Fesseha 15

Ethiopia's 5000 Year History, from Noah until the EPRDF, Fesseha Yaze Kassa, AD 2011

translated and annotated by Ras Feqade, AD 2021

### Chapter 15 - Ethiopia's rule over Egypt in the reign of Piyanki II 810-778 BC

[The traditional Ethiopian kinglist seems to have this king out of order, as he is a figure historically known to have ruled Upper Egypt 744-714 BC, after his father Kashta and before his son Shebitku. He should be placed after the next two kings, Aksumay (785-759 BC) and Kashta (759-744 BC), and just before the reign of his sister Queen Nikanta Hendeke in Ethiopia (714-705 BC).]

Piyanki II is one from within those called quite famous in the history of Ethiopia's kings. Piyanki II's capital is Napata. And it is said that he was the son of Tewasya (Awsya). And it is properly known that his religion was in the idols of Amon.

[Piankhi II was the son of his immediate predecessor, who was king Kashta, not king Tewasya II (806-785 BC).]

And they call Piyanki II by the name Meri'amun. And while the interpretation is meaning the priest king; they tell him the temple of life is upon him. And Piyanki is called Love for Amon.

In that era when his name is written in Egyptian writing in hieroglyphs, while it says Piyanki, in our *History of Kings* moreover he has set being called Piyankiya or Hezbay and again Abralyos.

[Manetho calls this king Psammus, while he is currently called Piye by western historians.]

And when we continuously see the deep love he had with his god Amon, when he praises him and swears by him, we realize our footpath because of the situation with his gods. At the time when Piyanki II rules Ethiopia making his seat at Napata, the king in Egypt was the pharaoh called Tefnekta. This pharaoh did not have acceptance alongside part of the Egyptians. These ones, saying 'We won't be ruled for Tefnekta', and the Egyptians formationed for war had asked /had sent upon/ Piyanki to help them. And Piyanki sent an army commanded by two war commanders called Pu'arma and U'amerskin, from Napata to Upper Egypt, and he himself moreover sat in his city, and began to organize his other main army.

[Tefnakht I (Tnephachthos in Jerome) was the chief local Meshwesh pharaoh, of Sais in Lower Egypt, from 732-725 BC, a main opponent of Piankhi - who himself already had the real power in Upper Egypt, where his sister Amenirdis (Nikanta) had been made priestess at Thebes by their father Kashta.]

Above plenty of historical documents existing, that prove in what kind of situation Piyanki II defeated Egypt, in the spot called in the ancient pronunciation Napata, today Jebel Barka, the writing found on the monument he himself had erected is also additional proof.

It has been known that M Mariette measured the measure of the monument and copied it, and that M de Rouge translated it into French, and likewise that the great historian of our nation Tekletsadek Mekuria translated it into Amharic, that the length of the monument was one meter 80, and the width moreover one meter 84, and its thickness 43 cm.

When on the top on both sides, is seen the image of the lord of the world's thrones Amon, who sits on Tu-ab /Pure Mountain/, and facing him the image of King Piyanki, when three kings of Egypt bow kneeling for him, the other king moreover is seen ahead beforehand that his wife intercede, holding in his left hand his own horse that he brought to him for tribute, in his right hand a sistrum.

Beneath these images moreover, on both sides of the monument in 150 lines it details the history written in that ancient Egyptians' writing.

In the first line in this writing, writing saying thus has been set. "In the 21st year that the eternal living Piyanki, king of Lower and Upper Egypt, reigned, in the month of Tot, His Majesty said thus."

"Hear ye that I worked more than my fathers; I am a king who emanated from the gods in the image of Tum /a god resembling the sun in evening/."

Continuing from here moreover, writing is found that says "The Piyanki Meri'amun, who was chosen for kingship from his mother's womb, whom princes honored, who was beloved alongside the gods, himself a kind god, son of the Sun, whom the Sun created with her own hands."

Next moreover, the two war commanders he had sent earlier, sent a message to him revealing that army of the Pharaoh of Egypt Tefnekta was inviolable, and as their anguish was read, his response follows.

After Piyanki II heard the message, he sent upon his war commanders, Pu'arma and U'amerskin, saying thus. "Go to Heracleopolis. Fight; and capture people, and the cattle, and all the boats found on the river. Let no person proceed to the square and work. And let the farmer not plow. Surround the city. And penetrate it without idleness."

After he sent this message to his war commanders in Thebes, he prepared to send another additional army for them. And he told the word of counsel following this to his war army, before their beginning the journey.

