Amenemhat IV and the End of the Twelfth Dynasty

Book excerpt: AmenemhatIV's short and poorly documented reign as penultimate Pharaoh of the TwelfthDynasty presents an interesting subject for Egyptological research, as it marksa crucial moment in Egyptian history. Following the crisis of the FirstIntermediate Period and the great work of unification and innovation undertakenby the rulers of the Twelfth Dynasty, Egypt once again achieved great power andprosperity. However, with the Thirteenth Dynasty, the country's fate changedagain, leading to the Second Intermediate Period, a phase that would shake thefoundations of Egyptian society, and which paved the way to the New Kingdom.The purpose of this book is a comprehensive and integrated analysis ofAmenemhat IV's activity in the context of this historical period. In definingAmenemhat IV's role, and establishing whether his reign represented an elementof continuity or of fracture, the author seeks to clarify the causes andmechanisms that led to the end of the Twelfth Dynasty.