It is common knowledge that the Egyptians were the pharaohs. How else? However, in fairness it should be noted that Ptolemy I is an associate of Alexander the Great, who captured Egilet in 332 BC. e., who later proclaimed himself the pharaoh - the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Greek, and by no means an Egyptian. Likewise, the black pharaohs who ruled Egypt from 751 to 667 BC were not Egyptians. e. Who were they and where did they come from in Egypt?
What the long-standing confusion has led to
A few years ago, small articles appeared in domestic newspapers and magazines telling about the sensational discovery of "statues of black pharaohs" in Sudan. Here is what they wrote in one of these notes: “A team of French and Swiss archaeologists working in northern Sudan have discovered several monuments and statues in the Nile Valley depicting the Nubian kings known as black pharaohs, according to BBC News.
The found sculptures were carved out of granite, the name of the ruler is carved on the back and feet. According to the head of the group of scientists, Swiss Charles Bonnet, the found statues are masterpieces and are of great value not only as objects of the history of Sudan, but also as monuments of world art. The finds are at least 2.5 thousand years old.
The black pharaohs owned vast areas along the Nile some 2,500 years ago. Their state, also known as the Kingdom of Kush, was subsequently conquered by their northern neighbors, the Egyptians.
It was they, according to the assumption of scientists, who dug a pit-storage, into which the monumental images of the black pharaohs were laid. Many statues were damaged - their feet and heads were knocked off."
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Oh, these tenacious prejudices
The first part of the message is generally true. The expedition took place, unique sculptures were found, and their age, according to scientists, is at least 2.5 thousand years. They depict really black pharaohs who ruled Egypt for a little over a hundred years. But then there is an obvious initiative of journalists who have contrived to turn the story upside down. This happened most likely due to the fact that until recently the topic of black pharaohs was unfamiliar to the general public.
The real exploration of Nubia, the southern neighbor of Ancient Egypt, which once occupied part of the territory of present-day Sudan, began only after World War II. Until recently, Egypt overshadowed its grandeur Nubia, which the Egyptians called Kush in their papyri, and for a long time it was condescending. The old prejudices, according to which black savages could not create a great state, also played a role. However, it was necessary to treat this issue with an open mind, as unquestionable facts surfaced: the dark-skinned Nubians built pyramids, became the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and created a history that is still poorly understood.
In recent years, archaeologists have discovered the main temple of the Sun, investigated the pyramids of the black pharaohs, which turned out to be solid, without interiors. The graves were deep underground and were walled up so that the robbers would not find them, but this, alas, did not save the graves from marauders.
On the territory of Sudan, archaeologists have found a list of the kings who ruled there from 1200 BC. e. before 200 AD. However, many inscriptions remained unread. The peoples who lived here created their writing on the basis of Egyptian hieroglyphs, adapting them to their needs, which is why the meaning of many texts is still incomprehensible.
Conquest of Nubia
As is often the case between neighboring countries, for centuries Nubia and Egypt have lived in a good quarrel, then in a bad world. Under Senusret I (1970-1934 BC), the Egyptians manage to capture part of Nubia, but after the invasion of Egypt by the nomads of the Hyksos, the Nubians regain these lands. Egyptians from time to time raid Nubia, seeking to get livestock and slaves, but this does not affect trade and generally good neighborly relations between the two countries. This lasted until Thutmose I, who ruled from 1538 to 1525 BC. e., did not decide to increase his power at the expense of neighbors.
He moved his troops far beyond the Nile threshold - the area of modern Aswan, where, by tradition, the border between Nubia and Egypt lay and the border fortress of Elephantine stood. By that time, the army of the pharaohs possessed unprecedented power: chariots, chopping, and not just stabbing swords and glued multi-layered bows, which had great penetrating power. Having passed three Nile rapids, Thutmose I defeated the enemy army and conquered most of Nubia. Cattle, ivory, black slaves, gold and precious stones, which the Nubian land was rich in, flowed into Egypt.
However, already in the short reign of the son of the victor Thutmose II, “the wretched country of Kush was inclined to rebellion; those who were under the rule of the ruler of both lands, thought about rebellion,”- says the inscription found in Aswan.
Conquest of Egypt
Punitive expeditions suppressed revolts against foreigners, but in general the pharaohs organized the rule of the new province in the same way as they did throughout Egypt. The tribal leaders were settled in the Egyptian garrisons, and their children were kept at the court of the pharaohs - not only as hostages, but also to give them a real Egyptian education. In Nubia, in addition to Egyptian soldiers, they sent skilled artisans, artists and priests, who were supposed to strengthen the Nubians in the true faith. Thus, Nubia, falling under the rule of Egypt, absorbed the Egyptian culture, religion, customs and art.
Centuries have passed. Egypt lost its former might, the great power was torn apart by continuous turmoil, one after another nomes broke away from it, proclaiming themselves independent states. And suddenly, around 1000 BC. e. on the territory of the former Nubia, the Napata kingdom appears.
Alara, the first Napata king known to us by name, creates in his state the same governing bodies that were once in Egypt. Here they used the Egyptian language in official documents, they prayed to the Egyptian god Amun and offered sacrifices in Napata temples. Finally, the Nubians decided to restore the integrity of the state, the laws of which were preserved, and the king of Kashta, nephew and successor of Alara, moved an army against Egypt. He was recognized by the southern nomes, the high priestess of Amun in Thebes adopted his daughter and gave her her priesthood. But only his son - Pianhi - managed to complete what he had begun and become in 751 BC. e. the first black pharaoh of Egypt.
End of an era
Having defeated the last pharaoh from the XXIV dynasty, Pianhi did not plunder Egypt, did not leave there, and with the support of the Egyptian priests and a part of the Egyptian nobility founded the XXV dynasty.
For more than a hundred years, while the dark-skinned Nubian kings ruled Egypt, it experienced a renaissance, and then the Assyrians attacked the country. Ruthless conquerors, armed with iron swords and spears, utterly defeated the Egyptian army, still fighting with bronze weapons. The black pharaohs and the army consisting of Nubians, having suffered defeat, went up the Nile and hid behind the stormy Nile rapids in their native lands, where the Assyrians did not dare to pry.
For several more centuries, the state of Meroe, which arose on the territory of former Nubia, and then Napata, retained its independence: they still wrote in a distorted Egyptian language, erected statues of Egyptian gods and built peculiar pyramids that vaguely resembled Egyptian ones. Then the Roman legions who captured Egypt came there, but they were unable, however, to control the country located beyond the Sahara. And a few centuries later, neighbors from the east, the Abyssinians from the kingdom of Aksum, invaded the lands of Meroe. The Egyptian gods were forgotten, the temples of Amun were empty …
The climate became drier, and the desert buried temples and pyramids of the now forgotten people under the dunes.