Fifth Dynasty of Egypt
Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Old Kingdom)
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The Fifth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty V) is often combined with Dynasties III, IV and VI under the group title the Old Kingdom. The Fifth Dynasty pharaohs reigned for around 150 years, from the early 25th century BC until the mid 24th century BC.
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Fifth Dynasty of Egypt | |||||||||
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| c. 2498 BC–c. 2345 BC | |||||||||
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| Capital | Memphis | ||||||||
| Common languages | Egyptian language | ||||||||
| Religion | ancient Egyptian religion | ||||||||
| Government | Absolute monarchy | ||||||||
| Monarch | |||||||||
• c. 2498–c. 2491 BC (first) | Userkaf | ||||||||
• c. 2375–c. 2345 BC (last) | Unas | ||||||||
| Historical era | Old Kingdom of Egypt | ||||||||
• Established | c. 2498 BC | ||||||||
• Disestablished | c. 2345 BC | ||||||||
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Chronology
The Fifth Dynasty of Egypt is a group of nine kings ruling Egypt for around 150 years in the 25th and 24th centuries BC.[note 1] The relative succession of kings is not entirely secured as there are contradictions between historical sources and archaeological evidence regarding the reign of the shadowy Shepseskare.
Rulers
Known rulers in the Fifth Dynasty are listed below.[7] Manetho assigns 248 years of rule to the Fifth Dynasty; however, the pharaohs of this dynasty more probably ruled for around 150 years.[19] This estimate varies by both scholar and source. The Horus names[18] and most names of the queens[20] are taken from Dodson and Hilton.[21]
| Nomen (personal name) | Prenomen (throne name) | Horus-name | Image | Reign | Pyramid | Spouse(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Userkaf | Irimaat | _-_046_(cropped).jpg) | c. 2498 – c. 2491 BC | Pyramid of Userkaf | ||
| Sahure | Nebkhau | .jpg) | c. 2491 – c. 2477 BC | Pyramid of Sahure | Meretnebty | |
| Kakai | Neferirkare | Userkhau |  | c. 2477 – c. 2460 BC | Pyramid of Neferirkare | Khentkaus II |
| Isi | Neferefre | Neferkhau |  | c. 2460 – c. 2458 BC | Unfinished Pyramid of Neferefre | |
| Netjeruser | Shepseskare | Sekhemkhau |  | Around a few months, c. 2458 BC | ||
| Ini | Nyuserre | Setibtawy |  | c. 2458 - c. 2422 BC | Pyramid of Nyuserre Ini | Reptynub |
| Kaiu | Menkauhor | Menkhau |  | c. 2422 - c. 2414 BC | ||
| Isesi | Djedkare | Djedkhau |  | c. 2414 - c. 2375 BC | Pyramid of Djedkare Isesi | |
| Unas | Wadjtawy |  | c. 2375 - c. 2345 BC | Pyramid of Unas | Nebet Khenut | |
Manetho writes that the Dynasty V kings ruled from Elephantine, but archeologists have found evidence clearly showing that their palaces were still located at Ineb-hedj ("White Walls").
As before, expeditions were sent to Wadi Maghareh and Wadi Kharit in the Sinai to mine for turquoise and copper, and to quarries northwest of Abu Simbel for gneiss. Trade expeditions were sent south to Punt to obtain malachite, myrrh, and electrum, and archeological finds at Byblos attest to diplomatic expeditions sent to that Phoenician city. Finds bearing the names of several Dynasty V kings at the site of Dorak, near the Sea of Marmara, may be evidence of trade but remain a mystery.
Family tree
Userkaf
How Pharaoh Userkaf founded this dynasty is not known for certain. The Westcar Papyrus, which was written during the Middle Kingdom, tells a story of how king Khufu of Dynasty IV was given a prophecy that triplets born to the wife of the priest of Ra in Sakhbu would overthrow him and his heirs, and how he attempted to put these children – named Userkaf, Sahure, and Neferirkare – to death; however in recent years, scholars have recognized this story to be at best a legend and admit their ignorance over how the transition from one dynasty to another transpired.
During this dynasty, Egyptian religion made several important changes. The earliest known copies of funerary prayers inscribed on royal tombs (known as the Pyramid Texts) appear. The cult of the god Ra gains added importance, and kings from Userkaf through Menkauhor Kaiu built temples dedicated to Ra at or near Abusir. Then late in this dynasty, the cult of the deity Osiris assumes importance, most notably in the inscriptions found in the tomb of Unas.
Djedkare Isesi
Amongst non-royal Egyptians of this time, Ptahhotep, vizier to Djedkare Isesi, won fame for his wisdom; The Maxims of Ptahhotep was ascribed to him by its later copyists. Non-royal tombs were also decorated with inscriptions, like the royal ones, but instead of prayers or incantations, biographies of the deceased were written on the walls.
Comparison of regnal lists
The ancient kings lists are in broad agreement on the order of the kings of this dynasty, though some kings were omitted on certain lists. The Turin King List is today in a fragmentary state and names and reign lengths are missing for some parts of this dynasty. While Shepseskare's reign is placed before Neferefre on these lists, Egyptologists today believe he reigned briefly after Neferefre rather than before him.
| Historical Pharaoh | Abydos King List | Saqqara Tablet | Turin King List[22] | Manetho[23] | Reign Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turin List[22] | Manetho[23] | |||||
| Userkaf | Userkaf | Userkaf | [User]kaf | Ouserkheres | 7 | 28 |
| Sahure | Sahure | Sahure | Name lost | Sephres | 12 | 13 |
| Neferirkare Kakai | Kakai | Neferirkare | Name lost | Nepherkheres | Lost | 20 |
| Shepseskare | – | Shepseskare | Name lost | Sisires | 7 | 7 |
| Neferefre | Neferefre | Khaneferre | Name lost | Kheres | Lost | 20 |
| Nyuserre Ini | Nyuserre | – | Name lost | Rhathoures | 10+ | 44 |
| Menkauhor Kaiu | Menkauhor | Menkauhor | Menkauhor | Menkheres | 8 | 9 |
| Djedkare Isesi | Djedkare | Maatkare | Djedu | Tankheres | 28 | 44 |
| Unas | Unis | Unis | Unis | Onnos | 30 | 33 |
Fifth Dynasty timeline
Notes
- Alternatively Shepseskare may be the son of Neferirkare Kakai or Neferefre
- Alternatively Khuit I may be the wife of Unas
- Meresankh IV has been could be the wife of a number of different 5th dynasty king