|
 |
Horemheb - The General who became Pharaoh after Tutankhamun and Ay
Famous Egyptians
|
|
Horemheb - The General who became Pharaoh after Tutankhamun and AyHoremheb was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 18th Dynasty. He was probably not of royal birth. |
| Portrait
by |
Horemheb came from Herakleopolis Magna near the entrance to the Fayum. His parentage is unknown. Horemheb's birth name and epithet was Horemheb Meryamun, meaning "Horus is in Jubilation, Beloved of Amun". His name is sometimes spelled Horemhab or Haremhab.
He became commander of the army, and advisor to the pharaoh. He was one of the most influential advisors to Tutankhamun, who died while still a teenager and was succeeded by Ay. Ay died after a brief reign, and Horemheb became ruler. His throne name was Djeserkheperure Setepenre, meaning "Holy are the Manifestations of Re, Chosen of Re"
Because of the way that he came to the throne, Horemheb had 2 tombs constructed for him, one when he was a mere noble (at Saqqara near Memphis), and the other in the Valley of the Kings, in Thebes, tomb KV57.
An incident during Horemheb's reign may have relevance to the Biblical King of Israel, Solomon. The lady 'Sharelli' of the pharaoh's court was married to one of the more powerful city-state rulers of Western Asia. A noblewoman marrying outside Egypt at this time may give credence to the biblical record of Solomon marrying an Egyptian princess, for whom he built a palace outside Jerusalem.
He chose Paramesse to succeed him, who assumed the name Ramses I and founded the 19th Dynasty.
