Pharaoh

The word pharaoh is a rendering of the Hebrew par'ô, which in turn renders the Egyptian word pr-' ("great house"). From the fifteenth century BCE, this title was used as a synonym to describe the person of the king; in combination with the king's name (e.g., "pharaoh Amasis"), it is used from the tenth century.

The names of the pharaohs are known from Egyptian texts and the Aegyptiaca of Manetho (online here), an Egyptian priest who lived in the first half of the third century BCE. He divides the Egyptian history in thirty dynasties; sometimes he is wrong, but it is common to follow his division.

After c.2000 BCE, the pharaoh had five names: four throne names and the name he had received when he was born.

1. the Horus-name (i.e., manifestation of the heavenly falcon; written in a serekh)
2. He of the two ladies (i.e., the twofold country Egypt, represented by the cobra-goddess Wadjet and the vulture-goddess Nekhbet)
3. the golden Horus-name (expressing eternity)
4. He of the sedge and bee (e.g., Upper and Lower Egypt; written in a cartouche)
5. Son of (the sun god) Ra (i.e., personal name; written in a cartouche).

For example, a pharaoh could be called

1. Horus Mighty Bull, Beloved of Truth
2. He of the two ladies, Risen with the fiery serpent, Great of strength
3. Horus of gold, Perfect of years, He who makes hearts live
4. He of the sedge and bee Aakheperkara
5. Son of Ra Thutmose living forever and eternity

Modern scholars call this king Thutmose I. The same titles were used for foreign rulers. For example, the Horus-name of Alexander the Great was "protector of Egypt" and his fifth name was "beloved by Amun, chosen by Ra". In the following table, when two names are given, the last one is the personal name. Names in italics indicate queens.

Early dynastic

First dynasty (c.3000-c.2825)

Second dynasty (c.2825-c.2675)

Old kingdom

Third dynasty (c.2675-c.2625)

Fourth dynasty (c.2625-2500)

Fifth dynasty (c.2500-c.2350)

Sixth dynasty (c.2350-2200)

First intermediate period

Seventh and Eighth dynasties (c.2200-c.2175)

Nine plus six kings?

Ninth and Tenth dynasty (c.2175-c.2140)

Middle kingdom

Eleventh dynasty (c.2140-2000)

Twelfth dynasty (c.2000-1780)

Thirteenth dynasty (Middle Egypt) (c.1780-c.1660)

Many kings, a.o.:

Second intermediate period

Fourteenth dynasty (Lower Egypt) (c.1720-c.1648)

Many kings, a.o.:

Fifteenth dynasty ("Hyksos") (c.1648-1540)

Many kings, a.o.:

Sixteenth dynasty (c.1648-1540)

Many kings, a.o.:

Seventeenth dynasty (Upper Egypt) (c.1648-1540)

New kingdom

Eighteenth dynasty (1540-1295)

Nineteenth dynasty (1295-1188)

Twentieth dynasty (1188-1069)

Third intermediate period

Twenty-first dynasty (Tanis) (1070-945)

Twenty-second dynasty (Bubastis) (945-715)

Twenty-third dynasty (Leontopolis) (818-715)

Twenty-fourth dynasty (Sais) (740-715)

Twenty-fifth dynasty (Nubians) (712-671)

Late period

Assyrian occupation (671-664)

Twenty-sixth dynasty (Saites) (664-525)

Twenty-seventh dynasty (Achaemenids) (525-404)

Twenty-eighth dynasty (404-399)

Twenty-ninth dynasty (399-380)

Thirtieth dynasty (380-343)

Second Persian occupation (342-332)

Thirty-first dynasty (331-323)

Ptolemaic kings (323-30)