Amenemnisu

Neferkare Amenemnisu was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the second king of the 21st Dynasty.

Family Parentage and Siblings Amenemnisu may have been the son of Smendes and born to Tentamun B, the daughter of Ramesses XI. Thus, he was the maternal grandson of Ramesses XI, the last ruler of the 20th Dynasty.

Marriages and Children No wives or children are known.

Reign Amenemnisu succeeded Smendes on the throne.

+ Reign of Amenemnisu Reg Yr Event 00 Accession Year of Amenemnisu 01 Amenemnisu celebrates the start of his reign on 1 Akhet Day 1 (New Year). 02 - 03 - 04 Amenemnisu dies. Accession Year of Psusennes I.

Lower Egypt Amenemnisu's existence was only confirmed in 1940 when the Tanite tomb of his successor Psusennes I was discovered by Pierre Montet: a gold bow cap inscribed with both Amenemnisu's royal name, Neferkare, and that of his successor Psusennes I was found within the tomb. Previously, his existence had been doubted as no objects naming him had been discovered. However, the memory of his short rule as the second pharaoh of the 21st Dynasty was preserved in Manetho's Epitome as a king Nephercheres who is assigned a short reign of four years.

Upper Egypt Pardon of rebellions While his reign is generally obscure, the then High Priest of Amun at Thebes, Menkheperre, is known to have pardoned several leaders of a rebellion against the High Priest's authority during Amenemnisu's reign.

Reign Length Amenemnisu is thought to have ruled about 4 regnal years.

Manetho assigns him a reign of four years under the name Nephercheres, the Greek rendering of Amenemnisu's throne name, Neferkare. Manetho's Aegyptiaca only exists in fragments and summaries by later writers, Africanus (Syncellus) lists Nephercherês (the third king in his sequence) as reigning for 4 years, Eusebius (Syncellus) lists Nephercherês with a reign of 4 years, Armenian Version of Eusebius records Nephercheres as ruling for 4 years. However, there are discrepancies in Manetho's record regarding the chronology, Nephercheres being placed after Psusennes I.

A gold bow cap found by Pierre Montet, confirms he was actually the second king and Psusennes' predecessor. Before the 1940 discovery of that bow cap, Amenemnisu was known only through Manetho’s lists, leading some early historians to doubt his existence.

Succession Amenemnisu was not succeeded by any of his children, but by his cousin Psusennes I - another maternal grandson of Ramesses XI.

Burial At Tanis, Amenemnisu was buried along with his successor Psusennes I (NRT III). No tomb with the name of Amenemnisu have been found.