Twentieth Dynasty of Egypt

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Twentieth Dynasty of Egypt
1189 BC–1077 BC
Ancient Egyptian Religion
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy
Historical eraIron Age
• Established
1189 BC
• Disestablished
1077 BC
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt
Twenty-first Dynasty of Egypt

The Twentieth Dynasty of Egypt (notated Dynasty XX, alternatively 20th Dynasty or Dynasty 20) is the third and last dynasty of the Ancient Egyptian New Kingdom period, lasting from 1189 BC to 1077 BC. The 19th and 20th Dynasties furthermore together constitute an era known as the Ramesside period. This dynasty is generally considered to be the start of the decline of Ancient Egypt at the transition from the Late Bronze to Iron Age. During the period of the Twentieth Dynasty, Ancient Egypt facing the crisis from the invading of Sea Peoples, but have successfully defend Egypt, while still been heavy damage.

History

After the death of the last pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty, Egypt entered into a civil war period. And because of the many lost of record, we did not know that what happen at the time when in the end of the 19th Dynasty which cost the civil war. And in the end, Setnakhte end the civil war, and become the new ruler of Egypt, formed 20th Dynasty of Egypt.

From the reign of Setnakhte and his son Ramesses III, Egypt facing the crisis that cost by the invading of See Peoples, which is also one of the main reason cost Late Bronze Age collapse.

The Sea Peoples costed a large amount of damage to the people of Egypt that left clear record:

"All at once the lands were removed and scattered in the fray. No land could resist their arms, from Hatti, Kode, Carchemish, Arzawa, and Alashiya on – being cut off at one time. A camp was set up in Amurru. They desolated its people and its land was like that which had never existed. They were coming forward toward Egypt, while the flame was prepared for them."

— Inscription from the second pylon of the temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu[1]

For the Outside of Egypt, it cost more devastating results, such as the long counterpart of Egypt, the Hittites, were never able to restore their state again.

With the victory in the Battle of Djahy and the Battle of the Delta during Year 8 of Ramesses III's reign, Egypt successfully repeal the invading forces of Sea Peoples, which protect Egypt from the ruin like other Bronze Age civilization. During the Twentieth Dynasty, many of the temples had build up to showing the power of Egypt, but it also make the religion group holding more power that the pharaoh.

But with facing the situation of heavy climate change, the infighting of the loyal family, and the growing power of the local religion group and noble, cost the decline of the Twentieth Dynasty. After the chaos by the death of Ramesses XI, the Last pharaoh of Twentieth Dynasty, Smendes, a noble of the Egypt, became the first Pharaoh of 21th Dynasty, mark the end of 20th Dynasty.

Background

Upon the death of the last pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty, Queen

stela built by Setnakhte. The circumstances of Twosret's demise are uncertain, as she may have died peacefully during her reign or been overthrown by Setnakhte, who was likely already middle aged at the time.[2]

20th Dynasty

A consistent theme of this dynasty was the loss of pharaonic power to the

High Priests of Amun. Horemheb, a pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, had restored the traditional Ancient Egyptian religion and the priesthood of Amun after their abandonment by Akhenaten. With the High Priests now acting as intermediaries between the gods and the people, rather than the pharaoh, the position of pharaoh no longer commanded the same kind of power as it had in the past.[3]

Setnakhte

Setnakhte stabilized the situation in Egypt, and may have driven off an attempted invasion by the Sea Peoples. He ruled for about 3-4 years before being succeeded by his son Ramesses III.

Ramesses III

In Year 5 of his reign, Ramesses defeated a Libyan invasion of Egypt by the Libu, Meshwesh and Seped people through Marmarica, who had previously unsuccessfully invaded during the reign of Merneptah.[4]

Ramesses III is most famous for decisively defeating a confederacy of the Sea Peoples, including the Denyen, Tjekker, Peleset, Shardana and Weshesh in the Battle of Djahy and the Battle of the Delta during Year 8 of his reign. Within the Papyrus Harris I, which attests these events in detail, Ramesses is said to have settled the defeated Sea Peoples in "strongholds", most likely located in Canaan, as his subjects.[3][5]

In Year 11 of Ramesses' reign, another coalition of Libyan invaders was defeated in Egypt.

Between regnal Year 12 and Year 29, a systematic program of reorganization of the varied cults of the Ancient Egyptian religion was undertaken, by creating and funding new cults and restoring temples.

In Year 29 of Ramesses' reign, the first recorded labor strike in human history took place, after food rations for the favored and elite royal tomb builders and artisans in the village of Set Maat (now known as Deir el-Medina), could not be provisioned.[6]

The reign of Ramesses III is also known for a

Pentawer on the throne. The coup was unsuccessful. The king died from the attempt on his life; however, it was his legitimate heir and son Ramesses IV who succeeded him to the throne, who thereafter arrested and put approximately 30 conspirators to death.[7][8]

Ramesses IV