Editing Middle Kingdom of Egypt (section)

====Early Twelfth Dynasty====
[[File: Ägyptisches Museum Leipzig 104.jpg|thumb|150px|The head of a statue of Senusret I.]]
[[File:GuardianStatueofAmenemhmatII.jpg|thumb|A figure wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt and whose face appears to reflect the features of the reigning king, most probably [[Amenemhat II]] or [[Senwosret II]]. It functioned as a divine guardian for the [[Imiut fetish|imiut]], and it is wearing a divine kilt, which suggests that the statuette was not merely a representation of the living ruler.<ref>{{cite web |title=Guardian Figure |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/543864 |website=www.metmuseum.org |publisher=[[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] |access-date=9 February 2022}}</ref>]]

From the Twelfth Dynasty onwards, pharaohs often kept well-trained standing armies, which included [[Nubian people|Nubian]] contingents. These formed the basis of larger forces that were raised for defense against invasion, or expeditions up the Nile or across the Sinai. However, the Middle Kingdom was basically defensive in its military strategy, with fortifications built at the [[First Cataract]] of the Nile, in the Delta and across the Sinai Isthmus.<ref>p5. 'The Collins Encyclopedia of Military History', (4th edition, 1993), Dupuy & Dupuy.</ref>

Early in his reign, Amenemhet I was compelled to campaign in the Delta region, which had not received as much attention as Upper Egypt during the 11th Dynasty.<ref name="Arnold 20">[[#Arnold1991|Arnold. (1991)]] p. 20.</ref> Also, he strengthened defenses between Egypt and Asia, building the Walls of the Ruler in the East Delta region.<ref name=" Shaw 148">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 148</ref> Perhaps in response to this perpetual unrest, Amenemhat I built a new capital for Egypt in the north, known as [[Itjtawy|Amenemhet It Tawy]], or ''Amenemhet, Seizer of the Two Lands''.<ref name="Arnold 14">[[#Arnold1991|Arnold. (1991)]] p. 14.</ref> The location of this capital is unknown, but is presumably near the city's necropolis, the present-day [[el-Lisht]].<ref name="Shaw 158">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 158</ref> Like Mentuhotep II, Amenemhet bolstered his claim to authority with propaganda.<ref name="Grimal 159">[[#Grimal1988|Grimal. (1988)]] p. 159</ref> In particular, the [[Prophecy of Neferty]] dates to about this time, which purports to be an oracle of an Old Kingdom priest, who predicts a king, Amenemhet I, arising from the far south of Egypt to restore the kingdom after centuries of chaos.<ref name="Shaw 158"/>

Propaganda notwithstanding, Amenemhet never held the absolute power commanded in theory by the Old Kingdom pharaohs. During the First Intermediate Period, the governors of the [[Nome (Egypt)|nomes]] of Egypt, [[nomarch]]s, gained considerable power. Their posts had become hereditary, and some nomarchs entered into marriage alliances with the nomarchs of neighboring nomes.<ref name="Gardiner 128">[[#Gardiner1964|Gardiner. (1964)]] p. 128.</ref> To strengthen his position, Amenemhet required registration of land, modified nome borders, and appointed nomarchs directly when offices became vacant, but acquiesced to the nomarch system, probably to placate the nomarchs who supported his rule.<ref name=" Grimal 160">[[#Grimal1988|Grimal. (1988)]] p. 160</ref> This gave the Middle Kingdom a more feudal organization than Egypt had before or would have afterward.<ref name=" Gardiner 129">[[#Gardiner1964|Gardiner. (1964)]] p. 129.</ref>

