At the beginning of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, after the obscure ‘‘Ammeris the Ethiopian,’’ Manetho mentions three kings: Tefnakht (written Stephinates through an error in transmission), Nechepso, and Necho. For the first and the third we can find evidence in contemporary texts confirming their reigns. Tefnakht appears on two donation stelae which assign him the prenomen Shepsesre (Perdu 2002: 1230-3), but, apart from his hold on the western Delta, we know nothing of this king to whom Manetho allocated seven regnal years. On the other hand, we are quite well informed on the immediate predecessor of Psamtik I, Necho I, who was also his father (Perdu 2002: 1234-9). Two objects, a scarab and a figurine of Horus doubtless coming from Sais, preserve his name, which also appears on a stele in which Akanosh B, the powerful Libyan chief of Sebennytos, commemorated a donation and referred to Necho’s year 2. Not only does this evidence confirm the royal status of Necho I, but it also indicates that Saite influence extended at least to the central Delta. Assyrian Royal Annals inform us of the support that they received from the Saite king in their battles against the forces which the Kushites had established in Egypt to protect their commercial interests in the Levant. Thus we learn that in 667, when Assurbanipal led his first campaign against Taharqa, the Assyrian policy was to place their trust in Necho I by maintaining him as ‘‘king of Memphis and Sais,’’ a position with which he had been entrusted by Esarhaddon during an Assyrian invasion four years before, but which he had lost as a result of the Kushite counterattack. A little later, despite an unhappy Saite change of allegiance in favor of Taharqa which brought with it for Necho a spell of capitivity in Niniveh, the same concern to win over Saite power forced the Assyrian king to conclude a treaty under the terms of which Necho was reinstated in Sais in exchange for his support, and his son Psamtik was put in charge of Athribis. Thus, the Saite king found himself forced to oppose Tanutamun when the latter succeeded Taharqa and launched a campaign to reconquer of Egypt, a stance which cost Necho his life after a reign of eight years and led to the accession of Psamtik I.
World History
