The Forgotten Years of Montuhotep IV.
The Turin Canon (King-List) records the seven years of Montuhotep IV as “a period in which no king reigned.” And no images or official documents survive from his reign.
Why?
We explore the reasons for Montuhotep’s removal from history, including a journey out into the Wadi Hammamat once again, then back to a country in the grip of civil strife.
Montuhotep IV
- Records and monuments at UCL.
- Detailed summary of reign at Wikipedia.
- Summary of 11th Dynasty at ancient-egypt.org.
Royal Names/Titles
- Horus: Nebtawy
- Nebty: Nebtawy
- Golden Horus: Netjerunebu
- Throne name/Prenomen: Neb-tawy-Re
- Personal name/Nomen: Montu-hotep
Family Tree
- Family tree at Wikimedia.
- See also Dodson and Hilton, Complete Royal Families, 2004.
Wives
- Unknown.
Monuments
- Tomb: Unknown.
- Expeditions: Rock inscriptions in various locations.
Bibliography
- Dorothea Arnold, “Amenemhat I and the Early Twelfth Dynasty at Thebes,” Metropolitan Museum of Art Journal, 1991.
- Wolfram Grajetzki, The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, 2006.
- Nicolas Grimal, A History of Egypt, 1994.
Interesting episode.
Given the lack of records of violence accompanying Montuhotep IV’s accession, and the continuity of his name, is it not plausible that it is in fact his successor, who’s name diverges from the line and involved a civil war to acquire the throne Amenemhat was the usurper? It seems claiming your predecessor was the usurper not you would be a fairly effective way to secure legitimacy as a restorer of order.