Taharqa
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Taharqa (also spelled Tirhakah, Taharka, Manetho's Tarakos) was king of Egypt, and a member of the Nubian or Twenty-fifth dynasty of Egypt. His reign can be dated from 690 BC to 664 BC. He was the son of Piye, the Nubian king of Napata who had first conquered Egypt, and the younger brother and successor of Shebitku.[1] Taharqa's throne name, Nefertemkhure, means "Nefertum is his Protector."[2]
Kenneth Kitchen's book, The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt, provides a wealth of information about Taharqa and confirms that his reign lasted a minimum of 26 Years.[3] This is based on the evidence from Serapeum stela Cat. 192 "which records that an Apis bull who was born and installed (4th month of Peret, day 9) in Year 26 of Taharqa died in Year 20 of Psammetichus I (4th month of Shomu, day 20) having lived 21 years. This would give Taharqa a reign of 26 years and a fraction, in 690-664 B.C."[4] Taharqa was the brother of Shebitku or Sebaq-tawy, the previous king of Egypt. Taharqa explicitly states in Kawa Stela V, line 15 that he succeeded Shebitku with this statement: "I received the Crown in Memphis after the Falcon (ie: Shebitku) flew to heaven."[5]
Scholars have identified him with Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, who waged war against Sennacherib during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah (2 Kings 19:9; Isaiah 37:9). The events in the Biblical account are believed to have taken place in 701 BC, whereas Taharqa came to the throne some ten years later. A number of explanations have been proposed: one being that the title of king in the Biblical text refers to his future royal title, when at the time of this account he was likely only a military commander.
Taharqa indulged in rebuilding the temple at Kawa, across the Nile from present-day Dongola, which became a major center for the Nubian kings. He built at a number of other sites in Nubia, and carried out numerous restoration and building projects at the temple of Amun at Karnak--especially the First Court of Amun there--as well as at Medinet Habu.[6]
[edit] Conflict with Assyria
It was during his reign that Egypt's enemy Assyria at last invaded Egypt. Esarhaddon led several campaigns against Taharqa, which he recorded on several monuments. His first attack in 677 BC, aimed to pacify Arab tribes around the Dead Sea, led him as far as the Brook of Egypt. Esarhaddon then proceeded to invade Egypt proper in Taharqa's 17th regnal year, after Esarhaddon had settled a revolt at Ashkelon. Taharqa defeated the Assyrians on that occasion. Three years later in 671 BC the Assyrian king captured and sacked Memphis, where he captured numerous members of the royal family. Taharqa fled to the south, and Esarhaddon reorganized the political structure in the north, establishing Necho I of the 26th dynasty as king at Sais.
Upon the Assyrian king's departure, however, Taharqa intrigued in the affairs of Lower Egypt, and fanned numerous revolts. Esarhaddon died before he could return to Egypt, and it was left to his heir Assurbanipal to once again invade Egypt. Assurbanipal defeated Taharqa, who afterwards fled first to Thebes, then up the Nile into his native homeland--Nubia. Taharqa died there in exile in 664 BC and was succeeded by his appointed successor Tantamani, a son of Shabaka. Taharqa was buried at El-Kurru.
[edit] References
- ^ Toby Wilkinson, The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson, 2005. p.237
- ^ Peter Clayton, Chronicle of the Pharaohs, Thames and Hudson Ltd, paperback 2006. p.190
- ^ K.A. Kitchen, The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100–650 BC), 3rd edition, 1996, Aris & Phillips Ltd,pp.380-391
- ^ Kitchen, op. cit., p.161
- ^ Kitchen, op. cit., p.167
- ^ Wilkinson, op. cit., p.237
| Preceded by Shebitku |
Pharaoh of Egypt 690 – 664 BC Twenty-fifth Dynasty |
Succeeded by Tantamani |
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|---|---|---|
| Early Dynastic Rulers | Narmer · Hor-Aha · Menes |  |
| Old Kingdom Rulers | Djoser · Sneferu · Khufu · Khafra · Menkaura · Pepi II | |
| Middle Kingdom Rulers | Mentuhotep II · Mentuhotep IV · Senusret III · Amenemhat III · Sobekneferu | |
| New Kingdom Rulers | Hatshepsut · Thutmose III · Amenhotep III · Akhenaten · Tutankhamun · Ramesses I · Seti I · Ramesses II | |
| Other Rulers | Shoshenq I · Piye · Taharqa · Psammetichus I · Ptolemy I · Cleopatra VII | |
| Consorts | Tetisheri · Ahmose-Nefertari · Ahmose · Tiye · Nefertiti · Ankhesenamun · Nefertari · Mark Antony | |
| Court officials | Imhotep · Weni · Ahmose, son of Ebana · Ineni · Senemut · Rekhmire · Yuya · Maya · Yuny · Manetho · Pothinus | |
