Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt

The eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty XVIII)Kuhrt 1995: 186 (c.1550-c.1292 BCE) is perhaps the best known of all the dynasties of ancient Egypt. As well as boasting a number of Egypt's most famous pharaohs, it included Tutankhamun, the finding of whose tomb by Howard Carter in 1922 was a sensational 
archaeological discovery despite its having been twice disturbed by tomb robbers. The dynasty is sometimes known as the Thutmosid Dynasty because of the four pharaohs named Thutmose (child of Thoth). 
As well as Tutankhamen, famous pharaohs of Dynasty XVIII include Hatshepsut (1479 BCE – 1458 BCE), longest-reigning queen-pharaoh of an indigenous dynasty, and Akhenaten (1353 BCE – 1336 BCE / 1351 BCE - 1334 BCE), the "heretic pharaoh", with his queen, Nefertiti.
Dynasty XVIII is often combined with the Dynasties XIX and XX to form the New Kingdom period of ancient Egyptian history.
==Dating==
Radiocarbon dating suggests that Dynasty XVIII may have started a few years earlier than the conventional date of 1550 BCE. The radiocarbon date range for its beginning is 1570-1544 BCE, the mean point of which is 1557 BCE.Christopher Bronk Ramsey et al., Radiocarbon-Based Chronology for Dynastic Egypt, Science 18 June 2010: Vol. 328. no. 5985, pp. 1554-1557.
==Dynasty XVIII pharaohs==
The pharaohs of Dynasty XVIII ruled for approximately two hundred and fifty years (c. 1550-1298 BCE). The dates and names in the table are taken from Dodson and Hilton. Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press, London 2004. Many of the pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes (designated KV). More information can be found on the Theban Mapping Project website. Sites in the Valley of the Kings 
Dynasty XVIII pharaohs
Pharaoh 	Horus-name 	Reign (BCE)	Burial 	Consort(s)
Ahmose I 	Nebpehtire 	1549 - 1524	 	Ahmose-Nefertari Ahmose-Henuttamehu Ahmose-Sitkamose
Amenhotep I 	Djeserkare 	1524 - 1503	KV39? 	Ahmose-Meritamon
Thutmosis I 	Akheperkare 	1503 - 1491	KV20, KV38 	Ahmose Mutnofret
Thutmosis II 	Akheperenre 	1491 - 1479	KV42? 	Hatshepsut Iset
Thutmosis III 	Menkheper(en)re 	1479 - 1424	KV34 	Satiah Merytre-Hatshepsut Nebtu Menhet, Menwi and Merti
Hatshepsut 	Maatkare 	1503 - 1491	KV20 	
Amenhotep II 	Akheperure 	1424 - 1398	KV35 	Tiaa
Thutmosis IV 	Menkheperure 	1398 - 1388	KV43 	Nefertari Iaret Mutemwiya
Amenhotep III 	Nebmaatre 	1388 - 1348	KV22 	Tiye Gilukhipa Tadukhipa Sitamun Iset
Akhenaten 	Neferkepherure-Waenre 	1360 - 1343	Royal Tomb of Akhenaten	Nefertiti Kiya
Smenkhare 	Ankhkheperure 	1346 	 	Meritaten
Neferneferuaten	Ankhkheperure-Merwaenre 	1346 - 1343	 	
Tutankhamun 	Nebkheperre 	1343 - 1333	KV62 	Ankhesenamun
Ay 	Kheperkheperure 	1333 - 1328	KV23 	Tey Ankhesenamun
Horemheb 	Djeserkheperure-Setepenre	1328 - 1298	KV57 	Mutnedjmet
====Early Dynasty XVIII ====
Dynasty XVIII was founded by Ahmose I the brother or son of Kamose, the last ruler of the Dynasty XVII. Ahmose finished the campaign to expel the Hyksos rulers.His reign is seen as the end of the Second Intermediate Period and the start of New Kingdom. Ahmose was succeeded by his son, Amenhotep I whose reign was relatively uneventful.Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: pg 122
Amenhotep I probably left no male heir and the next Pharaoh, Thutmose I, seems to have been related to the royal family through marriage. During his reign the borders of Egypt's empire reached their greatest expanse, extending in the north to Carchemish on the Euphrates and up to Kurgus beyond the fourth cataract in the south. Thutmose I was succeeded by Thutmose II and his queen, Hatshepsut. She was the daughter of Thutmose I and soon after her husband's death, ruled for over twenty years after becoming pharaoh during the minority of her stepson, who later would become pharaoh as Thutmose III.