In his twentieth regnal year, Amenemhat established his son [[Senusret I]] as his coregent,<ref name=" Gardiner 129"/> beginning a practice which would be used repeatedly throughout the rest of the Middle Kingdom and again during the New Kingdom. In Amenemhet's thirtieth regnal year, he was presumably murdered in a palace conspiracy. Senusret, campaigning against Libyan invaders, rushed home to Itjtawy to prevent a takeover of the government.<ref name="Shaw 160">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 160</ref> During his reign, Senusret continued the practice of directly appointing nomarchs,<ref name=" Shaw 175">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 175</ref> and undercut the autonomy of local priesthoods by building at cult centers throughout Egypt.<ref name=" Shaw 162">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 162</ref> Under his rule, Egyptian armies pushed south into Nubia as far as the Second Cataract, building a border fort at [[Buhen]] and incorporating all of [[Lower Nubia]] as an Egyptian colony.<ref name="Shaw 161">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 161</ref> Senusret I also exercised control over the land of Kush, from the Second to the Third Cataract, including the island of Sai. The southernmost inscription containing Sesostris I's name has been found on the island of Argo, north of modern Dongola.<ref>{{Cite book |title= A History of Ancient Egypt |last= Grimal|first= Nicolas|publisher= Wiley-Blackwell (July 19, 1994) |year= 1994 |pages=164}}</ref> To the west, he consolidated his power over the Oases, and extended commercial contacts into Syria-Canaan as far as [[Ugarit]].<ref name=" Grimal 165">[[#Grimal1988|Grimal. (1988)]] p. 165</ref> In his 43rd regnal year, Senusret appointed [[Amenemhet II]] as junior coregent, before dying in his 46th.<ref name="Murnane 5">[[#Murnane1977|Murnane. (1977)]] p. 5.</ref>

{{multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=450|caption_align=center
| align    = right
| direction =vertical
| image1   = Procession of the Aamu, Tomb of Khnumhotep II (composite).jpg
| image2   = Drawing of the procession of the Aamu group tomb of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hassan.jpg
| footer=A group of West Asiatic peoples (possibly [[Canaan]]ites and precursors of the future [[Hyksos]]) depicted entering Egypt {{Circa|1900 BC}}. From the tomb of a 12th dynasty official [[Khnumhotep II]] under pharaohs [[Amenemhat II]] and [[Senusret II]], at [[Beni Hasan]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mieroop |first1=Marc Van De |title=A History of Ancient Egypt |date=2010 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-4051-6070-4 |page=131 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JADDYAZ9GIIC&pg=PA131 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Bard |first1=Kathryn A. |author-link=Kathryn A. Bard |title=An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt |date=2015 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-89611-2 |page=188 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lFscBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA188 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kamrin |first1=Janice |title=The Aamu of Shu in the Tomb of Khnumhotep II at Beni Hassan |journal=Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections |date=2009 |volume= 1 |issue=3 |s2cid=199601200 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Curry |first1=Andrew |title=The Rulers of Foreign Lands - Archaeology Magazine |website=www.archaeology.org |date=2018 |url=https://www.archaeology.org/issues/309-1809/features/6855-egypt-hyksos-foreign-dynasty}}</ref>
}}
The reign of [[Amenemhat II]] has been often characterized as largely peaceful,<ref name="Grimal 165"/> but records of his {{transliteration|ar|genut}}, or daybooks, have cast doubt on that assessment.<ref name="Shaw 163">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 163</ref> Among these records, preserved on temple walls at Tod and Memphis, are descriptions of peace treaties with certain Syrio-Canaanian cities, and military conflict with others.<ref name=" Shaw 163"/> To the south, Amenemhet sent a campaign through lower Nubia to inspect [[Historical names of Nubia#Egyptians|Wawat]].<ref name=" Grimal 165"/> It does not appear that Amenemhet continued his predecessors' policy of appointing nomarchs, but let it become hereditary again.<ref name=" Shaw 175"/> Another expedition to Punt dates to his reign.<ref name=" Shaw 163"/> In his 33rd regnal year, he appointed his son [[Senusret II]] coregent.<ref name=" Murnane 7">[[#Murnane1977|Murnane. (1977)]] p. 7.</ref>

Evidence for military activity of any kind during the reign of Senusret II is non-existent. Senusret instead appears to have focused on domestic issues, particularly the irrigation of the [[Faiyum Oasis|Faiyum]]. This multi-generational project aimed to convert the Faiyum oasis into a productive swath of farmland.<ref name="Shaw 164">[[#Shaw2000|Shaw. (2000)]] p. 164</ref> Senusret eventually placed his pyramid at the site of [[el-Lahun]], near the junction of the Nile and the Fayuum's major irrigation canal, the [[Bahr Yussef]].<ref name=" Gardiner 138">[[#Gardiner1964|Gardiner. (1964)]] p. 138.</ref> He reigned only fifteen years,<ref name="Grimal 166">[[#Grimal1988|Grimal. (1988)]] p. 166</ref> which explains the incomplete nature of many of his constructions.<ref name="Shaw 164"/> His son [[Senusret III]] succeeded him.