| Merikare | |
|---|---|
| Merykare, Merykara | |
 Scribe palette of the chancellor Orkaukhety, bearing the cartouche of Merikare | |
| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | c. 2075–2040 BCE |
| Predecessor | Wahkare Khety ? |
| Successor | possibly an unnamed ephemeral successor,[1] thenMentuhotep II (11th Dynasty) |
| Father | Wahkare Khety ? |
| Died | approximately 2040 BCE |
| Burial | Pyramid of Merikare |
| Dynasty | 10th Dynasty |
Merikare (alsoMerykare andMerykara) was anancient Egyptianpharaoh of the10th Dynasty who lived toward the end of theFirst Intermediate Period.
Purportedly inspired by the teaching of his father, he embarked on a semi-peaceful coexistence policy with his southern rivals of the11th Dynasty, focusing on improving the prosperity of his realm centered onHerakleopolis instead of waging an open war withThebes. His policy was not rewarded, and shortly after his death his kingdom was conquered by the ThebanMentuhotep II, marking the beginning of theMiddle Kingdom. The existence of his pyramid has historically been ascertained, although it has not yet been discovered.
According to many scholars, he ruled at the end of the 10th Dynasty in his middle-age,[2][4][5][6][7] following a long reign by his father. The identity of his predecessor (the so-called "Khety III" who was the purported author of theTeaching for King Merikare) is still a question of debate amongEgyptologists. Some scholars tend to identify Merikare's predecessor withWahkare Khety.[6][7][8] Thesesebayt ("teachings", in ancient Egyptian) – possibly composed during the reign of Merikare and fictitiously attributed to his father – are a collection of precepts for good governance. The text also mentions the eastern borders, recently secured, but still in need of the king's attention.[9] In the text, Merikare's unnamed father mentions having sackedThinis, but he advises Merikare to deal more leniently with the troublesomeUpper Egyptian realms.[8]
Once crowned, around 2075 BCE,[10] Merikare wisely resigned himself to the existence of two separate kingdoms (theHerakleopolite and theTheban ones) and tried to maintain the policy of peaceful coexistence achieved by his father.[8] It seems that the period of peace brought a certain amount of prosperity to Merikare's realm.[7] Some time later, the pharaoh was forced to sail up the Nile with his court on a great fleet. Once he reachedAsyut, the king installed the loyalistnomarchKhety II, who succeeded his deceased fatherTefibi;[8] he also made restorations at the local temple ofWepwawet. After that, Merikare advanced farther upstream to the town ofShashotep, likely to quell a revolt, and at the same time as ashow of force to the turbulent southern border areas.[11]
Merikare died in c. 2040 BCE, a few months before the fall of Herakleopolis. Thus, the final defeat by the Thebans, led byMentuhotep II of the11th Dynasty, was likely inflicted upon an ephemeral, unnamed successor.[1]
Many sources suggest that Merikare was buried in a yet-undiscovered pyramid inSaqqara, calledFlourishing are the Abodes of Merikare, that had to be near to thepyramid of Teti of the6th Dynasty.[1] The titles of the officials involved in its construction are documented, as his funerary cult endured into the12th Dynasty; in fact, Merikare's cartouche appears on the stelae of at least four priests who were responsible for the funerary cult ofTeti and Merikare during theMiddle Kingdom.[12] They includeGemniemhat who also held other important positions.
Despite the fact that his name cannot be recognized in theTurin King List, Merikare is the most attested among the Herakleopolite rulers. His name appears on:
In 2003, the Egyptologist Arkadi F. Demidchik suggested that Merikare's placement within the dynasty should be reconsidered. According to him, if Merikare reigned during the campaign led by Mentuhotep II then the former's pyramid and its cult couldn't have survived the Theban conquest; again, Merikare likely would not be able to obtaingranite from the South as mentioned in theTeachings. Demidchik also argued that the battles for Thinis mentioned by Tefibi and Merikare were the same, being fought in the opposite front by the Theban rulerWahankh Intef II, thus suggesting that Merikare's reign should be placed some decades earlier than usually thought, when the 10th Dynasty's power was at its peak.[3]
