| High steward inhieroglyphs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
imi-r pr wr Great overseer of the house | |||||
Thehigh steward (also calledchief steward orgreat overseer of the house; Egyptian:imi-r pr wr) was an important official at the royal court inAncient Egypt in theMiddle Kingdom and in theNew Kingdom. He was the main person in charge of the estates supplying the palace and the royal residence with food.[1]The office appears in the11th Dynasty. To the earliest title holders belongHenenu andMeketre.[2] After thevizier and thetreasurer this was the most important office at the royal court; important title holders of the12th Dynasty wereSiese andKhnumhotep III, both were later in their career appointed vizier.
The title was still very important in the New Kingdom and was in this period often calledhigh steward of the king. An important title holder of the New Kingdom wasSenenmut[3] underHatshepsut, other includeWadjetrenput[4] serving under the same queen.
During the25th and26th dynasties, the role ofGod's Wife of Amun greatly rose in importance, both religiously and politically. Their offices required several servants and employees, led by achief steward of the God's Wife (imy-r pr wr n ḥm.t nṯr) who was in charge of the estates of the God's Wife. These were highly wealthy officials known from their monumental tombs atThebes. Title holders includeHarwa andAkhamunru.[5]
Ancient Egyptian titulary | ||
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| Royal titulary |  | |
| Religious titulary | ||
| Courtly and administrative titulary | ||
