Nebtawyre Mentuhotep IV was the last king of the 11th Dynasty in the Middle Kingdom. He seems to fit into a 7-year period in the Turin Canon for which there is no recorded king.
Mentuhotep IV
Mentuhotep IV (right) gives offerings to Min. From Wadi Hammamat
In Wadi Hammamat, a rock inscription (Hammamat M 191) with the royal name of Mentuhotep IV also mentions King's Mother Imi.[5] This monument only focus on the title King's Mother, presumably the mother of Mentuhotep IV. It does not include other titles like King's Wife, King's Sister or King's Daughter. Some have speculated that she was a concubine in the royal harem.
Mentuhotep III or Mentuhotep II
It is not certain who was the father of Mentuhotep IV. Most scholars suggest that he was the son and successor of Mentuhotep III. However, it is also possible that he was a son of Mentuhotep II, thus a brother or half-brother of Mentuhotep III. The fact that he has been omitted from several king lists indicate that there was a crisis in the order of succession - ending in the fall of the eleventh dynasty. His reign is poorly documented indicating turmoil.
Rock inscriptions
He is known from a few inscriptions in Wadi Hammamat that record expeditions to the Red Sea coast and to quarry stone for the royal monuments. One of these inscriptions confirms the name of his mother to be King's Mother Imi. It seems that he was a son of his predecessor.
Also, he is attested by the inscriptions at Wadi el-Hudi.[6] Another relevant inscription is found in Ain Sukhna.[7] These locations were the usual staging harbours for the expeditions to the Sinai.
Despite Mentuhotep's obscurity (he is absent from the official Abydos king list), the inscriptions show the organization and makeup of a large expedition during his reign. The leader of an expedition to Wadi Hammamat, during the second year of Mentuhotep IV’s reign, was his vizier, Amenemhat, who is assumed to be the future king Amenemhat I, the first king of the 12th Dynasty, and Mentuhotep's immediate successor.
A fragment of a slate bowl found at Lisht North was regarded for a long time to be inscribed on the outside with the official titulary of Mentuhotep IV, and on the inside with that of King Amenemhat I, his successor. Since the two inscriptions are incised in a different style of writing, according to Dorothea Arnold, this indicates that Amenemhat had his name added to an older vessel that already bore the name of Mentuhotep IV.[8] However, Peter Janosi showed that Mentuhotep IV is not mentioned on the bowl, the titulary preserved there fits better to Mentuhotep II.[9]
End of reign
It is assumed by some Egyptologists that Amenemhat either usurped the throne or assumed power after Mentuhotep IV died childless. There is currently no archaeological or textual evidence to prove that Mentuhotep was deposed by his vizier or that he chose Amenemhat to be his designated successor. Neither his mummy nor his burial place have been found.
^Clayton, Peter A. Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. p72. 2006. ISBN0-500-28628-0
^"Hammamat M 191 | Persons and Names of the Middle Kingdom".
^Fakhry, Ahmed (1952). The Inscriptions of the Amethyst Quarries at Wadi el Hudi.
^El-Raziq, Mahmoud Abd (2002). Les Inscriptions d'Ayn Southna. pp. 4a and 4b. ISBN9782724703221.
^Dorothea Arnold, Amenemhat I and the Early Twelfth Dynasty at Thebes. Metropolitan Museum Journal, v. 26 (1991)
^Jánosi, Peter (2010). "Montuhotep-Nebtawyre and Amenemhat I: Observations on the Early Twelfth Dynasty in Egypt". Metropolitan Museum Journal. 45: 7–20. doi:10.1086/met.45.41558050. S2CID 192546924.
Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mentuhotep IV.
