Mentuhotep I

Mentuhotep I was the first ruler of the 11th Dynasty, and a chieftain of the 7th and 8th Dynasties. He ruled as a nomarch in Thebes around 1575 B.C., and was succeeded by his son Intef I. Very little is known about this pharaoh in either the revised or traditional histories.

Mentuhotep was the son of Intef (the Elder), another nomarch at Thebes during the 7th and 8th Dynasties. He had at least one son, Intef I.

As Egypt fractured during the late reign of Pepi II, regional rulers called nomarchs gained more and more power. When Pepi died with no successors, the centralized government collapsed, and the 7th and 8th Dynasties began with many nomarchs ruling in different regions.

Intef the Elder was one of these rulers, and upon his death, his son Mentuhotep I became nomarch of Thebes. During his reign, power began to centralize on two spots; Herakleopolis and Thebes. The 9th Dynasty began some time during Mentuhotep's rule to the north, but he died before he could see the new 11th Dynasty begin in Thebes.

The evidence for the revised history can be found at Displaced Dynasties. Evidence regarding this pharaoh's place in history can be found here.