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Period · c. 1550–1070 BC
New Kingdom
- Dates
- c. 1550–1070 BC
- Dynasties
- 18th to 20th Dynasties
- Capital
- Thebes, Memphis, at times Akhetaten (Amarna) and Pi-Ramesses
- In the directory
- 33 entries
Egypt becomes a great power with a sphere of influence stretching from Sudan to Syria. The vast temples of Karnak and Luxor and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings date from this period.
Achievements and events
- c. 1540 BCAhmose I finally drives out the Hyksos and founds the New Kingdom.
- c. 1500 BCFrom Thutmose I onwards, the kings are buried in the Valley of the Kings near Thebes.
- c. 1470 BCHatshepsut reigns as pharaoh: terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari and trading expedition to Punt.
- 1457 BCThutmose III is victorious at Megiddo; Egypt controls large parts of the Levant.
- c. 1350 BCAkhenaten places the sun god Aten at the centre of worship and builds the new capital Akhetaten (Amarna).
- c. 1323 BCDeath of Tutankhamun. His almost intact tomb, KV62, is discovered by Howard Carter in 1922.
- 1274 BCBattle of Kadesh between Ramesses II and the Hittites.
- 1259 BCEgyptian–Hittite peace treaty, the oldest surviving peace treaty in the world.
- c. 1250 BCRock temples of Abu Simbel. In 1964–1968 they were cut into blocks and moved to safety from the rising waters of Lake Nasser.
- c. 1180 BCRamesses III repels the ‘Sea Peoples’ and has the victory depicted at Medinet Habu.
- 1159 BCFirst recorded strike in history: the tomb workers of Deir el-Medina down tools because their grain wages have not been paid.
- c. 1110 BCUnder Ramesses IX, tomb robbers from the Valley of the Kings stand trial; the court records survive.
All rulers of the period
18th Dynasty
- Ahmose I1539–1514 BC
- Amenhotep I1514–1493 BC
- Thutmose I1493–1482 BC
- Thutmose II1482–1479 BC
- Hatshepsut1479–1458 BC
- Thutmose III1458–1426 BC
- Amenhotep II1426–1400 BC
- Thutmose IV1400–1390 BC
- Amenhotep III1390–1353 BC
- Akhenaten1353–1336 BC
- Neferneferuaten1336–1335 BC
- Smenkhkare1335–1332 BC
- Tutankhamun1332–1323 BC
- Ay II1323–1319 BC
- Horemheb (Haremhab)1319–1292 BC
19th Dynasty
- Ramesses I (Ramses I)1292–1290 BC
- Seti I (Sethos I)1290–1279 BC
- Ramesses II1279–1213 BC
- Merneptah1213–1204 BC
- Seti II1204–1198 BC
- Amenmesse1203–1200 BC
- Siptah1198–1193 BC
- Tausret1193–1190 BC
20th Dynasty
- Setnakhte1190–1187 BC
- Ramesses III1187–1156 BC
- Ramesses IV1156–1150 BC
- Ramesses V1150–1145 BC
- Ramesses VI1145–1137 BC
- Ramesses VII1137–1129 BC
- Ramesses VIII1128 BC
- Ramesses IX1127–1109 BC
- Ramesses X1109–1105 BC
- Ramesses XI1105–1076/70? BC