"Don't fight at night like a game. However fight the soldier when he assembles and travels toward you. And when the war is about to begin, consider that our god Amon sent us. When you arrive at the city of Thebes, set down your bows and spears, soak in the river opposite Ap /Hapi the Bull god/, wash and cleanse your bodies in baptism.

"Let no officer from your midst violate the word of the Lord /Amon/. No soldier has value without him. He can make the broken arm victorious.

"He wearies many; he makes the one person equal to many thousand persons. Be washed in the water before his altar. And bowing before him tell him like this.

"Lead us a path where we can fight, within the shadow of thy sword. The son whom thou send will startle the Tefnekta who frightened many." When Piyanki finished speaking this, all the soldiers bowed before him saying thus.

"For us our sword is thy name. Thy wisdom leads thine army. Thy presence being within our god, it is provision for our journey. And thy grapes satisfy our thirst... Thou art a victorious king...."

After this the soldiers began the journey northward. When they journeyed following the Nile river by ship /by boat/, suddenly meeting with them coming from the north southward by ship to fight Piyanki's army, a battle was begun.

After plenty were finished up from both parties, Piyanki's soldiers won. And sending the armies and weapons they captured to their lord, they continued their journey and reached the city of Heracleopolis. And Tefnekta on his part was prepared holding his army, and encountered them. However when he was persuaded that he cannot, he crossed the Papeka river and fled to Lower Egypt. And that he fled is because he saw plenty of his armies depleted on him in an instant.

And while Piyanki's armies supervised the cities of Egypt one by one, while they defeated the kings of each of the cities including their armies, they encircled the city. And as soon as they encircled it, they sent to their king Piyanki II all that would be pleasing to him. Although the victory was not complete.

But Piyanki, more than rejoicing at this victory, at the time he heard of Tefnekta's escaping, and sitting having sheltered the Nemrud who was king of Heracleopolis, including his army, he was quite angered and sent a message for the messenger saying "If even one soldier survived from Lower Egypt for the reporter, and if it failed them to victoriously beat everyone, I swear that I myself shall go, by the charity that my father Amon, who is love in the sun god, did for me in my life.

[This Nemrud was Nimlot of Hermopolis, a local Meshwesh pharaoh who had previously been loyal to Piankhi, but was swayed to the side of Tefnakht. The local ruler of Heracleopolis at this time was named Peftjaubast.]

"And having gone I shall demolish all that he worked. And I will make him say 'Enough of war for me'. On the beginning of the year, fulfilling my order of priesthood, at the time when the holiday takes place, I shall present my oath for my father Amon on the beautiful holiday.

"And I shall make him enter Thebes on the bright holiday, and sit on the Temple throne. And at that time I shall make Lower Egypt join in drinking my punishment." And at the time the war commanders heard their king's anger, they arose in anguish and new vigor, and by fighting again fulfilled many adventures; they repeatedly sent om him their seizing the remaining few cities. But Piyanki's anger did not cool by this victory either.

And therefore, he was persuaded that unless he himself went and fought giving leadership being found amidst his army, that victory would not be found.

Therefore, on the 9th day of the month of Tot, he took his army and arose from Napata, and traveling by boat, at the time he reached Thebes, as soon as he took his crown he alighted from the ship. Sitting in a beautiful chariot that sat for him prepared, he went toward Heracleopolis.

[Piankhi's invasion of Egypt would be in 725 BC, his 20th year.]

And as soon as he arrived, after he told the officers who stood before him "If it happened that ye delayed the fulfillment of my command while ye fought in this manner, I shall show Lower Egypt the panic I shall make", a battle made by his leadership was begun. On the third day, just as Nemrud and his followers were within the shelter where they sheltered, many attacks arrived on them. And thereupon, proceeding from the shelter, messengers coming who held honoured presents, they presented a request saying 'Pardon us'.

And king Nemrud sent his wife to Piyanki for intercession. And she went to the camp of Piyanki's daughters and sisters, and propitiated saying "Make king Piyanki nice for me, for his spirit and his lofty judgement are great." And by means of these women Piyanki softened his heart.

And just as King Nemrud made his crown he came to Piyanki and told him: "Thou closed the road of life; even if I fly to the sky like an arrow, thou wilt surprise me. The southern countries were defeated, and the northern ones kneeled. Let us be able to live beneath thy shadow. Let what the kings of other cities of Egypt rendered thee be counted, and I shall give more than they."

And then gold, silver, jewels, weapons, and all the other desirable items of the time were given to Piyanki, and his temporary treasure house was full. And next he himself came and presented to King Piyanki holding in his right hand, a sistrum worked from blue jewels and gold.

