Editing Djedkare Isesi (section)

==Chronology==
[[File:Djedkare Isesi.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Alabaster]] vase bearing an inscription celebrating Djedkare's first "Sed" festival, [[Musée du Louvre]]{{efn|group=note|The inscription reads "First occasion of the Sed festival of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt Djedkare, beloved of the [[Ancient Egyptian concept of the soul#Ba .28personality.29|ba]]s of [[Heliopolis (Ancient Egypt)|Heliopolis]], given life, stability, and all joy for ever."{{sfn|Strudwick|2005|p=130}}{{sfn|Sethe|1903|loc=text 57}}}}{{sfn|Louvre Museum, Online Collection|2016|loc=Item [http://cartelfr.louvre.fr/cartelfr/visite?srv=car_not_frame&idNotice=14162&langue=fr E5323]}}]]

The relative chronological position of Djedkare as the eighth and penultimate ruler of the Fifth Dynasty, succeeding Menkauhor Kaiu and preceding Unas on the throne, is well established by historical sources and confirmed by archaeological evidence.{{sfn|von Beckerath|1999|pp=60–61|loc=king no. 8}}

The duration of Djedkare's reign is much less certain. Djedkare's time on the throne is well documented by the Abusir papyri, numerous royal seals and contemporary inscriptions; taken together, they indicate a fairly long rule for this king.{{efn|group=note|The years of 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 22nd cattle counts are attested in contemporary sources for Djedkare.{{sfn|Hornung|2012|p=125}}{{sfn|Hornung|2012|pp=139–142}}}}{{sfn|Verner|2001a|p=410}} While the Turin canon credits him with 28 years of reign, there is direct evidence for an even longer reign. Several artefacts and inscriptions have been uncovered relating to Djedkare's rejuvenation or [[Sed festival|"sed" festival]], normally celebrated only after 30 years of reign. For example, the tomb of one of Djedkare's viziers, [[Senedjemib Inti]], relates construction works undertaken during the year of the 16th cattle count in preparation for the festival ceremonies. An alabaster vase now on display at the Louvre museum{{efn|group=note|Catalog number E5323.{{sfn|Pierret|1873|loc=num. 349}}}} bears an inscription celebrating Djedkare's first sed festival, indicating in all likelihood that he reigned beyond his 30th year on the throne.{{sfn|Strudwick|2005|p=130}}

One of the Abusir papyri was found to be dated to the "Year of the 22nd Count, IV [[Season of the Inundation|Akhet]] day 12", constituting Djedkare's latest known date.{{efn|group=note|Miroslav Verner writes that [[Paule Posener-Kriéger]] and Jean-Louis de Cenival transcribed the year date numeral in the papyrus as the "year of the 21st count" in their 1968 study of the Abusir papyri.{{sfn|Posener-Kriéger|de Cenival|1968|loc=Plates 41 & 41A}} Verner notes that in "the damaged place where the numeral still is, one can see a tiny black trace of another vertical stroke just visible. Therefore, the numeral can probably be reconstructed as 22.{{sfn|Verner|2001a|p=406}}}}{{sfn|Verner|2001a|p=406}} This date might correspond to any time from the 32nd year of Djedkare's reign up to his 44th year on the throne, depending on whether the cattle count was once every two years or once every year and a half. The higher estimate is close to Manetho's 44-year figure credited to Tancheres,{{sfn|Hornung|2012|p=139}} the Hellenized name of Djedkare, although this may just be coincidental.{{sfn|Hornung|2012|p=483}} Modern estimates thus put Djedkare's reign length as certainly more than 33 years and, if the cattle count was regularly biennial, at least 42 to 44 years.{{sfn|Hornung|2012|p=483}} This makes Djedkare the longest reigning king of the Fifth Dynasty.{{sfn|Hornung|2012|p=491}}