3.4 The New Kingdom
The New Kingdom:
Ahmose’s rise to power marked the beginning of the New Kingdom, the period during which Egypt reached
the height of its power and glory. During the New Kingdom, which lasted from about 1550 BC to 1050 BC,
conquest and trade brought tremendous wealth to the pharaohs.
Building An Empire:
After battling the Hyksos, Egyptians leaders feared future invasion. To prevent such invasions from
occurring, they decided to take control of all possible invasion routes into the kingdom. In the process,
these leaders turned Egypt into an empire.
Egypt’s first target was the homeland of the Hyksos. After taking over that area, the army continued
north and conquered Syria. Soon Egypt had taken over the entire eastern shore of the Mediterranean. It had
also defeated the kingdom of Kush, south of Egypt. By the 1400s BC, Egypt was the leading military power in
the region. Its empire extended from the Euphrates River to southern Nubia.
Military conquests made Egypt rich. The kingdoms it conquered regularly sent treasures to their
Egyptian conquerors. For example, the kingdom of Kush and Nubia sent annual payments of gold, leopard skins,
and precious stones to the pharaohs. Assyrians, Babylonian, and Hittite kings also sent expensive gifts to
Egypt in an effort to maintain good relations.
Growth and its Effect in Trade:
Conquest also brought Egyptian traders into contact with more distant lands. Egypt’s trade expanded
along with its empire. Profitable trade routes, or paths followed by traders, developed. Many of the lands
that Egypt took over also had valuable resources for trade. The Sinai Peninsula, for example, had large
supplies of turquoise and copper. One ruler who worked hard
to increase trade was Queen Hatshepsut (hat – SHEHP – soot).
She sent Egyptian traders south to trade with the kingdom of
Punt on the Red Sea and north to trade with the people of
Asia Minor and Greece. Hatshepsut and later pharaohs used
the wealth they earned from trade to support the arts and
architecture of Egypt.
A Woman Ruler:
Queen Hatshepsut came to power around 1480 BC. She
ruled first with her husband and then, after his death, on
behalf of the young Thutmose III (thoot – MOH – suh), her
stepson. Finally she made herself pharaoh. Hatshepsut
became the first women to rule Egypt in her own right.
Queen Hatshepsut
Ruled 1427-1458 BC
Hatshepsut was married to the pharaoh
Thutmose II, her half-brother. He died
young, leaving the throne to Thutmose III,
his son by another women. Since
Thutmose III was still very young,
Hatshepsut took over power. Many people
did not think women should rule, but
Hatshepsut dressed as a man and called
herself king. After Hatshepsut died, her
stepson took back power and destroyed all
of the monuments Hatshepsut had built
during her rule.
Hatshepsut was one of the few pharaohs who was not interested
in war and conquest. Her chief interest was trade and the building of temples. Hatshepsut used some of the
wealth from the increased trade to build monuments. One of her greatest projects was a great temple and tomb
in the limestone cliffs of the Valley of the Kings, near the city of Thebes.
Expanding the Empire:
Under the rule of Thutmose, Egypt began aggressive wars of conquest.
Thutmose’s armies expanded
Egypt’s borders north to the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. His troops also moved south and regained
control of Nubia, which had broken free from Egypt earlier. Under Thutmose, Egypt controlled more territory
than it ever had.
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Thutmose’s empire grew rich from trade and tribute, forced payments. In addition to claiming gold,
copper, ivory, and other valuable goods from conquered peoples, Egypt enslaved many prisoners of war. These
unlucky captives were put to work rebuilding Thebes. They filled the city with beautiful palaces, temples,
and monuments. Slavery had not been widespread in Egypt before. During the New Kingdom, however, it became
common. Enslaved people did have some rights. They could own land, marry, and
eventually be granted their freedom.
Religion: The Egyptians of the New Kingdom began to worship a new god. As the
god of the city of Thebes, he had been called Amon. When Thebes became the
Cats in Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, cats were loved and even
worshiped. Egyptians valued the ability of
wild cats to protect villages’ grain supplies
from mice and rats. Over several hundred
years, cats became tame, and their role
developed from valued hunter and adored
family pet to the goddess.
In ancient Egyptian tombs, archaeologists
have found many wall paintings, carvings,
and statutes of cats. Often the statues were
adorned with beautiful jewels, such as
silver or gold earrings, nose rings, and
collars. When an Egyptian family’s cat
died, it’s owners shaved their eyebrows to
show their grief and had the cat’s body
mummified.