And others continued their entering while holding similar gifts and coming to Piyanki. And as most, after they were defeated, had remained at a little city called Rohen, Piyanki journeyed to this city. At this city, plenty of soldiers of Lower Egypt had sheltered.

The Ethiopian army that the large cities didn't return, by this small city thinking 'I shall defend', passing from amazing Piyanki, it made him sad for the soldiers who sheltered within her. And so he sent a message upon them saying thus:

"Instead of pharaohs of antiquity saying 'We subjected Ethiopians', they had said 'We subjected wretches'. Now that belittling word has been changed by Piyanki II. And so, ye weak ones who live in death, wretches, as it were a little time passed before ye open the latches of your shelter, ye shall be responsible /ye shall take responsibility/ in the slaughter that shall come; do not close the latches I opened for you for life... Do not choose death; and do not scorn life before country."

When they heard this word, without wavering they swiftly sent a word saying thus:

"Because the shadow of a god is upon thy head, if he gave thee his forearm, thy word being counted as proceeding from the tongue of a god, it will be fulfilled thereupon. It is known by all thy work that a god begat thee. The city and her latches are beneath thy authority. Let us go forth and enter according to our hearts." At the time this word reached him, king Piyanki quit his war, and hearing their word, accorded for them to proceed in peace.

What is said is that Piyanki was nice to a captured enemy in peace. It is said for him that he did not like to destroy a soul in vain, unless he were killed in war. And he does not begin a battle without beforehand cautioning and counseling the country that fights him. And that his war commanders fight in this kind of guidance, is what he tells them.

And when he gives commands and counsel, his speech being accompanied by proverbs and amazing philosophy, what is known is that it was clear and brief.

And after he seized Rohen city, in leading to the city called Meritum, he preceded the accustomed kind of precaution and counsel for the sheltered armies including their leaders. And he sent saying thus:

"Seat two path lines before ye. And choose according to your desire. If ye open your shelter /your rampart/ ye shall find life; if ye shut it, death. My Majesty cannot pass by a closed city." When he said it, they also swiftly gave him a response saying "Thy father has prepared for thee the relic of his inheritance. Like unto thy being lord of two worlds, Ethiopia and Egypt, behold they are thy moneys. Thou art the lord who rules the world."

And all like Piyanki did before this, while he turned in the cities that surrendered, visited their palaces, and did what he commanded for the gods in each of their temples; while he conquered those who agreed in peace, those who refused in war, he made most beneath him. And plenty have been forced to surrender when they heard adventure until it fulfilled the report saying "Piyanki son of Amon, the king of Ethiopia, has come." And it is said for him that all his gait was exactly like Alexander the Great. His process continuing in this, even if many cities could be beneath Piyanki, the main pharaoh of Egypt Tefnekta, who we said earlier had fled and escaped, still was not seized. Rather, making preparation for a battle, he was in anticipation having made by his side, the two kings called Sukaris and Aserkon.

[Aserkon would be Osorkon IV of Tanis, incidentally the So of II Kings; Sukaris is unknown but the other pharoahs with Tefnakht include Peftjaubast of Heracleopolis and Iuput II of Leontopolis.]

And additionally, the great Memphis that was the Pharaohs' capital city was not yet seized. And it was in the great city of Memphis that Tefnekta including his followers were sheltered. And so Piyanki journeyed to Memphis and sent a message saying thus:

"Ye who live within this city, do not shut your latches; do not fight. As it were ye did not push my steps, I shall present my sacrifice for the gods found in Memphis. I shall fulfill all the order that was there. I shall hold the city well, and she will be fine. The wail of infants will not be heard. Behold the cities of the south; apart from them who did not hear the word of the god, not even one person was killed. It is for sinners that torture was worked."

At this time Pharaoh Tefnekta came from the north to Memphis, and it is from where he went to the north coming from Memphis, that he said "The city of Memphis is powerful. And the soldiers are brave. And because she was encircled by the sea on the eastern side, she won't let enemies enter."

Because he commanded them saying "Defend until I come returning from the north, having given money and oil to my soldiers in the north", Tefnekta's officials couldn't open the rampart on the basis of Piyanki's warning.

After Piyanki ascertained this situation, he approached the city and turning, beheld the river water flooding on the east side, and the city being sheltered more properly that formerly.

And Piyanki's officers, seeing the situation, gave their opinion that it lodges fright. But Piyanki, as his officers' opinion angered him, gave them a response saying thus:

"By the love of my life, by my father Amon's charity and grace, all this that I did is by the command of Amon. They did not place Amon in their hearts. And they knew not his commands. And all this that Amon did that firms up their hearts, is knowing when he means to make heard his power of panic. Thus my father Amon has commanded that I lift up this city being like unto a wave."

