Establishment of the 18th Dynasty STEPS TO WAR TIMELINE

YEAR (BC) 1575 1573 SIGNIFICANT PERSONALITIES + PLACES Sequenenre Tao II Thebes SIGNIFICANT EVENTS Revives traditional harpooning of hippos -> symbolizing Egypts assertion of order over chaos Complains about noise of hippos (unlikely) -> perhaps to provoke military confrontation -> interpreted as insult, due to association of hippo with chief god Seth Dies in battle against Hyksos (?) EVIDENCE Clash described in PAPYRUS SALLIER I

Apophis

Sequenenre Tao II

MUMMY - bears the marks of the wounds inflicted by a dagger, axe, spear, mace - AXE MARKS on forehead match Hyksos weapons found at TELL ELL-DABA

1573 1570 - 1565

Kamose Kamose

Son of Sequenenre Tao II becomes king Decides to reunite Upper + Lower + Nubia Proposes attack against Hyksos, to Council of Nobles

KAMOSE STELA I shall grapple with him that I might crush his belly, my desire is to rescue Egypt which the Asiatics have destroyed Only when comes one who (acts against us) should we act against him KARNAK STELAE + CARNARUON TABLET describing clash between Apophis and Khamose

Council of Nobles Kamose Lower Egypt

Reject plan unless attacked first Ignores Council, sails North Infiltrates Hyksos territory as far as Cynopolis, but fails to take Avaris

Apophis

Sends message to Prince of Nubia requesting assistance Intercepts message and returns to A Returns to Thebes to prepare further campaigns, but dies

Kamose Thebes

Ahmose Hyksos Ahmose

Kamose brother becomes king Hyksos regain ground Begins three attacks against Avaris

Avaris El Kab

Interrupts campaign to put down a rebellion in El Kab Captures Avaris after siege of four yrs Flee Egypt Seek refuge in Palestine Besieges city of Sharuhen in Southern Palestine for six yrs Eventually captures + destroys Continues attacks in Palestine + Syria destroying all Hyksos military bases and restore order

1565

Hyksos

Ahmose

Hyksos

Permanently expelled from Egypt after a century of occupation

REASONS FOR HYKSOS DEFEAT

Unification of Native Egyptians Nationalism Ability of Theban princes to UNITE NATIVE EGYPTIANS Hyksos Decline in Hyksos weaponry Hyksos STOPPED EMPLOYING TIN BRONZE (stronger) to produce superior cutting-edge weapons Used unalloyed copper (softer, weaker) changed function practical -> display (insignia of status) -> Stratography at Tell el-Daba earlier strata (tin bronze), later (unalloyed copper) Egypts adoption of Hyksos superior weaponry + technology Horse + chariot, composite bow, stronger metals in weaponry Clear advantage in hand-to-hand combat

REUNIFICATION OF UPPER + LOWER EGYPT

Ahmoses final expulsion of Hyksos paved way for reunification of Upper + Lower Egypt under a NEW DYNASTY with its capital at Thebes (first time since end of middle kingdom) Eliminate threats to consolidate reign: (External Threats) - campaign against Nubian allies of Hyksos -> Ahmose son of Ebana made a great slaughter of them thus conquered southerners + northeners completing the work begun by Kamose to free E (Internal threats) - Rebellions in Upper Egypt needed to defeat rival claimants to throne -> Ahmose son of Ebana put down rebellions led by Ata + Teti-an