Smendes I

Smendes I (Neterkheperre Siamun) was the first pharaoh and priest-king of the Tanite 21st Dynasty, who ruled a large portion of the Nile delta centered on Tanis from about 760 to 734 B.C. He founded this dynasty, and was succeeded by Psusennes I. Little is known about him in the revised history, as the only report of him in the traditional history actually belongs a century later during the Assyrian occupation.

Smendes' parentage is unknown. He may have had some children, but they are not known to the revised history.

In 765 B.C., a volcano in the Mediterranean erupted catastrophically, in an explosion that is known as the Santorini eruption. This caused Egypt to fracture, and Smendes, the High Priest of Amun at Thebes, was asked to move north to Tanis around 757 B.C. to help Setnakhte and Ramesses III prevent further invasion. He helped Ramesses in the 750 B.C. invasion of the Sea Peoples.

However, he aspired to become pharaoh, and around the same time as the invasion he declared himself ruler of Tanis. He gave himself the pharaonic name Neterkheperre Siamun, and ruled for 16 years, dying in 734 B.C.

The evidence for the revised history can be found at Displaced Dynasties. Evidence regarding this pharaoh specifically can be found here and here. Supplemental evidence regarding this pharaoh can be found here.