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Neferefre

2480 BC – 2455 BC

Pharaoh of Egypt

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About Neferefre

Lived 2480 BC – 2455 BC (aged 24–25). Neferefre was an Egyptian statesperson.

Neferefre Isi (; also known as Raneferef, Ranefer and in Greek as , ) was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Fifth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. He was most likely the eldest son of pharaoh Neferirkare Kakai and queen Khentkaus II. He was known as prince Ranefer before he ascended to the throne.

Neferefre started a pyramid for himself in the royal necropolis of Abusir called Netjeribau Raneferef, which means "The bas of Neferefre are divine". The pyramid was never finished, with a mason's inscription showing that works on the stone structure were abandoned during or shortly after the king's second year of reign. Together with the sparsity of attestations contemporaneous with his reign, this is taken by Egyptologists as evidence that Neferefre died unexpectedly after two to three years on the throne. Neferefre was nonetheless buried in his pyramid, hastily completed in the form of a mastaba by his second successor and presumably younger brother, pharaoh Nyuserre Ini. Fragments of his mummy were uncovered there, showing that he died in his early twenties.

Little is known of Neferefre's activities beyond laying the foundations of his pyramid and attempting to finish that of his father. A single text shows that Neferefre had planned or just started to build a sun temple called Hotep-Re, meaning "Ra is content" or "Ra's offering table", which possibly never functioned as such given the brevity of the king's reign. After his death, Neferefre might have been succeeded by an ephemeral and little-known pharaoh, Shepseskare, whose relation with Neferefre remains highly uncertain and debated.

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Important facts

Born
2480 BC
Birth century
Died
2455 BC
Occupation
Positions held
Pharaoh, Pharaohs of old Kingdown of Egypt, Pharaohs of Fifth Dynasty of Egypt
Also known as
Raneferef, Neferefre Isi, Ranefer

People in Neferefre's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Neferefre's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Neferefre?

pharaoh of Egypt

When was Neferefre born?

Neferefre was born in 2480 BC.

When did Neferefre die?

Neferefre died in 2455 BC.

What was Neferefre's occupation?

Neferefre was a statesperson.

What nationality was Neferefre?

Neferefre was Egyptian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Neferefre

· Wikidata: Q269271

· DBpedia: Neferefre

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Neferefre. https://biography.guide/neferefre/

MLA: "Neferefre." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/neferefre/.

Chicago: "Neferefre." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/neferefre/.

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