1. Egypt and Nubia

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

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

4. Egypt’s Empire Builders in the New Kingdom
Bronze weapons and two-wheeled chariots allowed Egyptians to become conquerors
18th Dynasty Pharaohs ( ) 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

5. 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

6. 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 ( ) most important leader, who constructed many buildings

7. 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
BCE Libyan pharaohs ruled Egypt

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

9. 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 BCE

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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