After this he commanded saying "Assemble ye all boats, canoes, and ships." Making through the sea, he himself being commander for the soldiers prepared to enter within the city, after he entered the ship he gave his followers a command.

"Half of you attack the city. Half of you moreover enter within through the gate. When you find an officer who is captured, do not push him, for it is not proper. After we seized the south and the north, we shall make rest in this Memphis that is between the two countries."

After he spoke this, Piyanki's soldiers entered the city and many persons were finished. And next Piyanki himself entered along with his army, and seized the large city Memphis.

And as the chronicle says, it is that on the morrow of the victory, many officers neared before him being captured including their lives, and that Piyanki commanding that temples be honoured, made practical the word that entered for them, and that he presented the regulation sacrifice.

And after all cities were seized, and all the kings entered for the Ethiopian king Piyanki, rather after the great city of Memphis was seized and convinced there is no hope, the pharaoh of Egypt Tefnekta being in the northern spot where he was, sent his saddening message for Piyanki II. And his message in part resembles this:

"Be patient from thine anger..... I cannot stand before a flame. I was defeated by thy heat. I fled to an island of the sea; I doubted thy spirit arising from that word of heat...... As for now, was not thy heart cooled, that arose upon me? But now I am truly wretched. Cast me not within the destruction of my crime. A measure of balance knows minute particles. Multiply these for me in thy pardon.

"If thou sow seed, thou wilt find the fruit in its time. Do not destroy still in its flower, the tree that will bear fruit. Thou lodged fright in my heart; and panic was broadcast within my limbs. I wont stand within a house of drink; and they won't bring my harp to me for play; at the time I hungered, I won't eat apart from dry bread. And when I am thirsty, what I drink is only water.

"Beginning from the day when I heard thy name, fright permeated within my bones. My mind has been burnt. My clothes have been torn. I have fled to Neit /Temple of the goddess of Sais, his own country/ and been hidden. Come return thy face to me where I am. Is a servant /criminal/ not cleansed by pardon? Let all the gold and honored stones that I have, all my horses adorned by fine items, be taken. And let them enter thy store house. Let a messenger be sent to me, who destroys fright from my heart. And let me go to the temple with him and fulfill my holy oath."

Piyanki, who heard this message, the presenting a saddening asylum like this saddening a great king like him, scrapped his enmity, sent priests and brought him, and without doing any evil thing against him, went to the temple and calling his god's name, made him swear saying 'I will be tributary to Ethiopia'. And Tefnekta swore saying,

"I won't break the command of king Piyanki; and I won't trespass from his word. And I won't harm any official without him according. I shall fulfill according to the king's word and command."

What we are persuaded from this oath, is that Piyanki gave and placed his realm. And making a similar reshuffle of officials for others who entered for him, Piyanki loaded on ships the gold and silver in Egypt, other ornaments and tools, overall much wealth, and began his journey on the sea.

When he returned to his capital Napata, his heart filled with joy, according to the measure that he was a heroic Ethiopian king who defeated and subjected Egypt, he kept a special reception. And the recipients received him gracefully saying "Thou, the victorious king, came; thy rule was stretched on Lower Egypt. Thou made males like women. Amon gave thee life, and glory is thine. Thy authority and thy power are forever; and thou wilt live until many years."

And so the Ethiopian king Piyanki II, in the guise we have seen, returned having subjected the great Egypt, country of the powerful pharaohs who ruled Ethiopia, including Thutmose III and Ramesses II.

The glory of the great cities of Egypt, Memphis and Thebes, turned to Napata. And he made the pharaohs' children tributary to him and to the succeeding Ethiopian kings.

The matter we have to realize on this, Piyanki subjected Egypt making it beneath his rule, yet he did not found the 25th dynasty that we saw in the history passing after this victory over Egypt. However, being that by means of his oath, both Tefnekta and his son were subject for Ethiopian kings, when finally a king who demolished the oath arose in Egypt, we are persuaded that the king called Shabaka whom we shall see forward, arose and founded the 25th dynasty of Egypt.

Although, it is clear that it was in Piyanki II's time, that the first foundation was cast and that Ethiopians subjected Egypt.

Piyanki having administered Ethiopia in the King of Kingships and honored the country, for ten years after he returned having subjected Egypt by his heroism draped in kindness, 21 years before his invading Egypt, the time when he waited on the campaign 1 year, in total 32 years; likewise having avenged his fathers' blood, it is in 778 BC that he was separated from this world by death, on the basis we have seen on the table list of the kings.

* Next: Fesseha 16