The Kushite kingdom

In 727 BCE, Piye's conquest was relentless. city after city fell under the sway of the Kushite kingdom. Piye's might was unmatched, and the city-states, one by one, bent to his will. The conquest of Egypt was complete.

Map

## Kushite Kingdom

### Succeded by

* Assyrian conquest of Egypt
* Neo - Assyrian Empire
* Giants Kingdom of Kenya
* Carthage
* San Civilization

# Piye's Reign

Having achieved his grand ambition of uniting Egypt under Kushite rule, Piye took on the mantle of Pharaoh with a sense of purpose and determination.

Piye understood that to maintain the vast territory he had conquered, he needed to consolidate his power. He took measures to establish a strong central authority. Despite being a foreign ruler, he sought to integrate aspects of Egyptian culture and traditions, respecting the customs and religion of the local populace. This approach helped to ease the transition and maintain stability.

# Shabaka's Reign

Piye ruled for approximately 13 years, his death marked a significant transition in the history of Egypt. He was succeeded by his son, Shabaka, who continued to build upon the foundation laid by Piye.

Certainly, Shabaka's reign was a significant chapter in the history of the 25th Dynasty of Egypt. Let's delve into the details of his rule, including the failed invasion of Assyria.

During Shabaka's reign was the failed invasion of Assyria. During this time, the Assyrian Empire, under King Sargon II, was a formidable regional power. The Assyrians sought to gain control over parts of Egypt, particularly in the northern territories.

In 709 BCE, King Sargon II launched a military campaign to Egypt. Shabaka, recognizing the threat, mobilized his mages to defend Egypt. The ensuing conflict was a momentous clash of two great powers. The Kushites managed to drive back the Assyrians.

# Taharga's Dream

Shabaka remained a resilient leader and continued to rule over until his death in 690 BCE, where his son Taharqa succeed him.

Pharaoh Taharga conceived a grand and daring plan, which he named "Dream." His vision was to send four mighty expeditionary teams, each comprised of 100 armed men and led by a mage, to explore and conquer distant lands.

The Team South East set out to explore the lands to the southeast. Their journey was to forge alliances and expand the empire's reach.

The Team South ventured deep into uncharted territories, seeking to uncover hidden treasures and establish Kush rule.

The Team West North's mission was to conquer the carthage land and extended the empire.

The final team West, headed westward, across the vast desert, to discover new continents and establish territories in distant lands.

The grand goal of these expeditions was to create a united, worldwide empire under the rule of Taharga's mighty kingdom. However, as the years passed, Taharga's dream remained unfulfilled. None of the four teams ever returned to Egypt.

# Conflict with the Assyrians

In 673 BCE, Esarhaddon, the son of Sennacherib and ruler of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, undertook a significant military campaign against Egypt. Esarhaddon's campaign commenced with the aim of pacifying tribes situated around the Dead Sea, and it advanced as far as the Brook of Egypt, a significant geographical marker.

Unfortunately for Esarhaddon, this campaign did not unfold as planned. The Assyrian forces, due to the haste with which they had been mobilized, found themselves exhausted upon reaching the vicinity of Ashkelon. This exhaustion and vulnerability were exploited by Taharqa and his army.

Taharqa led a successful defense, resulting in the Assyrian defeat at Ashkelon and Esarhaddon was forced to withdraw his forces and return to Nineveh, the Assyrian capital.

Two years later, Esarhaddon initiated a second campaign against Egypt in 671 BCE. The Assyrian army assembled for this second Egyptian campaign was substantially larger than the one used in 673 BCE. Esarhaddon, having learned from the mistakes of the previous expedition, proceeded at a slower pace, avoiding the issues that had hindered his earlier attempt.

Esarhaddon's forces engaged the Egyptians in battle, emerging victorious and captured Memphis. Following this victory, Esarhaddon reorganized the political structure in the northern regions of Egypt. Governors loyal to the Assyrian king were appointed to oversee the conquered territories, and Necho I was established as the ruler in Sais.

However, despite the initial success as the conflict unfolded, Taharqa's resilient rule continued to hold sway in the south, where his authority remained unshaken.