Egyptians worshiped cats because they
associated them with the goddess Bastet.
She represented motherhood, grace, beauty,
and often appears in paintings and statutes
as a women with the head of a cat.
capital of Egypt, however, the
Egyptians combined Amon with the sun
god Re. They called the new god
Amon-Re (ah-muhn-ra). Amon-Re became
the most powerful god of all. People
built many temples in his honor.
These were built, in part, by
enslaved people who had been captured
during war.
Pharaoh Amenhotep:
About 1370 BC, Amenhotep IV (Ah-muhn-HOH-teph) came to the
throne. With the help of his wife, Nefertiti (NEFH-uhr-TEET-ee),
Amenhotep tried to lead Egypt in a new direction.
Religious Reformer:
Amenhotep realized that Egypt’s priests were gaining power
at the expense of the pharaohs. In an attempt to maintain his own
power, Amenhotep introduced a new religion that swept away the old
gods and goddesses. Instead only one god, called Aton (AH-tuhn),
was to be worshiped. When Egypt’s priests resisted these
changes, Amenhotep removed many from their positions, seized their
lands, and closed temples. He then changed his name to Akhenaton
(AHK-NAH-tuhn), which means “Spirit of Aton.” Only his family
and close advisers, however, accepted the new religion.
To most Egyptians, Akhenaton’s attacks on the gods seemed to be an attack on Egypt itself. They
refused to accept Aton as the only god. Meanwhile, Akhenaton became so devoted to his new religion that he
neglected his duties as pharaoh. The administrators he appointed were not as experienced as the priests they
replaced, and Akhenaton took no action when enemies from what is now Turkey, the Hittites, attacked Egypt. As
a result, Egypt lost most of its land in western Asia, greatly shrinking the empire.
The Boy King:
When Akhenaton died, his son-in-law inherited the throne.
The new pharaoh,
Tutankhamen (too-tang-KAH-muhn), was a boy about 10 years old. He relied on help from
palace officials and priests, who convinced him to restore the old religion. After
ruling for only nine years, Tutankhamen died unexpectedly. He may have suffered a
fall or been murdered; no one is sure.
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Tutankhamen
1369 BC to 1351 BC
Nicknamed the “boy king”, Tutankhamen came to power
at the age of 9. He pleased the priests by rejecting
Akhenaton’s religion. Although frail, he loved to race
chariots and hunt animals. When he died at age 18,
officials placed him in a tomb filled with treasures. The
tomb’s beautiful contents, discovered in 1922, made
“King Tut” one of Egypt’s most famous pharaohs.
What is certain is that “King Tut”, as he is
nicknamed, played only a small rile in Egypt’s
history. Why, then, is he the most famous of all
pharaohs? The boy king captured people’s imaginations
after a British archaeologist, Howard Carter, found his
tomb in A.D. 1922. The tomb contained the king’s
mummy and incredible treasures, including a brilliant
gold mask of the young pharaoh’s face. Carter’s find
was a thrilling discovery, because most royal tombs in
Egypt were looted by robbers long ago.
Life in the New Kingdom:
Although Egyptian dynasties rose and fell, daily life for Egyptians did not change very much. But as
the population grew, society became more complex. A complex society required people to take on different
jobs.
Scribes and Soldiers:
Other than priests and government officials, no one in Egypt was more honored than scribes.
They
worked for the government and for temples. Scribes kept records and accounts for the state. They also wrote
and copied religious and literary texts. Scribes did not pay taxes, and many became wealthy.
After the Middle Kingdom, Egypt created a professional army. The military offered a chance to rise in
status. Soldiers received land as payment and could keep treasure they captured in war. Those who excelled
could be promoted to officer positions.
Artisans, Artists, and Architecture:
Below scribes on the social scale were artisans whose jobs required advanced skills. Among the
artisans who worked in Egypt were sculptors, builders, carpenters, jewelers, metal workers, and leather
workers. Most of Egypt’s artisans worked for the government or for temples. They made statues, furniture,
jewelry, pottery, footwear, and other items.
Architects and artisans were also admired in Egypt. Architects designed the temples and royal tombs
for which Egypt is famous. Talented architects could rise to become high government officials. Artists,
often employed by the state or the temples, produced many different works. Artists often worked in the
pharaoh’s tombs painting detailed pictures.
Farmers and Other Peasants:
Egypt’s farmers and other peasants were toward the bottom of the social scale.
