Iry-pat
Ancient Egyptian peerage rank
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Iry-pat (Ancient Egyptian: jrj-pꜥt "member of the elite") was an ancient Egyptian ranking title announcing a high position in the hierarchy of the country.[1] Iry-pat was the highest ranking title at the royal court, and only the most important officials could bear this title. It is attested as early as during the First Dynasty: one of the first confirmed holders was Merka,[2] official under king Qa'a. The title's use by women occurs from the reign of Pepi II Neferkare of the Sixth Dynasty onwards.[3]
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| Iry-pat in hieroglyphs | ||
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The title literally means "member of the pat",[4] with "pat" being the highest level of the elite.[3] It is conventionally translated as "hereditary prince", "nobleman",[5] or "hereditary noble"[6] depending on context. The female version, iryt-pat, is often translated as "hereditary princess"[7] but did not indicate the bearer had a claim to the throne.[3]
In the late Eighteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom, the title was given to the king's nominated heir where he had no living children to inherit. Tutankhamun designated his general Horemheb as iry-pat and successor (but took the throne only after the short reign of Tutankhamun's vizier Ay). Horemheb in turn nominated his own general Paramessu as iry-pat who succeeded him as Ramesses I. In the reigns of Ramesses' son Seti I and grandson Ramesses II, the title was given to the crown prince.[6]