty warriors from western Asia. Like the Assyrians, they had weapons of bronze and iron which the Egyptians were no match for. Ahmose, an Egyptian prince, helped drive the Hyksos out of Egypt. Hyksos horse and chariot on the left, and a statute of Ahmose on the right.

Ahmose and his army driving out the Hyksos. Starting in 1567 B.C., the pharaoh Ahmose I eventually managed to defeat and expel the Hyksos from Egypt, reuniting Egypt and establishing the New Kingdom (c. 1567-1085 B.C.). The New Kingdom was characterized by a new militaristic and imperialistic path. A more professional army was developed. Ahmose and his army driving out the Hyksos.

The New Kingdom During c. 1570-1090 BC, Egypt became even richer and more powerful. The pharaohs made empire building a priority. The pharaohs marched armies around to claim more territory. Egypt had reached the height of its glory.

A Woman Ruler Hatshepsut was a queen who became pharaoh after her husband, Thutmose II had died. She was more interested in trading than in fighting. At this time, great wealth was brought to Egypt. The Egyptians exported beads, metal tools, and weapons The Egyptians imported gold, ivory, ebony, and incense. Incense is a material burned for its pleasant smell.

Expanding the Empire Thutmose III is Hatshepsut’s nephew that became pharaoh. Egypt became very aggressive in battles, and took over lands into Mesopotamia. Egypt also regained control of Nubia to the south of Egypt. Egypt controlled more territory than ever before. Thutmose to the right, and his tomb is on the left.

Expanding the Empire (cont.) Thutmose’s empire became rich through trade and tribute. Egypt also enslaved many prisoners of war to help rebuild Thebes. Slavery became widespread in Egypt for the first time. Slaves had the right to own land, marry, and gain freedom.

Thebes

A Religious Reformer Amenhotep IV and Nefertiti tried to lead Egypt into a new direction. Amenhotep felt priests had gained too much power. He tried to introduce a new religion with only one god named Aton (the sun’s disk). This took power away from the current gods and goddesses. Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaton which means “Spirit of Aton.” Amenhotep, Nefertiti, and child with Aton in the background.

Ramses II Also known as Ramses the Great. He reigned for 66 years. Under his rule, Egypt rebuilt most the empire that they had lost under Akhenaton. Ramses II also set a new program into place building many new temples. Ramses had many wives and more than 100 children. The Hypostyle Hall

Egypt’s Decline and Fall Egypt’s power began to fade after Ramses II. Groups of armies attacked Egypt from the Mediterranean Sea with iron weapons. By 1150 BCE, Egypt only had control of the Nile Delta, the land they had started with almost 4000 years earlier. In the 900s BCE, Egypt was taken over by one outside group after another. Lybians from the west, the the people of Kush from the south, and finally the Assyrians took over in 670 BCE.

The Egyptian Empire After the prosperity of the Middle Kingdom, Egypt descended into war and violence. This was caused by a succession of weak pharaohs and power struggles among rival nobles. The weakened country fell to invaders who swept across the Isthmus of Suez in chariots, a weapon of war unknown to the Egyptians. These Asiatic invaders, called Hyksos (HIHK•sohs), ruled Egypt from about 1640 to 1570 B.C. The Hyksos invasion shook the Egyptians’ confidence in the desert barriers that had protected their kingdom. After overthrowing the Hyksos, the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (about 1570– 1075 B.C.) sought to strengthen Egypt by building an empire. As you may recall, an empire brings together several peoples or states under the control of one ruler. Egypt now entered its third period of glory in the New Kingdom. During this time, it was wealthier and more powerful than ever before. Egypt was now a mighty empire. It controlled lands around the Nile and far beyond. In addition, it drew boundless wealth from them. Contact with other cultures brought Egypt new ideas as well as material goods. Egypt had never before—nor has it since—commanded such power and wealth as during the reigns of the New Kingdom pharaohs.

Problems of Imperial Control Communication over a long distance Different languages and customs Rebellions of conquered peoples Need a large army to defend the empire Need support of the people to expand and defend the empire

Invasion of the “Sea Peoples” around 1200 B.C. The days of Egyptian empire were ended, and the New Kingdom expired with the end of the twentieth dynasty in 1085 B.C. For the next thousand years, despite periodic revivals of strength, Egypt was dominated by Libyans, Nubians, Persians, and Macedonians. Egyptian Drawings of Two Different Tribes of Sea People