Co-regency Issues

DYN.18 no.10: Amenhotep IV:Background.- A-IV born to Amenhotep III& Queen Tiye

- His elder brother, Thutmose V, died before ascending the throne.

- A-IV reigned 17 years.

- Married non-royal person: Nefertiti (daughter of Ay; brother of Qn.Tiye)

- Earlier theories for a co-regency A-III & IV essentially “disproved” (but still debated).

- At most, A-IV may have served as co-regent for a few months to a year or so at the end of A-III’s reign.

Karnak Temple Pylon III dec. by Amenhotep III: Smaller, erased figure behind him(a) One idea suggests co-regent Amenhotep IV; (b) Dodson says = Tutankhamun(!)

Amenhotep IV(?) as co-regent?

Tushratta writes Amarna Letter EA 27to Amenhotep IV regarding the over- due promised gold statues:

always showed love to my father, Mimmureya (A-III), so now show love [to me.’ Af]ter my brother is desirous of my love, shall I not be desirous of my brother’s lo[ve]? At this very momentI show you 10 times more l[ov]e than Idid your father!” …. Etc.

(Moran 1992: 86-87 EA.27)

Genericletter

“Say to Naphurreya, the king of Egypt, my brother, my son-in-law, whom I love and who loves me: Thus Tushratta …

[Ma]ne, my brother’s messenger, [came and I heard the greeting o[f my brother] and I [r]ejoiced greatly. I saw the goods that my brother [sen]t and I re[jo]iced greatly.

My brother said this: ‘Ju[st] as you have

EA27 contains an added docket (=note)

in Egyptian hieratic on it that may beread either: “[Yea]r 2” or “[Yea]r 12”

The text of EA27, along with letter EA26appear to have been sent to Egypt soonafter Tushratta hears about A-III’s death:i.e., 1-2 seasons-worth of travel, or more?

= no / minimal co-regency, versus 10+ year co-regency?

Did queen Tiye act as a regent forAmenhotep IV?

EA.26

Theban Tomb of Kheruef: early & still traditional year-1? of Amenhotep IVDepiction of Akhenaten and mother Queen Tiye (regent?) offering to Re-Horakhty

Queen Tiye definitely lives into A-IV’s reign and is recorded visiting Amarna

Balance of the evidence reveals A-III prob. died near the advent of A-IV’s reign

QueenTiye

Tomb of Huya at Amarna: depicting Tiye dining with Akhenaten & his family: yr.12

Dyn.18: Amenhotep IV

Co-regency issue:•House R.44.2 of Panehesy at Amarna has yielded a slab stela depicting both Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye.

• The art style is in the later Amarna-style of year 9+

• The cartouches avoid writing AMEN-hotep. and replicate twice his prenomen Nebmaatre.

•Some scholars argue A-III & A-IV co-ruled for 10-12 years

• BUT, the stela couldeasily be honourific!

2014: recent discovery claiming ‘proof’ ofa co-regency between A.III & A.IV:“The Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim declared the discovery of architectural remains (of walls and columns) in the tomb of the Vizier Amen-Hotep Huy N°28 in Asasif Area –Luxor.Some of these remains carry scenes showing both Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV (father and son) in the same space, and one following the other. The remains also show hieroglyphic inscriptions of the names of both kings beside each other.The importance of this discovery, Dr. Ibrahim says, is that it presents the definitive evidence of the co regency between Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV because it dates exactly at the beginning of the first Heb-Sed of Amenhotep II<I>, in the 30th year of his reign.”http://www.egyptologyforum.org/bbs/MSA_Asasif_Feb2014.pdfSee also: Dr. Francisco J. Martin, the Field and Scientific Director of the Spanish Mission working in the Asasif Project.