20th Dynasty

The 20th Dynasty was one of three dynasties that existed following the Santorini eruption, and one of four that existed just before the Assyrian occupation of Egypt. Its seat of power was originally in Pi-Ramesses, but moved to Thebes in the reign of Ramesses III. This dynasty followed the 19th Dynasty, ruled concurrently with the 21st (Tanis), 22nd, and 23rd Dynasties, and was followed by the 21st Dynasty (Thebes). It lasted from 759 to 662 B.C., or 97 years. The occupants of this dynasty were Setnakhte, Ramesses III, the intermediate Ramesside kings (IV-X), and Ramesses XI.

The dynasty began just after the Santorini eruption in 765 B.C., when Egypt was in chaos. Many children of Merneptah were claiming the throne for themselves, and Libyans and raiders were claiming parts of the Nile delta. Setnakhte unified the quarreling Egyptians, and united parts of Lower and Upper Egypt.

After Setnakhte died, his son Ramesses III became pharaoh. Ramesses attempted to fight off invading hordes from the 22nd and 21st Dynasties (which he called the Sea Peoples) but it became too much for him. He retreated to the south, and some time before his 29th year (729 B.C.) he moved the seat of power of the dynasty to Thebes.

The next group of kings, seven of them who all called themselves Ramesses (IV-X), ruled from Thebes and their activity was mostly confined to that area. After them, Ramesses XI ruled, but in his nineteenth year (671 B.C.) he was exiled to Nubia by invading Assyrian forces. He lived through the first ten years of the Assyrian occupation, and was killed by his successor in Thebes, Piankh.

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