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Horemheb

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Horemheb was a powerful pharaoh of ancient Egypt. He was the final ruler of the 18th Dynasty. This dynasty lasted from 1550 BC to 1292 BC. His name means "Horus is in Jubilation."

StatueOfHoremhebAndTheGodHorus KunsthistorischesMuseum Nov13-10
StatueOfHoremhebAndTheGodHorus KunsthistorischesMuseum Nov13-10

Unlike many kings, Horemheb was likely born a commoner. He did not belong to the royal family by birth. He rose to power through his military and political skill. He ruled for at least 14 years between 1319 BC and 1292 BC.

Before he became king, Horemheb held many important roles. He served in the military during the reign of Akhenaten. Later, he became a high official for King Tutankhamun.

Tumba de Tutankamón, Valle de las Reyes, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-03, DD 77
Tumba de Tutankamón, Valle de las Reyes, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-03, DD 77

He acted as the royal spokesman for foreign affairs. He even led a diplomatic mission to visit governors in Nubia. Eventually, he became the commander-in-chief of the entire Egyptian army. He was also a close advisor to the pharaoh. His titles included "Hereditary Prince" and "Chief Commander of the Army."

His journey to the throne involved complex political shifts. When Tutankhamun died, an official named Ay became the next pharaoh.

Saqq Horemheb 07
Saqq Horemheb 07

Some scholars believe Tutankhamun had named Horemheb as his successor. Horemheb held titles like "ipy-pat," which means Crown Prince. However, Ay chose a different successor named Nakhtmin. This action sidelined Horemheb's claim to the throne. Horemheb remained a powerful military leader during Ay's four-year reign. After Ay died, Horemheb used his military position to take power.

Horemheb took strong actions to change how history remembered his rivals. He wanted to remove the memory of Ay from the records. This process is called damnatio memoriae.

La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des Rois Thèbes ouest) -4
La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des Rois Thèbes ouest) -4

He damaged Ay's tomb and removed his name from monuments. He even used a large 17-foot statue that once belonged to Ay. He erased the old names and carved his own instead. Interestingly, Horemheb did not damage Tutankhamun's tomb. He likely did this out of respect for the king who helped him rise.

Once he was king, Horemheb focused on fixing the Egyptian state. The country had been divided during the Amarna Period.

Statue of king Horemheb with the god Amun
Statue of king Horemheb with the god Amun

He wanted to restore order, which the Egyptians called Maat. He wrote a legal document called the Edict of Horemheb. This edict was a set of rules to stop corruption. It helped make the government more honest and fair. He also divided legal power between Upper and Lower Egypt. This was done by using two different viziers in Memphis and Thebes.

Horemheb was also a very busy builder. He constructed many temples and large buildings across Egypt.

GD-EG-Louxor-106-2
GD-EG-Louxor-106-2

He built the Second, Ninth, and Tenth Pylons at the Temple of Karnak. A pylon is a massive gateway at a temple entrance. To build these, he reused stone blocks from Akhenaten's monuments. He also worked to restore the power of the priesthood of Amun. To keep control, he appointed many priests from the army. This ensured the religious leaders remained loyal to him.

Horemheb's personal life was also notable. He was married to Queen Mutnedjmet.

Limestone statue of a husband and wife, British Museum
Limestone statue of a husband and wife, British Museum

Some people think she might have been the sister of Nefertiti. They did not have any sons to inherit the throne. Because of this, Horemheb chose his vizier, Paramessu, to be the next king. Paramessu became known as Ramesses I. Horemheb had two different tombs built for himself. One was at Saqqara, and the other was in the Valley of the Kings.

La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des Rois Thèbes ouest) -6
La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des Rois Thèbes ouest) -6

His leadership helped stabilize Egypt for the future.

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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Horemheb Ashershow1.JPG
Horemheb Ashershow1.JPG
File:Limestone statue of a husband and wife, British Museum.jpg
Limestone statue of a husband and wife,...
File:Saqq Horemheb 07.jpg
Saqq Horemheb 07.jpg
File:Tumba de Tutankamón, Valle de las Reyes, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-03, DD 77.jpg
Tumba de Tutankamón, Valle de las Reyes,...
File:26671- tomb of Horemheb, Saqqara.jpg
26671- tomb of Horemheb, Saqqara.jpg
File:StatueOfHoremhebAndTheGodHorus KunsthistorischesMuseum Nov13-10.jpg
StatueOfHoremhebAndTheGodHorus...
File:Statue of king Horemheb with the god Amun.png
Statue of king Horemheb with the god Amun.png
File:GD-EG-Louxor-106-2.JPG
GD-EG-Louxor-106-2.JPG
File:Colossal Statue of King Tutankhamun (10466439746).jpg
Colossal Statue of King Tutankhamun...
File:La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des Rois Thèbes ouest) -4.jpg
La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des...
File:La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des Rois Thèbes ouest) -6.jpg
La tombe de Horemheb (KV.57) (Vallée des...
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