| Merenre Nemtyemsaf I | |
|---|---|
| |
 A small box of hippopotamus ivory inscribed with the royal titulary of Merenre Nemtyemsaf, Musée du Louvre[note 1] | |
| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 6–7 or 9–11 years in the early 23rd century BC.[note 2] |
| Coregency | uncertain, possibly with his father Pepi I, less likely with his successor Pepi II |
| Predecessor | Pepi I Meryre |
| Successor | Pepi II Neferkare |
| Consort | Ankhesenpepi II (aunt and stepmother) |
| Children | Ankhesenpepi III ♀ Iput II♀ Uncertain: Pepi II Neferkare ♂ |
| Father | Pepi I Meryre |
| Mother | Ankhesenpepi I |
| Burial | Pyramid of Merenre in Saqqara |
| Monuments |
|
| Dynasty | Sixth Dynasty |
Merenre Nemtyemsaf (meaning "Beloved of Ra, Nemty is his protection") was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, fourth king of the Sixth Dynasty. He ruled Egypt for six to 11 years in the early 23rd century BC, toward the end of the Old Kingdom period. He was the son of his predecessor Pepi I Meryre and queen Ankhesenpepi I and was in turn succeeded by Pepi II Neferkare who might have been his son or less probably his brother. Pepi I may have shared power with Merenre in a co-regency at the very end of the former's reign.
Merenre's rule saw profound changes in the administration of the southern provinces of Egypt, with a marked increase in the number of provincial administrators and a concurrent steep decline in the size of the central administration in the capital Memphis. As a consequence the provincial nobility became responsible for tax collection and resource management, gaining in political independence and economic power. This led to the first provincial burials for the highest officials including viziers, governors of Upper Egypt and nomarchs. Several trading and quarrying expeditions took place under Merenre, in particular to Nubia where caravans numbering hundreds of donkeys were sent to fetch incense, ebony, animal skins, ivory and exotic animals. Such was the interest in the region that Merenre had a canal dug to facilitate the navigation of the first cataract into Nubia. Trade with the Levantine coast for lapis lazuli, silver, bitumen, and tin took place while quarrying for granite, travertine and alabaster took place in the south and in the Eastern Desert.
A pyramid complex was built for Merenre in Saqqara, known as Khanefermerenre by the Ancient Egyptians meaning "The appearance of the perfection of Merenre" and likely completed prior to the king's death. The subterranean chambers were inscribed with the Pyramid Texts. In the burial chamber, the black basalt sarcophagus of the king still held a mummy when it was entered in the 19th century. The identification of the mummy as Merenre's is still uncertain. Following his death, Merenre was the object of a funerary cult until at least the end of the Old Kingdom. During the New Kingdom period, he was in a selection of past kings to be honoured.
- ^ Strudwick 2005, p. 132.
- ^ Allen et al. 1999, p. 450.
- ^ a b c d e Leprohon 2013, p. 43.
- ^ Clayton 1994, p. 64.
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