the name of the king found on a block from Madamud

Sobekhotep III (throne name: Sekhemresewdjtawy) was an Egyptian king of the 13th dynasty.

Sobekhotep III is known from a high number of objects, although he is thought to have reigned for only three years^{citation needed}. The Turin King list gives Sobekhotep III a reign of only one year in length. He added inscriptions to the temple of Menthu at Madamud¹ and built a chapel at El Kab ² . On Sehel³ was found an altar with his name.

The family of the king is known. His father was Mentuhotep. His mother was Jewetibaw. The king had two wives, Senebhenas and Neni. From Neni he had two daughters, Jewetibaw and Dedtanuq. Jewetibaw wrote her name in a cartouche. This is a second time in Egyptian history that a king's daughter received this honour.

A number of scarab seals have been found that were from an officier of the ruler's table Sobekhotep begotten of the officier of the ruler's table Mentuhotep.⁴ It is possible that these seals belonged to Sobekhotep III before he became king.

Sobekhotep III was the first of a group of Thirteenth Dynasty kings about whom there exists historical records. This group of Thirteenth Dynasty kings are all known from a large number of objects. These kings produced many seals and there are many private monuments that can be dated to these reigns. This would seem to indicate that Egypt was relatively stable during this period.

See also

• Sobekhotep III
• List of Pharaohs

Footnotes

1. ^ F. Bisson de la Roque, J. J. Clère, Fouilles de Médamoud (1927), Cairo 1928, p. 44; Porter & Moss V (1937), p. 146-49
2. ^ Ryholt, The Political Situation, p. 344
3. ^ M.F.L. Macadams: Gleanings from the Bankes MSSIn: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 32 (1946), 60, pl. VIII; H.A. Wild: A Bas-Relief of SekhemRe-Sewadjtowe Sebkhotpe In: Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 37 (1951), p. 12-16
4. ^ G.T. Martin, Egyptian Administrative and Private Name Seals Oxford 1971, n. 575-588

References

• K.S.B. Ryholt, The Political Situation in Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period (Carsten Niebuhr Institute Publications, vol. 20. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 1997), 343-44, File 13/26.