Nubkaure Amenemhat II, also known as Amenemhet II, was the third pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Although he ruled for at least 35 years, his reign is relatively obscure, as well as his family relationships.
Family
Archaeological findings have provided the name of Amenemhat’s mother, the “king’s mother” Neferu III, but not his father’s name. Nevertheless, it is commonly assumed that he was the son of his predecessor Senusret I. An early attestation of Amenemhat may have come from the tomb of the namesake nomarch Amenemhat, buried at Beni Hasan. This nomarch, who lived under pharaoh Senusret I, escorted the “King’s son Ameny” on an expedition to Nubia. It is believed that this prince Ameny was no other than Amenemhat II in his youth.
The identity of Amenemhat’s queen consort is unknown. Many royal women were buried within his pyramid complex. Still, their relationships with the king are unclear. For example, a queen Keminub must be dated to the later 13th Dynasty. Three “king’s daughters” named Ita, Itaweret, and Khenmet may have been Amenemhat’s daughters. However, definitive proof is still lacking. His successor Senusret II was likely his son. Yet, this is never explicitly stated anywhere. Other children were prince Amenemhatankh and the princesses Nofret II and Khenemetneferhedjet, presumably the same person as Khenemetneferhedjet I. Both of these women later became wives of their purported brother Senusret II. Additionally, a woman queen and king’s mother called Senet is known from three statues. Her royal husband and sons are not known. Amenemhat II might be her husband.
Reign
Amenemhat II was once believed to have shared a period of coregency with his predecessor Senusret I. This hypothesis was based on the double-dated stela of an official named Wepwawetō (Leiden, V4) that bears the regnal year 44 of Senusret I and the regnal year 2 of Amenemhat II. Now, the existence of such coregency is considered unlikely. Furthermore, the meaning of the double-date on the stela is interpreted as a time range when Wepwawetō was in charge, from Senusret I’s year 44 to Amenemhat II’s year 2.
Account of reign
The most important record of Amenemhat’s early reign is on fragments of the so-called Annals of Amenemhat II unearthed at Memphis (later reused during the 19th Dynasty). It provides records of donations to temples and, sometimes, political events.
Among the latter is a mention of a military expedition into Asia. This involves the destruction of two cities – Iuai and Iasy – whose location is still unknown. Also, tribute-bearers from Asia and Kush are mentioned as coming. Under Amenemhat II, several mining expeditions are known. For instance, there were at least 3 in the Sinai, one in the Wadi Gasus (year 28), and one in search for amethysts in the Wadi el-Hudi.
He is known to have ordered building works at Heliopolis, Herakleopolis, Memphis, in the Eastern Delta. He also rebuilt a ruined temple at Hermopolis.
There are some mentions of the construction of a “First temple”, but it is still unclear what it should have been.
A well-known finding associated with Amenemhat II is the Great Sphinx of Tanis (Louvre A23), later usurped by many other pharaohs. He is also named on the boxes of a treasure of silver objects found under the temple of Montu at Tod. Notably, many of these objects are not Egyptian artistry but Aegean. This evidences contact between Egypt and foreign civilizations in the Middle Kingdom.
Many private stelae bear Amenemhat’s cartouches – and sometimes even his regnal years – but are of little help in providing helpful information about the events of his reign.
Court officials
Some members of Amenemhat’s court are known. Senusret was the vizier at the beginning of his reign. One of his successors was Ameny. He was later likely followed by Siese, who had a remarkable career and was also a treasurer and a high steward before his vizierate. Besides Siese, other known treasurers were Rehuerdjersen and Merykau. As a great overseer of troops, a certain Ameny dates most likely under the king. The “overseer of the gateway”, Khentykhetywer, was buried near the king’s pyramid. Other attested officials were the “overseers of the chamber”, Snofru and Senitef. The royal scribe and iry-pat Samont are also known.
Succession
Amenemhat II and his successor Senusret II shared a brief coregency, the only unquestionable one of the whole Middle Kingdom. Unlike most of the double-dated monuments, the stela of Hapu from Konosso explicitly states that these two kings ruled together for a while. It also states that the regnal year 3 of Senusret II equates to the regnal year 35 of Amenemhat II. Furthermore, Amenemhat’s year 35 on the stela of Hapu is also the highest date known for him.
Tomb
Unlike his two predecessors who built their pyramids at Lisht, Amenemhat II chose Dahshur for this purpose. This was a location which was no more used as a royal cemetery since the time of Sneferu and his Red Pyramid (4th Dynasty). At present, Amenemhat’s pyramid – originally called Amenu-sekhem but best known today as the White Pyramid – is poorly preserved and excavated. Many people were buried within the pyramid complex. Their tombs were rediscovered by Jacques de Morgan in 1894/5. The three princesses mentioned above, Ita, Itaweret, and Khenmet, were found untouched, still containing their beautiful jewels. Also, the tombs of the lady Sathathormeryt, the treasurer Amenhotep, and the queen Keminub were found. Unlike the others, the latter two were looted in antiquity and are dated to the subsequent 13th Dynasty. The mortuary temple adjacent to the pyramid was called Djefa-Amenemhat.