THE MIDDLE KINGDOM
Approximately when did the Middle Kingdom last?
2040–1782 BC
Which pharaoh established the 12th Dynasty?
Amenemhat I
What were the regional governors of Egypt called?
Nomarchs
Which region to the south of Egypt was repeatedly conquered and controlled by Middle Kingdom pharaohs?
Nubia
What form of writing became the standard during the Middle Kingdom?
Hieroglyphs
What period of chaos and civil war came immediately before the Middle Kingdom?
The First Intermediate Period
Which pharaoh was famous for his military campaigns and strengthening Egypt's southern border with forts?
Senusret III
What were the administrative regions governed by nomarchs called?
Nomes
What was the main purpose of the forts built along the Nile in Nubia?
To secure Egypt's southern border and maintain control over the region.
What famous literary work tells the story of an Egyptian official who fled Egypt and later returned?
The Tale of Sinuhe
Which pharaoh reunited Upper and Lower Egypt and is generally credited with beginning the Middle Kingdom?
Mentuhotep II
Which pharaoh developed irrigation projects in the Faiyum region?
Senusret II
Name two responsibilities of the nomarchs.
Collecting taxes, maintaining order, and/or leading the military
Which two regions did Senusret III send expeditions to in order to increase trade connections?
Palestine and Syria
What were the Execration Texts?
Spells written on pottery and statuettes that were broken and buried to curse enemies.
What name did Mentuhotep II adopt after reunifying Egypt, meaning "He who unifies the two lands"?
Shemataway
Which pharaoh exploited resources such as turquoise and copper and built extensively throughout Egypt?
Amenemhat III
Why did pharaohs need nomarchs even though the pharaoh was considered the absolute ruler?
The pharaoh could not personally govern every part of Egypt, so nomarchs governed provinces on his behalf.
What two resources did Amenemhat III regularly obtain from mines in places such as Sinai and Nubia?
Turquoise and copper
Why did the 13th Dynasty become unstable?
It had many weak rulers with short reigns, and power increasingly passed between different powerful families rather than directly from father to son.
What period followed the collapse of the Middle Kingdom?
The Second Intermediate Period
Who was the final ruler of the 12th Dynasty and possibly the first woman to rule Egypt?
Sobekneferu (Nefrusobek)
How did Senusret III reduce the power of the nomarchs?
He divided Egypt into three large districts and appointed councils to govern them, strengthening central government control.
Explain one way military expansion contributed to Egypt's prosperity during the Middle Kingdom.
Expansion secured territory, protected borders and trade routes, and increased access to resources and trading partners.
What combination of problems ultimately brought the Middle Kingdom to an end?
Weak central leadership led to declining centralised control, collapsing borders and increased attacks from enemies such as the Nubians.