Famous Kings of Egypt

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The kings of Egypt in recorded history were known as pharaohs, but only by those who were not from Egypt. The Egyptians used the titles ‘Malik Misr’or ‘Aziz Misr’ for their kings. It was only in 1922 that the word ‘King’ was officially used for the ruler of Egypt when the United Kingdom ended its protectorate over Egypt. Pharaohs were however the ancient kings remembered long after the end of their rules. They were remembered on account of their world famous, well preserved tombs, mummies and the artifacts contained in the tombs. The pyramids of Egypt and other archaeological finds have been attracting the archaeologists, historians, tourists and ‘Egyptologists’ from all over the world since long ago.

1. Sultan Fouad ÃŽâ„¢

Fuad I of Egypt
Fuad I of Egypt

Sultan Fouad ÃŽâ„¢ was born to Ismail Pasha and Ferial Kadin in Giza Palace, Cairo, Egypt on March 26, 1868. He died in Qubba Palace, Cairo, Egypt on April 28, 1936 at the age of 68. Belonging to the  Muhammad Ali Dynasty, Fouad ÃŽâ„¢ was the 9th ruler of Egypt and Sudan. He succeeded his elder brother Hussein Kamel in 1917 and became ‘Sultan’ of Egypt and Sudan. After  the independence of Egypt from the United Kingdom in 1922, he replaced the title ‘Sultan’ with the name ‘King’ and his title afterwards was ‘His Majesty the King of Egypt and Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, kordofan, and Darfur’.

2. Farouk I of Egypt

Farouk I of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt

Farouk I of Egypt was born to Fuad ÃŽâ„¢ and Nazli Sabri in Abdeen Palace, Cairo, Egypt on February 11, 1920. He died in Rome, Italy on March 18, 1965 at the age of 45. He succeeded his father Fuad ÃŽâ„¢ in 1936 and became the 10th ruler of Muhammad Ali Dynasty. His title was ‘His Majesty Farouk ÃŽâ„¢, By the Grace of God, King of Egypt and Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, of Kordofan, and of Darfur’. His kingdom was toppled in the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and he was forced to abdicate in favor of his infant son Ahmed Fuad who succeeded him as King Fuad II. He died in Italy during exile.

3. King Fuad II

King Fuad II
King Fuad II

King Fuad II was born to Farouk I and Marriman Dadek in Abdeen Palace, Cairo, Egypt on January 16, 1952. He succeeded his father king Farouk I after his abdication following the Egyptian revolution of 1952. He was not even one year old when ascended the throne. His father thought that his son may serve to unite broken political links, however did not happen. On account of his infancy, he was never formally coronated however he reined from July 26, 1952 to June 18, 1953. Muhammad Ali’s Dynasty ruled Egypt since 1805 and it ended on June 18, 1953 with the end of the reign of King Fuad II who was the eleventh Monarch of this dynasty.

4. Djoser

Djoser
Djoser

Djoser also pronounced as Zoser, was born to Khasekhemwy and his wife Nametape. The exact date of his birth and death is unknown, yet a radio carbon dating in 2010 indicated that Djsoer’s reign started around 2650 BC. He was a Pharaoh of third dynasty and was best known for building the step Pyramids of Saqqara, wherefrom his painted limestone statue of life-size was discovered by Antiquities Service Excavations in 1925. It is the oldest statue of a pharaoh and is kept in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A replica has been placed in Saqqara.

5. Sneferu

Sneferu
Sneferu

According to the ‘Papyrus Prisse’ Snefferu Succeeded King Huni. He was the first king of the fourth dynasty of ancient Egyptian Kings. He reigned 24 years from 2613 to 2589 BC.Sneferu is best known for building the three pyramids in his reign. The Bent pyramid, the Red Pyramid and Medium Pyramid were built in Dahshur. Architecture of the pyramids underwent the evolution that later on paved the way to the building of Khufu’s great Pyramid. Khufu’s pyramid excels all the other pyramids in its construction and is considered one of the seven wonders of ancient Egypt.

6. Userkaf

Userkaf
Userkaf

Userkaf founded the fifth dynasty of Egypt. He was the first Pharaoh to build Sun Temples at Abusir. His name means ‘His soul is powerful’. He reigned Egypt from 2494 to 4287 BC. He built the pyramid of Userkaf in Saqqara. The head of his statue was discovered in his sun temple at Abu Gurob. A bust of Userkaf, measuring 45 Cm high was discovered in his sun temple at Abusir and is at display in Egyptian Museum, Cairo. It is particularly important due to its ‘Deshret’; the Red crown of Lower Egypt. The Sun temples were the places of worship at sunset. The Nobel Laureate Naguib Mafouz published a story about Userkaf titled ‘Afw al-Malik Userkaf: Uqsusa Misriya, It was translated by Raymond Stock as ‘King Userkaf’s Forgiveness’.

7. Pepi II

Pepi II
Pepi II

Pepi II was born to Pepi ÃŽâ„¢ and Queen Ankhesenpepi II in 2184 BC and died in 2284 BC. He was a pharaoh of the sixth dynasty and reigned for the longest period of monarchy in the history stretched over 94 years from 2278BC to 2184BC. He became the king in his early childhood and took a keen interest in the other parts of world. He wrote a letter to a Caravan leader; Harkhuff saying, ‘You also say in this letter that you have brought a dwarf of divine dances from the land of the horizon dwellers’¦Now northward at once to the court. You must bring the dwarf, alive, sound and well to rejoice and gladden the heart of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt’. He also wrote him that he would be honored on his return.

8. Thutmose III

Thutmose III
Thutmose III

Thutmose III was born to Thutmose II and his wife Iset. He belonged to the 18th dynasty and was its 6th pharaoh. He reigned from April 24, 1479 to March 11, 1425 During his reign of over 50 years he was co-regent with his step mother; Hatshepsut for the first 24 years. None of the two had any prominent seniority over the other during co-regency. In the last two years of his life he designated his son Amehotep as co-regent. After his death, Thutmose III was buried in the Valley of Kings like other Pharaohs.

9. Ramesses I

Ramesses I
Ramesses I

Ramesses I founded the 19th dynasty which ruled Egypt from 1292 to 1190 BC.He reigned from 1292 to 1290 BC. Ramesses I was a military man not belonging to the royal family, not of royal origin but he was favored by his predecessor Horemheb who was the last king of the 18th dynasty and was himself a military man. Close to his death, Horemheb made Ramesses I his co-regent. He ascended the throne in 1292, in advanced age. His son Seti was in the prime of his age, therefore, Ramesses I made Seti his co-regent and shared royal duties with him. Ramesses I completed the decoration of the Karnak; the temple of National God Amon, just before his death.

10. Ramesses II

Ramesses II
Ramesses II

Ramesses II were the third pharaoh of the 19th dynasty. He was known as Ramesses the Great and regarded the most powerful, celebrated and influential pharaoh. Later generations remembered him as the ‘Great ancestor’. His father Seti made him Prince Regent at the age of fourteen and Ramesses II ascended to the throne as a teenager. He assumed throne on May 13, 1279 BC according to most of the Egyptologists. He was buried in the Valley of Kings and his body, discovered in1881, is at display in the Cairo Museum.

Conclusion:

Pharaohs have been famously regarded as the most autocratic rulers in the world, but a pharaoh is like the embodiment of ancient Egyptian civilization .Construction of the great pyramids, the art of preserving the bodies or mummification, the exquisite sculpture, development of papyrus and hieroglyphs and the artifacts recovered from the tombs of pharaohs and Egyptian museum tell us a lot about the great and ancient civilization of Egypt.

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