Home › Periods

Intermediate period · c. 1070–664 BC

Third Intermediate Period

Dates

c. 1070–664 BC

Dynasties

21st to 25th Dynasties

Capital

Tanis, Bubastis, Sais; Thebes under the High Priests; Napata in Kush

In the directory

75 entries

The realm breaks up into several spheres of power: kings of Libyan descent in the Nile Delta, the High Priests of Amun in Thebes and finally the kings of Kush from what is now Sudan.

Achievements and events

• c. 1070 BCDivision of the country: the kings reside at Tanis, while the High Priests of Amun rule in Thebes.
• c. 1000 BCRoyal tombs of Tanis with the silver coffin of Psusennes I, discovered almost untouched by Pierre Montet in 1939/40.
• c. 925 BCShoshenq I leads a campaign into Palestine and immortalises it on the Bubastite Portal at Karnak.
• c. 728 BCThe Kushite king Piye conquers the whole of Egypt and records it on his Victory Stele.
• c. 690–664 BCTaharqa builds in Egypt and Nubia; the Kushite kings once again have themselves buried in pyramids.
• 663 BCThe Assyrians under Ashurbanipal sack Thebes.

All rulers of the period

21st Dynasty

• Smendes I1069–1043 BC
• Amenemnisu1043–1039 BC
• Psusennes I1039–991 BC
• Amenemope993–984 BC
• Osochor984–978 BC
• Siamun978–959 BC
• Psusennes II959–945 BC

High Priests of the late 20th and the 21st Dynasty (not pharaohs)

• Piankh1087–1075 BC
• Herihor1076–1066 BC
• Pinedjem I1070–1055 BC
• Masaharta1054–1046 BC
• Djedkhonsuefankh1046–1045 BC
• Menkheperre1045–992 BC
• Smendes II992–990 BC
• Pinedjem II990–969 BC
• Psusennes III969–945 BC

22nd Dynasty

• Shoshenq Ic. 946–924 BC
• Osorkon Ic. 925–890 BC
• Takelot Ic. 890–877 BC
• Shoshenq IIc. 924 BC
• Osorkon II880/879–852/851 BC
• Harsiese I870–860 BC

Upper Egyptian line of the 22nd Dynasty

• Takelot II852/851–831/830 BC
• Iuput I831/830–? BC
• Osorkon III790–762 BC
• Takelot III762–754 BC
• Ini754–749 BC
• Peftjauawybast749–727 BC
• Shoshenq VI727–715 BC

Lower Egyptian line of the 22nd Dynasty

• Shoshenq III863–825/813 BC
• Shoshenq IIIapossibly 825–813 BC
• Pami813–804 BC
• Shoshenq V804–767 BC
• Pedubast II767–732/730 BC
• Osorkon IV732/730–715/713 BC

23rd Dynasty

• Pedubast I856/855–831/830 BC
• Shoshenq IV831/830–825/824 BC
• Rudamun759–754 BC
• Iuput II753–730 BC

24th Dynasty

• Tefnakht727–720 BC
• Bakenranef (Bocchoris)720–716 BC

25th Dynasty (Kushites)

• Alara780–760 BC
• Kashta760–746 BC
• Piye746–716 BC
• Shebitku (Shabataka)716–707/706 BC
• Shabaka707/706–691 BC
• Taharqa691–664 BC
• Tantamani664–657 BC

High Priests of Amun (not pharaohs)

Between 754 and 704 BC there were either two unknown High Priests or the office was vacant. Between 644 and 595 BC there were either two unknown High Priests or the office was vacant.

• Iuput944–924 BC
• Shoshenq II924–894 BC
• Iuwelot894–884 BC
• Smendes III884–874 BC
• Harsiese I874–860 BC
• …diu…860–855 BC
• Nimlot (II)855–840 or 855–845 BC
• Takelot845–840 BC
• Osorkon (prince)840–785 BC
• Harsiese II835–800 BC
• Takelot800–775 BC
• unclear775–765 BC
• Takelot III765–754 BC
• Haremakhet704–660 BC
• Harkhebi660–644 BC
• Ankhnesneferibre595–560 BC
• Nitocris II560–550 BC

God's Wives (not pharaohs)

• Karomama Meritmut I870–840 BC
• Tashakheperc. 770 BC?
• Shepenupet I754–714 BC
• Amenirdis I740–700 BC
• Shepenupet II710–650 BC
• Amenirdis II670–640 BC
• Nitocris I656–595 BC
• Ankhnesneferibre595–525 BC

Assyrian rule

• Esarhaddon681–669 BC
• Ashurbanipal669–627 BC