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persistent incursions from the Sea People, and the Libyan tribes from the Western desert, such as the Mesh-Wesh and the Libu. The Egyptians ultimately defeated the invaders but, during the final years of the Twentieth Dynasty, the country fell into a state of steady decline. The Libyans, especially the MeshWesh had gradually filtered into Egypt, where they were hired as mercenaries in the Egyptian army. Later, they succeeded in accumulating considerable authority within the Egyptian power structure.
of the late New Kingdom, were able to increase their autonomy. Consequently, a number of principalities developed, each based at an important town, and at each strategic point controlled by a Libyan chief.
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Consequently, it was no surprise that shortly after marching his army into Thebes, Shoshenq I (c. 945 – 924 BCE) a powerful Libyan dynast from the north, proclaimed himself pharaoh with the divine approval of the oracle of Amun. Thus, successfully founding the 22nd Dynasty, also known as the Bubastid Weakened by the influx of the new settlers, Egypt’s Dynasty after the city of Bubastis, which functioned earlier hold on her neighbours loosened; and as the principal centre of the goddess, Bastet. the economy appears to have simultaneously deteriorated. At this time, the economy was severely Under the Bubastid Dynasty, Egypt was united once undermined by bad harvests which led to famine again, and the title “Lord of Two Lands” once more and this, in turn, encouraged extensive criminality applied to the ruler. The reunited Egyptian empire and corruption. The succeeding rulers, Ramesses developed into a strong political and military power. IV to Ramesses XI presided over a weakening state However, after nearly a century of stability, new after failing to establish a strong central authority in generations of Libyan commanders sprang up in the face of the ongoing discord both within Egypt the important administrative and religious centres, and beyond her borders. The reign of Ramesses XI each vying for a piece of the crown. The successors (c. 1098 – 1069 BCE), the last Ramesside ruler, was of the 22nd Dynasty tried to unify the realm, but the characterized by a civil war with Panehsy, the viceroy regrowth of the provincial power bases increasingly of Nubia, who was vying for control of the Theban weakened royal control, and once again led to the area. Ramesses XI responded by sending General division of the country. By the eighth century, there Piankh, who waged a successful campaign against were numerous kings in the country, with the 22nd the southern upstart. The conflict weakened the to the 25th Dynasty ruling simultaneously. The Egyptian economy further, consequently ending deteriorated state of kingship and the priesthood the Egyptian occupation of Nubia. Accordingly, the of Amun paved the way for the subsequent Kushite failure to restore Nubia as a colony resulted in the loss invasion into Egypt. of control of important resources from sub-Saharan Africa. By the beginning of the 21st Dynasty, Egypt was The Kushite Twenty-fifth Dynasty Kings and politically divided in two, with the legitimate lineage the Renaissance in Egypt of kings ruling from Tanis and army commanders in the south, who functioned simultaneously as the The Kushite Dynasty comprised of some forty kings high priests of Amun establishing their own “line” at ruling in succession from the vicinity of Napata, hence the designation “Napatan” to describe this Thebes. time period. The initial kings, buried in the el Kurru Due to the growing military and political efficiency cemetery near Napata, were shadowy figures of the Libyan settlers towards the end of the New originating from murky origins that have been lost Kingdom, the Libyan chiefs were able to secure to time. The first king mentioned by name and positions of local influence, as they had been known only from later texts is Alara. His descendants rewarded with land for their services and were invoked his name as the founder of the royal dynasty promoted to high positions within the government. of Kush in their royal inscriptions, most likely as a The initial decentralization of government during means of conferring legitimacy to their own reigns. the 21st Dynasty also contributed to the growth of Not much is known about Alara himself, and it is provincial power bases. As a result, local dynasties postulated that he was possibly the brother of Kashta, of Libyan chieftains, the descendants of the settlers a better attested Kushite king, and successor to the 44