Djedkare Isesi (known in Greek as Tancheres) was a pharaoh, the eighth and penultimate ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt in the late 25th century to mid-24th century BC, during the Old Kingdom. Djedkare succeeded Menkauhor Kaiu and was in turn succeeded by Unas. His relationship to both of these pharaohs remain uncertain, although it is often conjectured that Unas was Djedkare's son, owing to the smooth transition between the two.
Djedkare likely enjoyed a reign of more than 40 years, which heralded a new period in the history of the Old Kingdom. Breaking with a tradition followed by his predecessors since the time of Userkaf, Djedkare did not build a temple to the sun god Ra, possibly reflecting the rise of Osiris in the Egyptian pantheon. More significantly, Djedkare effected comprehensive reforms of the Egyptian state administration, the first undertaken since the inception of the system of ranking titles. He also reorganised the funerary cults of his forebears buried in the necropolis of Abusir and reformed the corresponding priesthood.
Djedkare commissioned expeditions to Sinai to procure copper and turquoise, to Nubia for its gold and diorite and to the fabled Land of Punt for its incense. One such expedition had what could be the earliest recorded instance of oracular divination undertaken to ensure an expedition's success. The word "Nub", meaning gold, to designate Nubia is first recorded during Djedkare's reign. Under his rule, Egypt also entertained continuing trade relations with the Levantine coast and made punitive raids in Canaan. In particular, one of the earliest depictions of a battle or siege scene was found in the tomb of one of Djedkare's subjects.
Djedkare is believed to have been buried in a pyramid in Saqqara named Nefer Djedkare ("Djedkare is perfect"), which is now ruined owing to theft of stone from its outer casing during antiquity. When excavated in the 1940s, the burial chamber contained mummified skeletal remains thought to belong to Djedkare. Examinations of the mummy revealed the individual died in his fifties. A clue to the identity of the remains came from skeletal and blood type comparisons with those of two females thought to be Djedkare's daughters buried in the nearby Southern Cemetery as Abusir. Radio carbon dating carried out on the effects of the three individuals revealed a common range of 2886-2507 BC, some 160–390 years older than the accepted chronology of the 5th Dynasty.[17]
After his death, Djedkare was the object of a cult that lasted at least until the end of the Old Kingdom. He seemed to have been held in particularly high esteem during the mid-Sixth Dynasty, whose pharaohs lavished rich offerings on his cult. Archaeological evidence suggests the continuing existence of this funerary cult throughout the much later New Kingdom (c. 1550–1077 BC). Djedkare was also remembered by the ancient Egyptians as the Pharaoh of Vizier Ptahhotep, the purported author of The Maxims of Ptahhotep, one of the earliest pieces of philosophic wisdom literature.
The reforms implemented by Djedkare are generally assessed negatively in modern Egyptology as his policy of decentralization created a virtual feudal system that transferred much power to the high and provincial administrations. Some Egyptologists such as Naguib Kanawati argue that this contributed heavily to the collapse of the Egyptian state during the First Intermediate Period, c. 200 years later. These conclusions are rejected by Nigel Strudwick, who says that in spite of Djedkare's reforms, Ancient Egyptian officials never amassed enough power to rival that of the king.
^Verner 2001b, p. 589.
^Altenmüller 2001, p. 600.
^Hawass & Senussi 2008, p. 10.
^Malek 2000, p. 100.
^Rice 1999, pp. 46–47.
^Clayton 1994, pp. 60.
^Sowada & Grave 2009, p. 3.
^Lloyd 2010, p. xxxiv.
^Strudwick 2005, p. xxx.
^von Beckerath 1999, pp. 60–61 & 283.
^Strudwick 1985, p. 3.
^Hornung 2012, p. 491.
^ abcdLeprohon 2013, p. 40.
^Mariette 1864, p. 15.
^Clayton 1994, p. 61.
^Leprohon 2013, p. 40, Footnote 63.
^Strouhal et al. 2001.
