Despite the fact that Amenemhet seized the throne by violent means, he enjoyed a peaceful reign. He moved his court to the north, founding a new capital just south of Memphis. There he built an impressive royal residence, which he called Itj-towy (meaning “seizing the Two Lands”). He also built himself a pyramid tomb of mud bricks in the style of the Old Kingdom. Amenemhet was determined to preserve national unity, and although the nomarchs continued to exercise considerable local power, he insisted that they should recognize his overall authority. He reshaped Egypt’s internal administration and had a new staff of scribes educated. He reinforced the country’s borders by building a “king’s wall” east of the Nile Delta to prevent incursions by people from the Sinai Peninsula. He also began the construction of large fortresses along the Nile in Nubia. To the west, the desert people were repelled by means of military expeditions.
During his final years, Amenemhet ruled jointly with his son, Sesostris, to ensure a smooth succession. However, the end of Amenemhet’s reign was brought about by violence; he was assassinated in a court conspiracy while Sesostris was away on a military expedition. The circumstances surrounding Amenemhet’s death are similar to those described in a literary text of the period entitled The Story of Sinuhe. In the story, Sinuhe, who takes part in a campaign led by the crown prince Sesostris, fears that
Karnak, on the banks of the Nile near Thebes, was an important religious site in ancient Egypt.
He will be involved in court intrigue and flees to Palestine. Sinuhe is later asked to return to Egypt by the new king, Sesostris I, who succeeded in spite of the conspiracy. In another text, The Lesson of Amenemhet, the deceased king appears to his son in a dream and advises him to trust no one; a king has no friends, he says, only responsibilities.
World History
