Editing Middle Kingdom of Egypt (section)

{{short description|Reunified ancient Egypt (c. 2000-1700 BC)}}
{{Other uses|Middle Kingdom (disambiguation){{!}}Middle Kingdom}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = 
| conventional_long_name = Middle Kingdom of Egypt
| common_name            = Middle Kingdom of Egypt
| era                    = 
| government_type        = [[Imperial cult|Divine]], [[absolute monarchy]]
| year_start             = {{Circa|2055 BC}}
| year_end               = {{Circa|1650 BC}}
| event_pre              = 
| date_pre               = 
| event_start            = Began
| date_start             = 
| event_end              = Ended
| date_end               = 
| image_flag             = 
| image_coat             = 
| image_map              = Ancient Egyptian old and middle kingdom.svg
| image_map_caption      = 
| p1                     = First Intermediate Period of Egypt
| s1                     = Second Intermediate Period of Egypt
| capital                = [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]], [[Itjtawy]]
| national_motto         = 
| national_anthem        = 
| common_languages       = [[Egyptian language|Ancient Egyptian]]
| religion               = [[Ancient Egyptian religion]]
| currency               = 
| leader1                = [[Mentuhotep II]] (first)
| year_leader1           = {{Circa|2061}} – 2010 BC
| leader2                = [[Merneferre Ay]] or last king of the [[Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt]]
| year_leader2           = {{Circa|1650 BC}}
| title_leader           = [[List of pharaohs|Pharaoh]]
| today                  = [[Egypt]]<br>[[Sudan]]
| demonym                = 
| area_km2               = 
| area_rank              = 
| GDP_PPP                = 
| GDP_PPP_year           = 
| HDI                    = 
| HDI_year               = 
}}
{{History of Egypt}}
{{Egyptian Dynasty list}}
The '''Middle Kingdom of Egypt''' (also known as '''The Period of Reunification''') is the period in the history of [[ancient Egypt]] following a period of political division known as the [[First Intermediate Period of Egypt|First Intermediate Period]]. The Middle Kingdom lasted from approximately 2040 to 1782 BC, stretching from the reunification of Egypt under the reign of [[Mentuhotep II]] in the [[Eleventh Dynasty of Egypt|Eleventh Dynasty]] to the end of the [[Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt|Twelfth Dynasty]]. The kings of the Eleventh Dynasty ruled from [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] and the kings of the Twelfth Dynasty ruled from [[Lisht|el-Lisht]].

The [[Periodization of ancient Egypt|concept of the Middle Kingdom as one of three golden ages]] was coined in 1845 by German Egyptologist [[Christian Charles Josias von Bunsen|Baron von Bunsen]], and its definition evolved significantly throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.<ref>{{cite book|last=Schneider|first=Thomas|author-link=Thomas Schneider (Egyptologist)|editor=Klaus-Peter Adam|title=Historiographie in der Antike|pages=181–197|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BTMAu2LRbVUC&pg=PA182|date=27 August 2008|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-3-11-020672-2|chapter=Periodizing Egyptian History: Manetho, Convention, and Beyond}}</ref> Some scholars also include the [[Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt]] wholly into this period, in which case the Middle Kingdom would end around 1650 BC, while others only include it until [[Merneferre Ay]] around 1700 BC, last king of this dynasty to be attested in both Upper and Lower Egypt. During the Middle Kingdom period, [[Osiris]] became the most important deity in [[ancient Egyptian religion#Popular religion|popular religion]].<ref>David, Rosalie (2002). ''Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt''. Penguin Books. p. 156</ref> The Middle Kingdom was followed by the [[Second Intermediate Period of Egypt]], another period of division that involved foreign rule of Lower Egypt by the [[Hyksos]] of West Asia.