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DjedkareIsesi (known in Greek as Tancheres) was a pharaoh, the eighth and penultimate ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt in the late 25th century to...
The pyramid of DjedkareIsesi (in ancient Egyptian Nfr Ḏd-kꜣ-rꜥ ("Beautiful is Djedkare")) is a late 25th to mid 24th century BC pyramid complex built...
Unas. Amongst non-royal Egyptians of this time, Ptahhotep, vizier to DjedkareIsesi, won fame for his wisdom; The Maxims of Ptahhotep was ascribed to him...
Shepseskaf (Dynasty Four) Pyramid of Userkaf of the Fifth Dynasty Pyramid of DjedkareIsesi Pyramid of king Menkauhor Mastaba of Ti Mastaba of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum...
30 years in the mid-24th century BC (circa 2345–2315 BC), succeeding DjedkareIsesi, who might have been his father. Little is known of Unas' activities...
second collection of later, smaller pyramids, including those of Pepi I, DjedkareIsesi, Merenre, Pepi II and Ibi. Most of these are in a poor state of preservation...
Djedkare Shemai may have been an ancient Egyptian pharaoh during the Eighth Dynasty of the First Intermediate Period. His name is only attested on the...
A further seal is believed to have both Nyuserre's and Djedkare's names on it, DjedkareIsesi being Nyuserre's second successor. Taken together these...
nine years, following king Nyuserre Ini, and was succeeded in turn by DjedkareIsesi. Although Menkauhor is well attested by historical sources, few artefacts...
power had been established during Neferirkare Kakai's reign. During DjedkareIsesi's rule, officials were endowed with greater authority—evidenced by the...
of Ra, the sun god. The temple was laid out in a similar manner to DjedkareIsesi's. A transverse corridor separates the outer from the inner temple. The...
of Menkauhor) Saqqara c. 52 n.d. n.d. 5th DjedkareIsesi Pyramid of Djedkare-Isesi (Beautiful is Djedkare) South Saqqara 78.75 52.5 107,835 52° 5th Unas...
administrator and vizier (first minister) during the reign of Pharaoh DjedkareIsesi in the Fifth Dynasty. He had a son named Akhethetep, who was also a...
official who lived at the end of the Fifth Dynasty, most likely under king DjedkareIsesi and under king Unas. His main function at the royal court was that of...
been written by Ptahhotep, the vizier to the Fifth Dynasty pharaoh DjedkareIsesi, who ruled from 2388–2356 BCE. Ptahhotep's sebayt is often called The...
Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu DjedkareIsesi Unas VI Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf...
Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu DjedkareIsesi Unas VI Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf...
(Egyptian K3(j)-m-ṯnnt) was an ancient Egyptian official under pharaoh DjedkareIsesi in the late Fifth Dynasty, during the Old Kingdom period. He is mainly...
Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu DjedkareIsesi Unas VI Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf...
is found in the pyramid of Menkaure, but it was during the reign of DjedkareIsesi that it became a part of the standard pyramid layout. [citation needed]...
by the Vizier Ptahhotep around 2375–2350 BC, during the rule of King DjedkareIsesi of the Fifth Dynasty. The text was discovered in Thebes in 1847 by Egyptologist...
gods Horus and Thoth, one of king Menkauhor Kaiu, and three of king DjedkareIsesi. In addition to pharaonic monuments, an Old Kingdom settlement was founded...
Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu DjedkareIsesi Unas VI Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf...
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, museum record: gold cylinder seal, reign of DjedkareIsesi, Dyn. 5. Accession No. 68.115. "Seal of Office". Museum of Fine Arts...
BCE, c. 1877–1870 BCE. A staple feature of pyramid complexes since Djedkare-Isesi in the Fifth Dynasty. Hölzl 1999, p. 516. Verner 2001e, p. 409. Lehner...
Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu DjedkareIsesi Unas VI Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf...
was a vizier from the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt during the reign of king DjedkareIsesi. Senedjemib Inti was married to a lady named Tjefi. Senedjemib Inti...
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