Shoshenq III

Egyptian pharaoh of the 22nd Dynasty

Royal titulary

Horus name

Kanakht Mestiure

Prenomen (Praenomen)

Usermaatre Setepenre
Wsr-Mȝˁt-Rˁ-stp-n-Rˁ
Powerful is the Maat of Ra, the chosen one of Ra

Nomen

Shoshenq [Meri]amun
Šš.nq [mri]-Jmn
Shoshenq, [beloved] of Amun

ConsortTjesbastperuChildrenAnkheseshoshenq, Bakennefi A, Pashedbast B, Pimay, Takelot D, PadehenebastDied798 BCBurialNRT V, TanisDynasty22nd Dynasty

King Usermaatre Setepenre Shoshenq III of the 22nd Dynasty ruled for 39 years according to contemporary historical records. Two Apis Bulls were buried in the fourth and 28th years of his reign and he celebrated his Heb Sed Jubilee in his regnal year 30. He was not a son of Osorkon II but instead a grandson through his dead father prince Takelot.^{[citation needed]} As he was only a grandson, his cousin Takelot II contested his succession and Egypt was divided.^{[citation needed]} He married his aunt Tjesbastperu to strengthen his claim.^{[citation needed]} He outlived his first five sons and was thus succeeded by his 6th son Shoshenq IV, who later died childless as well and was succeeded by Shoshenq III's 7th son Pami.

From Shoshenq III's eighth regnal year, his reign was marked by the loss of Egypt's political unity, with the appearance of Pedubast I at Thebes. Henceforth, the kings of the 22nd Dynasty only controlled Lower Egypt. The Theban High Priest Osorkon B (the future Osorkon III) did date his activities at Thebes and (Upper Egypt) to Shoshenq III's reign, but this was solely for administrative reasons since Osorkon did not declare himself king after the death of his father, Takelot II. On the basis of Osorkon B's well known Chronicle, most Egyptologists today accept that Takelot II's 25th regnal year is equivalent to Shoshenq III's 22nd year.^[1]

Family

Shoshenq III married Djed-Bast-Es-Ankh, the daughter of Takelot, a High Priest of Ptah at Memphis, and Tjesbastperu, Osorkon II's daughter.^[2] He had at least four sons and one daughter: Ankhesen-Shoshenq, Bakennefi A, Pashedbast B, Pimay the 'Great Chief of the Ma', and Takelot C, a Generalissimo. A certain Padehebenbast may also have been another son of Shoshenq III, but this is not certain. They all appear to have predeceased their father through his nearly four-decade-long rule. Shoshenq III's third son, Pimay ('The Lion' in Egyptian), was once thought to be identical with king Pami ('The Cat' in Egyptian), but it is now believed that they are two different individuals, due to the separate orthography and meaning of their names. Instead, it was an unrelated individual named Shoshenq IV who ultimately succeeded Shoshenq III.

Shoshenq III was buried in the looted Royal Tomb NRT V at Tanis.

Tomb of Shoshenq III at Tanis.
Reliefs on the south wall of Shoshenq III's tomb.
Reliefs on the walls of the tomb.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shoshenq III.

^ David Aston, JEA 75 (1989), Takeloth II: A King of the Theban 23rd Dynasty?, pp.139-153
^ Nos ancêtres de l'Antiquité, 1991. Christian Settipani, p.153,163,164 and 166

Pharaohs

Protodynastic to First Intermediate Period (<3150–2040 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Protodynastic
(pre-3150 BC)

Lower	Hedju Hor Ny-Hor Ni-Neith Hat-Hor Pu Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh A Double Falcon Wash
Upper	A Finger Snail Fish Pen-Abu Stork Bull Scorpion I Shendjw Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer / Menes

Early Dynastic
(3150–2686 BC)

I	Narmer / Menes Hor-Aha Djer Djet Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Horus Bird
II	Hotepsekhemwy Nebra Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Horus Sa Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib-Perenmaat Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

III	Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Nebka Khaba Sedjes Qahedjet Huni
IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis
V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu Djedkare Isesi Unas
VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf II Netjerkare Siptah Neferka Nefer

1^st Intermediate
(2181–2040 BC)

VII/VIII	Menkare Neferkare II Neferkare III Neby Djedkare Shemai Neferkare IV Khendu Merenhor Neferkamin Nikare Neferkare V Tereru Neferkahor Neferkare VI Pepiseneb Neferkamin Anu Qakare Iby Neferkaure Neferkauhor Neferirkare Wadjkare Khuiqer Khui Iytjenu
IX	Meryibre Khety Neferkare VII Nebkaure Khety Setut Imhotep
X	Meryhathor Neferkare VIII Wahkare Khety Merykare

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV
Nubia	Segerseni Qakare Ini Iyibkhentre
XII	Amenemhat I Senusret I Amenemhat II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhat III Amenemhat IV Sobekneferu^♀ Seankhibtawy Seankhibra

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Sekhemrekhutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Djedkheperew Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Merkheperre Merkare Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi
XIV	Yakbim Sekhaenre Ya'ammu Nubwoserre Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Khakherewre Nebefawre Sehebre Merdjefare Sewadjkare III Nebdjefare Nebsenre Sekheperenre Bebnum 'Apepi Nuya Wazad Sheneh Shenshek Khamure Yakareb Yaqub-Har
XV	Sharek Semqen 'Aper-'Anati Salitis Sakir-Har Khyan Yanassi Apepi Khamudi
XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III
Abydos	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib
XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef Nubkheperre Intef Sekhemre-Heruhirmaat Intef Senakhtenre Ahmose Seqenenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female^♀) uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Thutmose I Thutmose II Hatshepsut^♀ Thutmose III Amenhotep II Thutmose IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten^♀ Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb
XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret^♀
XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Smendes Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II
High Priests of Amun	Herihor Piankh Pinedjem I Masaharta Djedkhonsuefankh Menkheperre Smendes II Pinedjem II Psusennes III
XXII	Shoshenq I Osorkon I Shoshenq II Tutkheperre Shoshenq Takelot I Osorkon II Shoshenq III Shoshenq IV Pami Shoshenq V Pedubast II Osorkon IV
XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedubast I Iuput I Shoshenq VI Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamun Shoshenq VII Menkheperre Ini
XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenranef
XXV	Piye Shebitku Shabaka Taharqa Tanutamun

Late Period and Hellenistic Period (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Ammeris Tefnakht II Nekauba Necho I Psamtik I Necho II Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III
XXVII	Cambyses II Petubastis III Darius I Psammetichus IV Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II
XXVIII	Amyrtaeus
XXIX	Nepherites I Hakor Psammuthes Nepherites II Muthis
XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II
XXXI	Artaxerxes III Khabash Arses Darius III