Egypt and Nubia

Egypt’s Middle Kingdom Middle Kingdom in Egypt- trade with Mesopotamia and Indus Nubia developed 600 miles south and traded with Egypt

End of the Middle Kingdom End of Middle Kingdom (2080-1640 BCE) because of weak leadership and power struggles Hyksos invaded with chariots and ruled from 1640-1570 About 1600 series of rulers begins to bring back Egypt’s power Queen Ahhotep Kamose (drove Hyksos out of Egypt) Establishment of New Kingdom (1570-1075 BCE)

Egypt’s Empire Builders in the New Kingdom Bronze weapons and two-wheeled chariots allowed Egyptians to become conquerors 18th Dynasty Pharaohs (1570-1365) set up a strong army Archers, infantry, charioteers New blue crown shaped like a helmet Hatshepsut Declared herself pharaoh in 1472 Encouraged trade and not just war Thutmose III Hatshepsut’s stepson who became ruler around 1452 More warlike Staged attacks on Palestine and Syria and Nubia Expanded boundaries allowed for them to become very wealthy trading gold, cattle, ivory, and slaves

Battle of Kadesh By 1400 when the Egyptians crossed the Sinai Peninsula they came into contact with the Hittites Battle of Kadesh in 1285 ended in a draw and Pharaoh Ramses II and the Hittite king singed a peace treaty

Age of Builders Palaces, temples, tombs (hidden beneath desert cliffs in the Valley of the Kings) Word ‘Pharaoh” means great house and comes from this time period Ramses II (1290-1224) most important leader, who constructed many buildings

End of the Empire Invasions By Land and Sea Both Egyptian empire and Hittite kingdom attacked by invaders from the land and sea around 1200 BCE (although it is unclear who they actually were) Egypt’s Empire Fades After invasions, Egypt broke apart into regional units Small kingdoms arose and the officials didn’t listen to the Egyptian officials 950-730 BCE Libyan pharaohs ruled Egypt

Kushites Conquer the Nile Region Nubia had always been the source of many goods and slaves Egypt had dominated the Nubian kingdom Kush from 2000-1000 BCE As Egypt declined Nubia would establish its own kingdom on the throne of Egypt

People of Nubia Nile was the best north-south trade route Several Nubian kingdoms served as trade corridors Kerma was the first Nubian kingdom around 2000 BCE

Interaction Between Egypt and Nubia During the New Kingdom Egypt forcefully imposed its rule on Kush Huge Egyptian cultural influence in Kush Kushite princes went to Egypt and learned Egyptian language and worshipped Egyptian gods Adopted clothing styles Built pyramids based on Egyptian models Kushites viewed themselves as preservers of Egyptian culture 1100 BCE Kushites regain independent kingdom Tried to conquer Egypt and oust Libyan rulers

Painkhi Captures the Throne 751 Piankhi overthrew the Libyan dynasty and untied the entire Nile Valley Painkhi and his descendants became Egypt’s 12th dynasty 671 Assyrians conquered Egypt Kushites forced south again but would experience a golden age

The Golden Age of Meroe Meroe lay closer to the Red Sea and the royal family would live there Wealth of Kush Meroe had a lot of rainfall and had abundant supply of iron ore, so it became a major center of manufacture of iron weapons and tools Mineral wealth flowed out and luxury goods from India and Arabia flowed in Succession of kings determined by the agreement of leaders and nobles

The Decline of Meroe 250 BCE – 150 Meroe began to decline Aksum in the SE arose to rival its trading power Aksum defeats Meroe in 350