Amenhotep III

Amenhotep III was the ninth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, who ruled all of Egypt from 966 to 928 B.C. He succeeded his father Thutmose IV, and was succeeded by his son Akhenaten. A lot is known about this pharaoh, in both the revised and traditional histories.

Amenhotep was the son of Thutmose IV, who was the son of Amenhotep II, who was himself the son of Thutmose III. His genealogy stretches back in a straight line to the founder of the 18th Dynasty, Ahmose I. He had many sons, but the most important to the revised history was Akhenaten.

In 966 B.C., Thutmose IV died after a short reign and passed the throne on to his son Amenhotep III. The first twenty-six years of his reign were very peaceful and uneventful. Sometime early in his reign he accepted a foreigner from Israel, Labaya/Jeroboam, into Egypt for refuge.

However, in 940 B.C., Amenhotep III appointed his son Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) a coregent with him. In 936 B.C., Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten and established a new monotheistic religion. Another major event late in his reign was when Labaya/Jeroboam took control of northern Israel, causing renewed interest in this area for Egypt.

Before Amenhotep III could see any of these major events through, he died in 928 B.C. and left Akhenaten the sole ruler of Egypt. This would bring the downfall of the 18th Dynasty.

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