Editing Djedkare Isesi (section)

{{short description|Ancient Egyptian pharaoh}}
{{featured article}}
{{Infobox pharaoh
| Image=Part of a door jamb showing the cartouche of Djedkare Isesi. From the Sun Temple of Nyuserre Ini at Abu Gurob, Egypt. c. 2430 BCE. Neues Museum.jpg
|Caption=Part of a door jamb showing the cartouche of Djedkare Isesi, Neues Museum, Berlin
| Name=Djedkare Isesi
| Alt=Djedkara, Izezi, Izzj, Asosi, Tankeris
| NomenHiero=<hiero>M17-O34:O34-M17</hiero>
|Nomen={{center|Isesi<br />''Izzi''<br />Translation uncertain, possibly<br /> from the imperative ''iz'' for "go!", which could have<br /> been said by a midwife during Djedkare's birth{{sfn|Leprohon|2013|p=40|loc=Footnote 63}}}}
| PrenomenHiero=
|Prenomen={{center|Djedkare<br />''Ḏd-k3-Rˁ'' <br />''The enduring one of the [[Ancient Egyptian concept of the soul#Ka (vital spark)|Ka]] of [[Ra]]''{{sfn|Leprohon|2013|p=40}}<br />''The soul of Ra endureth''{{sfn|Clayton|1994|p=61}}<br /><hiero>M23:t-L2:t-<-N5-R11-D28-></hiero>}}
|Reign=Around 39 years, c. 2414 - c. 2375 BC{{efn|group=note|Proposed dates for Djedkare Isesi's reign: 2436–2404 BC,{{sfn|Verner|2001b|p=589}}{{sfn|Altenmüller|2001|p=600}}{{sfn|Hawass|Senussi|2008|p=10}} 2414–2375 BC{{sfn|Malek|2000|p=100}}{{sfn|Rice|1999|pp=46–47}}{{sfn|Clayton|1994|pp=60}}{{sfn|Sowada|Grave|2009|p=3}}{{sfn|Lloyd|2010|p=xxxiv}} 2405–2367 BC,{{sfn|Strudwick|2005|p=xxx}} 2380–2342 BC,{{sfn|von Beckerath|1999|pp=60–61 & 283}} 2379–2352 BC,{{sfn|Strudwick|1985|p=3}} 2365–2322 BC.{{sfn|Hornung|2012|p=491}}}}
|Dynasty=[[Fifth Dynasty of Egypt|Fifth Dynasty]]
| Predecessor=[[Menkauhor Kaiu]]
| Successor=[[Unas]]
|Spouse= Possibly [[Setibhor]]
| GoldenHiero=
| NebtyHiero=<hiero>R11-N28-G43</hiero>
| HorusHiero=<hiero>N28-R11-G43</hiero>
| Golden={{center|Bik Nebu Djed<br />''Bik-nbw-Ḏd''<br />''The enduring Golden Falcon''{{sfn|Leprohon|2013|p=40}}<br /><hiero>R11*G5:S12</hiero><br /><br />'''[[Saqqara Tablet]]''':<br />Maatkare{{sfn|Mariette|1864|p=15}}<br />''M3ˁ.t-k3-Rˁ''<br />''He of the [[Maat]] and Ka of Ra''<br /><hiero><-N5-H6-D28-></hiero><br />'''[[Turin King List|Turin canon]]''':<br />Djedu<br />''Ḏdw''<br /><hiero><-R11-R11->-G7</hiero><br />'''[[Abydos King List]]''':<br />Djedkare<br />''Ḏd-k3-Rˁ'' <br />''The enduring one of the Ka of Ra''<br /><hiero><-N5-R11-D28-></hiero><br />'''[[Karnak king list]]''':<br />Isesi<br />''Izzj''<br /><hiero><-i-s-s-i-></hiero>}}
| Nebty={{center|Djedkhau Nebty<br />''Ḏd-ḫˁ.w Neb.tj''<br />''Enduring of appearances (by means of?)<br /> the Two Ladies''{{sfn|Leprohon|2013|p=40}}}}
| Horus={{center|Djedkhau<br />''Ḏd-ḫˁ.w''<br />''Horus, enduring of appearances''{{sfn|Leprohon|2013|p=40}}}}
|Children=[[Neserkauhor]]<small>♂</small>, [[Kekheretnebti]]<small>♀</small>, [[Meret-Isesi]]<small>♀</small>, [[Hedjetnebu]]<small>♀</small>, Nebtyemneferes<small>♀</small><br />Uncertain: [[Raemka]]<small>♂</small>, [[Kaemtjenent]]<small>♂</small>, [[Isesi-ankh]]<small>♂</small><br />Conjectural: Unas<small>♂</small>
|burial=[[Pyramid of Djedkare Isesi]]
|death_date=c. 2375 BC}}

