King Piankhi: Twenty-Fifth Dynasty Of Egypt

Piankhi was an ancient Kushite king. He was the founder of the twenty-fifth dynasty of Egypt, who ruled Egypt from 744-714 BC. He ruled from the city of Napata, located deep in Nubia, modern-day Sudan. Piankhi adopted two throne names: Usimare and Sneferre. He was passionate about the worship of the god Amun, like many lings of Nubia. He revitalized the moribund Great Temple of Amun at Jebel Barkal, which was first built under Thutmose lll of the New Kingdom, employing numerous sculptures.

Piankhi was the son of Kashta and Pebatma. He is known to have had three or four wives. Abar was the mother of his successor Taharqa. Further wives are Tabiry, Peksater and probably Khensa. Shebitku, said to be the son of Piankhi, or alternatively a brother of Piankhi. This was the only son of Piankhi.

Piankhi was known for becoming the first black pharaoh. The remains of the Great Temple of Amun lies beneath The Pure Mountain. In the 8th century BC it was a sacred place and it was where Pharaoh felt most at home. From his Palace at Napata he lived in the old

He had struck hard and fast, crushing all opposition. Having sized Thebes, he had taken he throne name Thutmose and proclaimed himself Pharaoh, then having put Upper Egypt under his control he left a large garrison in Thebes and returned to Napata.

As impressive as this sounds it really achieved a little more than reaffirming his claim to the throne and fixing a territorial boundary. Indeed Piankhi’s father Kashta had exercised a powerful influence in Thebes were he had managed to get Piankhi’s sister Amenirdis installed as gods wife of Amun, the highest priestess in the cult. With things so secure Pankhi was not at all bothered about going back to Nubia. The Nubian Pharaoh is a faceless and angeless man. All that is really known about him physically is that he was black and the year he