2 – Khufu (2589 – 2566? BC)
The son of Sneferu was to make his mark as the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Once again, the exact details of the dates and duration of his reign are not known. Modern historians suggest he reigned anywhere from 23 to 46 years while ancient historian Manetho suggests Khufu (also known as Cheops) reigned for an incredible 63 years which seems unlikely. He is believed to have had three wives and ironically, given the fact he presided over what was the world’s largest structure for thousands of years, the only statue of him that survives is approximately three inches tall!
There are also very different accounts of the type of ruler Khufu was. Ancient historians such as Diodorus, Herodotus, and Manetho claim he was a ruthless and cruel tyrant. In contrast, the 13th Dynasty Papyrus Westcar puts him in a more positive light. While there is no way of knowing for certain, it may be advisable to take the view of the ancients with a large grain of salt. This is because of their false assertion that the Great Pyramid was built by slaves. Herodotus, in particular, was adamant that slaves created the marvelous pyramid.
Recent archaeological evidence suggests that the laborers were paid to complete the structure and worked in three-month shifts. There were probably 10,000-20,000 workers and the pyramid took up to 30 years to complete. A modern construction management study disagrees with these figures and claims the maximum workforce could have been 40,000 and the structure could have been completed in 10 years. Historians can’t even agree on the construction method used! The 2.3 million stones might have been lifted, dragged or rolled into place. The largest granite stones weighed up to 80 tons!
Evidence of Khufu’s political activities is scarce, but it appears as if he wasn’t an idle monarch. He sent expeditions to Wadi Maghareh to source copper and turquoise mines and also sent men to Byblos. Khufu had a number of sons and was succeeded by Djedefre upon his death.
3 – Mentuhotep II (2061-2010? BC)
Mentuhotep II reigned for approximately 51 years during the 11th Dynasty and eventually unified Egypt to bring an end to the instability of the Early Intermediate Period. Other estimates suggest his reign began in 2008 BC, but he is now deemed to be the first ruler of the Middle Kingdom by most historians.
One of his greatest achievements was the unification of Egypt which happened during the 39th year of his reign. When he ascended the throne, he was only the ruler of Upper Egypt as the Heracleopolitan Kingdom was in power in Middle and Lower Egypt. In the 14th year of his reign, Mentuhotep decided it was time to wrestle back control of the country, so he launched an attack against Heracleopolis. Sadly, there are few details of the war, but it appears as if the Pharaoh was aided by a change in the leader of the enemy’s capital. After around 25 years of fighting, Egypt was once again a whole kingdom.
Mentuhotep’s reign was very much a military focused one. After unification, he was forced to fight the Bedouin who continually attacked the north of the nation. Egypt also annexed Northern Nubia in the later years of Mentuhotep’s reign. Thebes became the capital and the Pharaoh rewarded his loyal followers with important government posts. He was certainly a savvy ruler because he even forgave members of the Heracleopolitan Kingdom that showed loyalty.
With reunification came a boost in trade and construction. Mentuhotep built temples across northern Egypt but unfortunately, little remains of these structures. He also built a temple complex at Thebes and when he died, his successor, Mentuhotep III, was left with a wealthy and powerful kingdom to rule.