Grajetzki, Wolfram (2006-02-24). The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt: History, Archaeology and Society. pp. 25–26. ISBN9780715634356.
mentuhotep, nebtawyre, last, king, 11th, dynasty, middle, kingdom, seems, into, year, period, turin, canon, which, there, recorded, king, right, gives, offerings, from, wadi, hammamatpharaohreign1997, 1991, 11th, dynasty, predecessormentuhotep, iiisuccessorame. Nebtawyre Mentuhotep IV was the last king of the 11th Dynasty in the Middle Kingdom He seems to fit into a 7 year period in the Turin Canon for which there is no recorded king Mentuhotep IVMentuhotep IV right gives offerings to Min From Wadi HammamatPharaohReign1997 1991 BC 1 11th dynasty PredecessorMentuhotep IIISuccessorAmenemhat IRoyal titularyMotherImi King s Mother Died1991 BC Contents 1 Family 1 1 King s Mother Imi 1 2 Mentuhotep III or Mentuhotep II 2 Rock inscriptions 3 End of reign 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingFamily EditKing s Mother Imi Edit In Wadi Hammamat a rock inscription Hammamat M 191 with the royal name of Mentuhotep IV also mentions King s Mother Imi 5 This monument only focus on the title King s Mother presumably the mother of Mentuhotep IV It does not include other titles like King s Wife King s Sister or King s Daughter Some have speculated that she was a concubine in the royal harem Mentuhotep III or Mentuhotep II Edit It is not certain who was the father of Mentuhotep IV Most scholars suggest that he was the son and successor of Mentuhotep III However it is also possible that he was a son of Mentuhotep II thus a brother or half brother of Mentuhotep III The fact that he has been omitted from several king lists indicate that there was a crisis in the order of succession ending in the fall of the eleventh dynasty His reign is poorly documented indicating turmoil Rock inscriptions EditHe is known from a few inscriptions in Wadi Hammamat that record expeditions to the Red Sea coast and to quarry stone for the royal monuments One of these inscriptions confirms the name of his mother to be King s Mother Imi It seems that he was a son of his predecessor Also he is attested by the inscriptions at Wadi el Hudi 6 Another relevant inscription is found in Ain Sukhna 7 These locations were the usual staging harbours for the expeditions to the Sinai Despite Mentuhotep s obscurity he is absent from the official Abydos king list the inscriptions show the organization and makeup of a large expedition during his reign The leader of an expedition to Wadi Hammamat during the second year of Mentuhotep IV s reign was his vizier Amenemhat who is assumed to be the future king Amenemhat I the first king of the 12th Dynasty and Mentuhotep s immediate successor A fragment of a slate bowl found at Lisht North was regarded for a long time to be inscribed on the outside with the official titulary of Mentuhotep IV and on the inside with that of King Amenemhat I his successor Since the two inscriptions are incised in a different style of writing according to Dorothea Arnold this indicates that Amenemhat had his name added to an older vessel that already bore the name of Mentuhotep IV 8 However Peter Janosi showed that Mentuhotep IV is not mentioned on the bowl the titulary preserved there fits better to Mentuhotep II 9 End of reign EditIt is assumed by some Egyptologists that Amenemhat either usurped the throne or assumed power after Mentuhotep IV died childless There is currently no archaeological or textual evidence to prove that Mentuhotep was deposed by his vizier or that he chose Amenemhat to be his designated successor Neither his mummy nor his burial place have been found See also EditEleventh Dynasty of Egypt family treeReferences Edit Stewart John 2006 African States and Rulers Third ed London McFarland p 81 ISBN 0 7864 2562 8 Mentuhotep IV s titulary on Eglyphica de King List chronological Clayton Peter A Chronicle of the Pharaohs The Reign by Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt Thames amp Hudson p72 2006 ISBN 0 500 28628 0 Hammamat M 191 Persons and Names of the Middle Kingdom Fakhry Ahmed 1952 The Inscriptions of the Amethyst Quarries at Wadi el Hudi El Raziq Mahmoud Abd 2002 Les Inscriptions d Ayn Southna pp 4a and 4b ISBN 9782724703221 Dorothea Arnold Amenemhat I and the Early Twelfth Dynasty at Thebes Metropolitan Museum Journal v 26 1991 Janosi Peter 2010 Montuhotep Nebtawyre and Amenemhat I Observations on the Early Twelfth Dynasty in Egypt Metropolitan Museum Journal 45 7 20 doi 10 1086 met 45 41558050 S2CID 192546924 Further reading Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mentuhotep IV Grajetzki Wolfram 2006 02 24 The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt History Archaeology and Society pp 25 26 ISBN 9780715634356 Preceded byMentuhotep III Pharaoh of EgyptEleventh Dynasty1998 BC 1991 BC Succeeded byAmenemhat I This Ancient Egypt biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mentuhotep IV amp oldid 1123556590, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
