By about c. 1580 BC, the Theban kings of the 17th Dynasty held Upper Egypt, with the Hyksos in the north and Kush to the south. Over about a generation, three Theban kings fought to take back the whole country.
Key idea
| King | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Seqenenre Tao | his mummy shows terrible head wounds, probably from battle; a much later story tells of a quarrel between him and the Hyksos king |
| Kamose | his stelae at Karnak describe sailing north, attacking Hyksos allies and reaching Avaris, and intercepting the letter to Kush |
| Ahmose | besieged and took Avaris, then besieged Sharuhen in southern Canaan; campaigned in Nubia |
A soldier's view
One of the best sources is the tomb of Ahmose son of Ebana, a soldier from Elkab who served in the navy under King Ahmose and later kings. In his tomb autobiography he lists his battles at Avaris and Sharuhen and the rewards he received, gold and captives. It is a rare look at the war from the deck of a ship.
Why it works
Worked example: How long did it take?
- Each king came to the throne after the one before died.
- Seqenenre died, probably in battle; Kamose reigned only a few years; Ahmose finished the war.
- Three reigns of fighting means a war lasting years, not one battle.
Answer: It took at least three kings, over years of fighting.
With Avaris taken, Egypt was one country again. Ahmose founded the New Kingdom, and the experience of war made the new state more military than any before it.
Common mistake