Cyrus the Great

Cyrus the Great was the first ruler of the larger Achaemenid Empire, and the first pharaoh of the 27th Dynasty, also known as the First Persian Domination, from 543 to 530 B.C. He defeated Tanuatamon to gain control of the country, appointed Psamtik I as ruler of Egypt, and was succeeded by Cambyses. In the traditional history, he is not considered to have conquered Egypt, despite the testimony of several ancient Greek and Persian sources.

Cyrus was the son of Cambyses (I), son of Cyrus (I), son of Teispes, son of Achaemenes. This links Cyrus back to the very forefathers of the Persian (Achaemenid) Empire. He had several sons, but the only one important to this revised history is Cambyses (II), who succeeded him.

In 550 B.C., Cyrus’ tenth year as Persian emperor, he conquered the Median Empire. This expanded his territory and his army so much that it became possible to take over other major nations of the ancient world. In 546 B.C., Cyrus led a campaign against Lydia (now modern-day Turkey), which expanded his capabilities and his empire even further. This also opened up a way for him to liberate Egypt, which had been under Babylonian control for 23 years. In 543 B.C., he easily defeated the remaining Babylonian garrisons, as well as the self-proclaimed pharaoh Tanuatamon, who was forced down to Thebes. Cyrus then appointed Psamtik I as ruler under him, to govern Egypt.

Four years later, in 539 B.C., Persian troops defeated the armies of Babylon, thus making Persia the only major power of the ancient world at the time. Egypt remained his throughout the rest of his reign, and he helped to restore it to its glory prior to the Babylonian invasion using Psamtik I. Cyrus died before seeing this fully through.

The evidence for the revised history can be found at Displaced Dynasties. Evidence specifically concerning Cyrus’ 543 B.C. takeover of Egypt can be found here.