Thutmose III who later became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, also had a lengthy reign after becoming pharaoh. He had a second co-regency in his old age with his son Amenhotep II. Amenhotep II was succeeded by Thutmose IV, who in his turn was followed by his son Amenhotep III. The reign of Amenhotep III is seen as a high point in this dynasty. Amenhotep III undertook large scale building programmes, the extent of which can only be compared with those of the much longer reign of Ramesses II during Dynasty XIX.Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: pg 130
====Akhenaten, the Amarna Period and Tutankhamun====
Amenhotep III may have shared the throne for up to 12 years with his son Amenhotep IV, who would change his name to Akhenaten. There is much debate about this proposed co-regency. Some experts believe there was a lengthy co-regency, while others prefer to see a short one. There are also many experts who believe no such co-regency existed at all.
In the 5th year of his reign Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten and moved his capital to Amarna. During the reign of Akhenaten the Aten - the sundisk - first became the most prominent deity, and eventually the Aten was considered the only god.Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: pg 142 If this amounted to true monotheism continues to be the subject of debate within the academic community. Some state that Akhenaten created a monotheism while others point out that he merely suppressed a dominant solar cult by the assertion of another, while he never completely abandoned several other traditional deities.
Later Egyptians considered the so-called Amarna Period an unfortunate aberration. The events following Akhenaten's death are unclear. Individuals named Smenkhare and Neferneferuaten are known but their relative placement and role in history is still much debated. Tutankhamun eventually took the throne and died young.Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: pg 143
====Ay and Horemheb====
The last two members of the eighteenth dynasty - Ay and Horemheb - became rulers from the ranks of officials in the royal court, although Ay may have married the widow of Tutankhamun in order to obtain power and she did not live long afterward. Ay's reign was short. His successor was Horemheb, a general during the reign of Tutankhamun whom the childless pharaoh may have intended as his successor. Horemheb may have taken the throne away from Ay in a coup. He also died childless and appointed his successor, Ramesses I, who ascended the throne in 1292 BC and was the first pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty.
==Dynasty XVIII timeline==
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 from: -1550 till: -1525 color:PA text:"[[Ahmose I]] (1550 BCE – 1525 BCE)"
 from: -1525 till: -1504 color:PA text:"[[Amenhotep I]] (1525 BCE – 1504 BCE)"
 from: -1504 till: -1492 color:PA text:"[[Thutmose I]] (1504 BCE – 1492 BCE)"
 from: -1492 till: -1479 color:PA text:"[[Thutmose II]] (1492 BCE – 1479 BCE)"
 from: -1479 till: -1457 color:PA text:"[[Hatshepsut]] (1479 BCE – 1457 BCE)"
 from: -1479 till: -1425 color:PA text:"[[Thutmose III]] (1479 BCE – 1425 BCE)"
 from: -1427 till: -1401 color:PA text:"[[Amenhotep II]]" (1427 BCE – 1401 BCE)
 from: -1401 till: -1391 color:PA text:"[[Thutmose IV]]" (1401 BCE – 1391 BCE)
 from: -1391 till: -1353 color:PA text:"[[Amenhotep III]]" (1391 BCE – 1353 BCE)
 from: -1391 till: -1353 color:PA text:"[Tiye]]" (? BCE – 1338 BCE)
 from: -1353 till: -1335 color:PA text:"[[Akhenaten]]" (1353 BCE – 1335 BCE)
 from: -1336 till: -1335 color:PA text:"[[Smenkhkare]] ?" (1336 BCE – 1335 BCE?)
 from: -1335 till: -1333 color:PA text:"[[Neferneferuaten]]?" (1335 BCE – 1333 BCE?}
 from: -1333 till: -1323 color:PA text:"[[Tutankhamun]] (1333 BCE – 1323 BCE)"
 from: -1323 till: -1319 color:PA text:"[[Ay]] (1323 BCE – 1319 BCE)"
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==References==
==Bibliography==
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Category:Ancient Egypt