Amenemhat IV

See Amenemhat, for other individuals with this name.
Amenemhat IV
Ammenemes
Small gneiss sphinx inscribed with the name of Amenemhat IV that was reworked in Ptolemaic times now is on display at the British Museum.[1]
Small gneiss sphinx
inscribed with the name of Amenemhat IV
that was reworked in Ptolemaic times
now is on display at the British Museum.[1]
Pharaoh
Reign9 years 3 months and 27 days
1822–1812 BC,[2] 1815–1806 BC,[3] 1808–1799 BC,[4] 1807–1798 BC,[5] 1786–1777 BC,[6] 1772–1764 BC[7]
Coregencymost likely 2 years with Amenemhat III
PredecessorAmenemhat III
SuccessorSobekneferu
Royal titulary
Horus name
Kheperkheperu
Ḫpr-ḫprw
Everlasting of manifestations
G5
xprxprZ3w
Nebty name
Sehebtawy
[S]-ḥ3b-t3wj
He who makes the two lands festive
G16
Ba15sBa15aHbW4N16
N16
Golden Horus
Sekhembiknebunetjeru
Sḫm-bik-nbw-nṯrw
The golden Horus, powerful one of the gods
sxmG8nTrw
Prenomen  (Praenomen)
Maakherure
M3ˁ-ḫrw-Rˁ
The voice of Ra is true[8]
M23
t		 L2
t		 <
raU5
a		 xrww
>

Turin canon:[9]
Maakherure
M3ˁ-ḫrw-Rˁ
The voice of Ra is true
V10AN5U4
a		 P8Z7A17V11AG7
Nomen
Amenemhat
Jmn-m-ḥ3.t
Amun is in front
G39N5<
imn
n		 mHAt
t
>
Childrenuncertain, possibly Sekhemre Khutawy Sobekhotep and Sonbef[3]
Fatheruncertain, possibly Amenemhat III (perhaps as adoptive father)
MotherHetepi
Burialuncertain Southern Mazghuna pyramid ?
Dynasty12th Dynasty

Amenemhat IV (also known as Amenemhet IV) was the seventh and penultimate[5] king of the late Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt during the late Middle Kingdom period. He arguably ruled around 1786–1777 BC for about nine regnal years.[10][3]

Amenemhat IV may have been the son, grandson, son-in-law, or stepson of his predecessor, the powerful Amenemhat III. His reign started with a seemingly peaceful two-year coregency with Amenemhat III. He undertook expeditions in the Sinai for turquoise, in Upper Egypt for amethyst, and to the Land of Punt. He also maintained trade relations with Byblos as well as continuing the Egyptian presence in Nubia.

Amenemhat IV built some parts of the temple of Hathor at Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai, and constructed the well-preserved temple of Renenutet in Medinet Madi. The tomb of Amenemhat IV has not been identified, although the Southern Mazghuna pyramid is a possibility.

Amenemhat IV was succeeded by Sobekneferu, who may have been his sister or stepsister; she was a daughter of Amenemhat III. Her reign marked the end of the Twelfth Dynasty and the beginning of the Middle Kingdom's decline into the Second Intermediate Period.

  1. ^ The sphinx BM EA58892 on the catalog of the British Museum
  2. ^ Wolfram Grajetzki: Late Middle Kingdom, UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology (2013), available online
  3. ^ a b c K.S.B. Ryholt: The Political Situation in Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period, c. 1800–1550 BC, Carsten Niebuhr Institute Publications, vol. 20. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 1997, excerpts available online here.
  4. ^ Michael Rice: Who is who in Ancient Egypt, Routledge London & New York 1999, ISBN 0-203-44328-4, see p. 11
  5. ^ a b Jürgen von Beckerath: Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen, Münchner ägyptologische Studien, Heft 49, Mainz : Philip von Zabern, 1999, ISBN 3-8053-2591-6, see pp. 86–87, king No 7. and p. 283 for the dates of Amenemhat IV's reign.
  6. ^ Gae Callender, Ian Shaw (editor): The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, OUP Oxford, New Edition (2004), ISBN 978-0-19-280458-7, excerpts available online
  7. ^ Erik Hornung (editor), Rolf Krauss (editor), David A. Warburton (editor): Ancient Egyptian Chronology, Handbook of Oriental Studies, Brill 2012, ISBN 978-90-04-11385-5, available online copyright-free
  8. ^ Digital Egypt for Universities: Amenemhat IV Maakherure (1807/06-1798/97 BCE)
  9. ^ Alan H. Gardiner: The Royal Canon of Turin, Griffith Institute, Oxford 1997, ISBN 0-900416-48-3, pl. 3.
  10. ^ Darrell D. Baker: The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I – Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300–1069 BC, Stacey International, ISBN 978-1-905299-37-9, 2008, p. 30–32