Kingship, Power, and Legitimacy in Ancient Egypt
From the Old Kingdom to the Middle Kingdom

This book presents a history of ancient Egyptian kingship. It examines the basis of kingship and its legitimacy.

Lisa K. Sabbahy (Author)

9781108830911, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 December 2020

300 pages
26.5 x 19 x 2 cm, 0.6 kg

'… an important contribution to studies of the Egyptian king and the royal family … Sabbahy's concise overview of the reigns of important Old and early Middle Kingdom kings will undoubtedly be a useful reference for Egyptologists, graduate students, and scholars interested in royal institutions of the ancient world.' Tara Prakash, African Archaeological Review

In this book, Lisa Sabbahy presents a history of ancient Egyptian kingship in the Old Kingdom and its re-formation in the early Middle Kingdom. Beginning with an account of Egypt's history before the Old Kingdom, she examines the basis of kingship and its legitimacy. The heart of her study is an exploration of the king's constant emphasis on his relationship to his divine parents, the sun god Ra and his mother, the goddess Hathor, who were two of the most important deities backing the rule of a divine king. Sabbahy focuses on the cardinal importance of this relationship, which is reflected in the king's monuments, particularly his pyramid complexes, several of which are analysed in detail. Sabbahy also offers new insights into the role of queens in the early history of Egypt, notably sibling royal marriages, harem conspiracies, and the possible connotations of royal female titles.

Introduction
1. Background to Ancient Egypt
2. The Early Old Kingdom
3. The Later Old Kingdom
4. The Early Middle Kingdom Reunifies Egypt
5. The Beginning of the Twelfth Dynasty
Conclusion
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Ancient Egyptian religion & mythology [HRKP1], Egyptian archaeology / Egyptology [HDDG], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA], African history [HBJH]