Shepseskare

For the 16th-century poet and playwright, see William Shakespeare.

Shepseskare
Sisires
Drawing by Georges Daressy of a bronze cylinder seal of Shepseskare bearing his Horus name "Sekhemkhaw"[1]
Pharaoh
ReignAround a few months, c. 2458 BC[2][3][4][5] or seven years[6][7][8][9] in the mid 25th century BC[a]
PredecessorNeferefre, Neferirkare Kakai, or Nyuserre Ini
SuccessorNyuserre Ini or Neferefre
Royal titulary
Horus name
Sekhemkhaw
Sḫm-ḫˁ.w
He whose apparitions are powerful

Turin canon:
Niswt Shepseskare Maat Kheru
Niswt Špss-k3-Rˁ M3ˁ-ḫrw
King Shepseskare the justified
Praenomen
Shepseskare
Špss-k3-Rˁ
The Ka of Ra is noble
Nomen
Netjeruser
Nṯr-wsr
He whose strength is divine
FatherPossibly Sahure, Neferirkare Kakai, or Neferefre
MotherPossibly Meretnebty
Diedc. 2458 BC
MonumentsUnfinished trench in North Abusir representing the earliest stages of a pyramid
DynastyFifth Dynasty

Shepseskare or Shepseskara (Egyptian for "Noble is the Soul of Ra"; died c. 2458 BC)[15] was an Ancient Egyptian king, the fourth or fifth ruler of the Fifth Dynasty (2494–2345 BC) during the Old Kingdom period. Shepseskare lived in the mid-25th century BC and was probably the owner of an unfinished pyramid in Abusir, which was abandoned after a few weeks of work in the earliest stages of its construction.[16]

Following historical sources, Shepseskare was traditionally believed to have reigned for seven years, succeeding Neferirkare Kakai and preceding Neferefre on the throne,[17][18] making him the fourth ruler of the dynasty. He is the most obscure ruler of this dynasty and the Egyptologist Miroslav Verner has strongly argued that Shepseskare's reign lasted only a few months at the most, after that of Neferefre. This conclusion is based upon the state and location of Shepseskare's unfinished pyramid in Abusir as well as the very small number of artefacts attributable to this king. Verner's arguments have now convinced several Egyptologists such as Darrell Baker and Erik Hornung. After the discovery of a seal impression of Shepseskare in 2022 the Egyptologist Masimiliano Nuzzolo has proposed that Shepeseskare ruled after Nyuserre Ini.

Shepseskare's relations to his predecessor and successor are not known for certain. Verner has proposed that he was a son of Sahure and a brother to Neferirkare Kakai, who briefly seized the throne following the premature death of his predecessor and probable nephew, Neferefre. Shepseskare may himself have died unexpectedly or he may have lost the throne to another of his nephews, the future pharaoh Nyuserre. The possibility that Shepseskare was a short-lived usurper from outside the royal family cannot be totally excluded. Nuzzolo observes that too little is known on Shepseskare to assert Fifth Dynasty family relationships with certitude.

  1. ^ Daressy 1915, p. 94.
  2. ^ Verner 2001, p. 400.
  3. ^ Baker 2008, pp. 427–428.
  4. ^ a b Hornung 2012, p. 491.
  5. ^ Grimal 1988, p. 92.
  6. ^ a b Shaw 2000, p. 480.
  7. ^ a b Rice 1999, p. 190.
  8. ^ a b von Beckerath 1999, p. 283.
  9. ^ Hayes 1978, p. 58.
  10. ^ Hawass & Senussi 2008, p. 10.
  11. ^ Clayton 1994, p. 60.
  12. ^ Strudwick 2005, p. xxx.
  13. ^ Lloyd 2010, p. xxxiv.
  14. ^ Arnold 1999.
  15. ^ Clayton 1994, p. 61.
  16. ^ Abdallatif et al. 2005, pp. 483–503.
  17. ^ Callender 2011, pp. 127–142.
  18. ^ Chauvet 2002, pp. 214–215.


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