They made up the vast
majority of Egypt’s population. Peasant farmers used wooden hoes or cow-drawn plows to prepare the land
before the Nile flooded. After the flood waters had drained away, they planted seeds. Farmers worked
together to gather the harvest.
Farmers had to give crops to the pharaohs as taxes. All peasants, including farmers, were subject to
special duty. The pharaoh could demand at any time that people work on projects such as building pyramids,
mining gold, or fighting in wars.
Family life in Egypt:
Most Egyptian families lived in their own homes. Men were expected to marry young so that they could
start having children. Most Egyptian women were devoted to their homes and their families. Some, however,
had jobs outside the home. A few served as priestesses, and some worked as administrators and artisans.
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Unlike most women in the ancient world, Egyptian women had
certain legal rights. These included the right to own property,
make contracts, and divorce their husbands.
Children
plated with toys, took part in ballgames, and hunted. Most boys
and girls received an education. At school they learned morals,
writing, math, and sports. At age 14, most boys left school to
enter their father’s profession.
End of the New Kingdom:
During the 1200s BC, pharaohs worked
to make Egypt great again. The most
effective of these pharaohs was Ramses II
(RAM-seez), sometimes known as Ramses the
Great. He reigned for a remarkable 66
years, from 1279 BC to 1213 BC. During
this time, Egyptians armies regained lands
in western Asia and rebuilt the empire.
Ramses also launched an ambitious building program, constructing
several major new temples.
Ramses the Great
Ramses the Great ruled Egypt from the late
1300s to early 120s BC. As pharaoh,
Ramses lived in the city he built on the Nile
Delta. The city’s name, Pi-Ramesse,
means the “house of Ramses”.
From a young age, Ramses was trained as a
ruler and a fighter. Made an army captain
at the age of 10, he began military
campaigns even before he became pharaoh.
During his reign, Ramses greatly increased
the size of his kingdom.
Many people consider Ramses the last
great Egyptian pharaoh. He accomplished
great things, but the pharaohs who followed
could not maintain them. Both and great
warrior and a great builder, he is known
largely for the massive monuments he built.
The temples at Karnak, Luxor, and Abu
Simbel stand 3,000 years old symbols of
the great pharaoh’s power.
Temples:
Under Ramses II and other New Kingdom rulers, scores of
new temples rose throughout Egypt. Many were built by enslaved
people captured in war. The most magnificent was Karnak at
Thebes.
Its huge columned hall decorated with colorful paintings still impress visitors today.
Unlike modern churches, temples, and mosques, Egyptian temples did not hold regular services. Instead,
most Egyptians prayed at home. They considered the temples as houses for the gods and goddesses. Priests and
priestesses performed daily temple rituals, washing statutes of the deities, or gods, and bringing them food.
The temples also served as banks. Egyptians used them to store valuable items, such as gold jewelry,
sweet-smelling oils, and finely woven cloth.
Decline and Fall:
Despite its great successes, Egypt’s military might did not go unchallenged. Ramses, whose reign was
one of the longest in Egyptians history, fought the Hittites, a group from Asian Minor. The two powers fought
fiercely for years, but neither could defeat the other. Ramses and
the Hittite leader eventually signed a peace treaty. Afterwards,
the Egyptians and the Hittites became allies.
Egypt faced threats in other parts of its empire as well. To the
west, a people known as the Tehenu invaded the Nile delta. Ramses
fought them off and built a series of forts to strengthen the
western frontier. This proved to be a wise decision because the
Tehenu invaded again a century later. Faced with Egypt’s
southwest Asia.
strength, the Tehenu were defeated once more.
Soon after Ramses dies, invaders called Sea Peoples sailed into
Little is known about these people. Historians are not even sure who they were. All we know
is that they were strong warriors who crushed the Hittites and destroyed cities in southwest Asia.
50 years of fighting were the Egyptians able to turn them back.
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Only after
Egypt survived, but most empire in Asia was gone. Shortly after the invasion of the Hittites and Sea
Peoples, the New Kingdom came to an end. Egypt once again fell into a period of violence and disorder. Egypt
would never again regain its power.
By 1150 BC, the Egyptians had lost their empire and controlled only the Nile delta. Beginning in the
900s BC, Egypt came under the rule of one outside group after another. The first to conquer were the Libyans
from the west. Then in 760 BC, the people of Kush, a land to the south, seized power and ruled Egypt for the
next 70 years.
Finally in 670 BC, Egypt was taken over by the Assyrians.
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