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Harsiotef

400 BC – 369 BC

Kushite King

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About Harsiotef

Lived 400 BC – 369 BC.

Harsiotef was a Kushite King of Meroë (about 404 – 369 BC).

Harsiotef took on a full set of titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs:

Harsiotef was the son of Queen Atasamale and likely of King Amanineteyerike. He had a wife named Queen Batahaliye and may have had another wife named Queen Pelkha. If Queen Pelkha was his wife, he would also be the father of King Nastasen. It is possible that King Akhraten was also a son of Harsiotef, and Queen Sakhmakh, the wife of Nastasen, may be his daughter. listing the battles from his successful campaign east of his kingdom against a town called Habasa, whose inhabitants were called Matit. As a result of his victory, the Matit agreed to pay tribute to him.

The name of this place may be the earliest recorded use of the word Habesha, the etymological basis for English Abyssinia. The only earlier text which may refer to the term is the mention of a "foreign people from the incense-producing regions" called ḫbstjw during Queen Hatshepsut's time, which scholars assume refers to the land of Punt and the Habesha.

Matit is recorded in the reigns of both Harsiotef and Nastasen. The people of Matit or Matata also fought against the Aksumite king Ezana centuries later.

Harsiotef was buried in a pyramid at Nuri (Nu. 13).

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Important facts

Born
400 BC
Birth century
Died
369 BC
Positions held
King of Kush

Family & relationships

Spouse
Batahaliye
Spouse
Henutirdis
Spouse
Pelkha (Queen)
Child
Akhraten
Child
Nastasen
Child
Sakhmakh
Parent
Amanineteyerike
Parent
Atasamale

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harsiotef's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Harsiotef?

Kushite King

When was Harsiotef born?

Harsiotef was born in 400 BC.

When did Harsiotef die?

Harsiotef died in 369 BC.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Harsiotef

· Wikidata: Q888587

· DBpedia: Harsiotef

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harsiotef. https://biography.guide/harsiotef/

MLA: "Harsiotef." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harsiotef/.

Chicago: "Harsiotef." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harsiotef/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:02 UTC