'''Djedkare Isesi''' (known in [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] as '''Tancheres'''; died {{Circa}} 2375 BC) was a [[pharaoh|king]], the eighth and penultimate ruler of the [[Fifth Dynasty of Egypt]] in the late [[25th century BC|25th century]] to mid-[[24th century BC]], during the [[Old Kingdom of Egypt|Old Kingdom]]. Djedkare succeeded [[Menkauhor Kaiu]] and was in turn succeeded by [[Unas]]. His relationship to both of these kings remain uncertain, although it is often conjectured that Unas was Djedkare's son, owing to the smooth transition between the two.

Djedkare likely enjoyed a reign of more than 40 years, which heralded a new period in the history of the Old Kingdom. Breaking with a tradition followed by his predecessors since the time of [[Userkaf]], Djedkare did not build a temple to the sun god [[Ra]], possibly reflecting the rise of [[Osiris]] in the [[ancient Egyptian religion|Egyptian pantheon]]. More significantly, Djedkare effected comprehensive reforms of the Egyptian state administration, the first undertaken since the inception of the system of ranking titles. He also reorganised the [[ancient Egyptian funerary practices|funerary cults]] of his forebears buried in the [[necropolis]] of [[Abusir]] and reformed the corresponding [[ancient Egyptian religion#Funerary practices|priesthood]].

Djedkare commissioned expeditions to the [[Sinai Peninsula#Ancient Egypt|Sinai Peninsula]] to procure [[copper]] and [[turquoise]], to [[Nubia]] for its gold and [[diorite]] and to the fabled [[Land of Punt]] for its [[incense]]. One such expedition had what could be the earliest recorded instance of [[oracle|oracular]] [[divination]] undertaken to ensure an expedition's success. The word "Nub", meaning gold, to designate Nubia is first recorded during Djedkare's reign. Under his rule, Egypt also entertained continuing trade relations with the [[Levant]]ine coast and made punitive raids in [[Canaan]]. In particular, one of the earliest depictions of a battle or siege scene was found in the tomb of one of Djedkare's subjects.

Djedkare is believed to have been buried in a [[Egyptian pyramids|pyramid]] in [[Saqqara]] named [[Pyramid of Djedkare Isesi|Nefer Djedkare]] ("Djedkare is perfect"), which is now [[ruin]]ed owing to theft of stone from its outer casing during antiquity. When excavated in the 1940s, the burial chamber contained mummified skeletal remains thought to belong to Djedkare. Examinations of the mummy revealed the individual died in his fifties. A clue to the identity of the remains came from skeletal and blood type comparisons with those of two females thought to be Djedkare's daughters buried in the nearby Southern Cemetery as Abusir. Radio carbon dating carried out on the effects of the three individuals revealed a common range of 2886–2507 BC, some 160–390 years older than the accepted chronology of the 5th Dynasty.{{sfn|Strouhal|Vyhnánek|Gaballah|Saunders|2001}}

After his death, Djedkare was the object of a cult that lasted at least until the end of the Old Kingdom. He seemed to have been held in particularly high esteem during the mid-[[Sixth Dynasty of Egypt|Sixth Dynasty]], whose kings lavished rich offerings on his cult. Archaeological evidence suggests the continuing existence of this funerary cult throughout the much later [[New Kingdom of Egypt|New Kingdom]] ({{circa|1550}}–1077 BC). Djedkare was also remembered by the ancient Egyptians as the king of [[vizier (Ancient Egypt)|Vizier]] [[Ptahhotep]], the purported author of ''[[The Maxims of Ptahhotep]]'', one of the earliest pieces of philosophic [[wisdom literature]].

The reforms implemented by Djedkare are generally assessed negatively in [[Egyptology#Modern Egyptology|modern Egyptology]] as his policy of decentralization created a virtual feudal system that transferred much power to the high and provincial administrations. Some Egyptologists such as [[Naguib Kanawati]] argue that this contributed heavily to the collapse of the Egyptian state during the [[First Intermediate Period of Egypt|First Intermediate Period]], c. 200 years later. These conclusions are rejected by Nigel Strudwick, who says that in spite of Djedkare's reforms, Ancient Egyptian officials never amassed enough power to rival that of the king.