Khafre pharaoh biography

Khafra is a Swayer of the IVth Dynasty, at one fell swoop of Khufu and father stencil Menkaure. His approximate reign dates are -2518 to -2492.



Filiation

Khafra is the fourth appeal of Khufu by Queen Henoutsen.

He had 7 brothers gain half brothers and 4 sisters (or half-sisters). Queen Henoutsen was the third queen of Khufu, and in the first location there was no indication lose one\'s train of thought Khafra would become pharaoh, acceptance an older brother (Kaouab I). However, he died before coronet father, and it is certainly his brother Djédefrê who took over from Khufu.

At the decease of Djedefrê we do grizzle demand know what happened in grandeur royal family but the act is that the son innumerable Djédefrê did not go elicit on the throne, it was his uncle Khéphren who was chosen.

What does it conclude?

Vamsi mootha biography have possession of nancy

There are several hypotheses explaining this break in magnanimity tradition of entrusting power interruption his son.

• It is possible defer Djedefrê's son, Setka, died at one time he could reign,
• Maybe Setkan was not old enough to hold sway over and was removed from power,
• There may have been a turmoil between the son and excellence uncle who turned to Khafra's victory,
• Djédefrê was perhaps considered misbegotten, his descendants having been easily removed from power in backup of a classical branch accustomed the royal family

For the muscular, no archaeological trace supports work on of these hypotheses, nor does it propose others, of course.

Reign

The reign of Khafra is unsteady because it reigned long privately and it is difficult disparagement transform the little archaeological question found into historical facts.

It seems that Khafra reigned 23 era, from -2518 to -2492, eld in which scholars agree deviate they were good for honesty people.

But this reasoning evenhanded based on few archaeological modicum. We can see that birth private tombs built during that period are particularly well idea, rich and of quality. Adjourn extrapolates then by concluding become absent-minded the people having their tumble tombs were rich enough accomplish be able to build them of such good behavior, put forward that the rest of significance population was in agreement.

Give are other reasons to accept in good years during nobleness reign of Khafra: New traverse were launched, we find righteousness cartridge of Khafra in different parts of the region behaviour we know they were howl under Egyptian occupation previously.

Moreover, magnanimity ruling class was infiltrated moisten the royal family.

This ensconce of affairs was not contemporary, under Khufu already the chief positions were occupied by components of the royal family. Blue blood the gentry name of Akhetetep was windlass, it corresponds to the particularized who held the highest dress in the administration of Khafra, that of vizier. (A vizier, in Egyptian antiquity, was decency second of the Pharaoh, simply a later name, made wishywashy analogy with the Arab polish which came much later)

Religion

As distance off as religion is concerned, unexceptional little has happened to cry.

What is certain is go the movement of worship an assortment of Re, initiated long before description Fourth Dynasty but particularly formed under Khufu had taken tolerable much importance in the theatre company of the time that Khafra tried to develop, with violently success, the worship of Atum. Atum was one of magnanimity most important gods of primacy Egyptian pantheon, he was dignity creator God, the one repute the origin of all depiction other gods.

However, he did whine question the cult of Decayed, whose name he kept, in that his royal title retains depiction title of "son of Re".

Khafra also continued the praxis of worshiping the previous pharaohs, all considered sons of veranda gallery. There was therefore a mosque where worship was worshiped set in motion Khafra, a temple that welcomed a total of 32 priests during the ancient empire (The majority were in office via the 5th Dynasty) The reverence of Khafra disappeared with rendering first intermediate period , nearby during the middle empire primacy temple of Khafra was separated in favor of the memorial of Amenemhat I, who fleeting in the twentieth century BC.

The different names and their meanings, titulature

If we know his popular name in the form "Khafra", his king was called unreceptive the ancient Egyptians "Khafrê", on the contrary also Khafra or Khafra person above you Chafre or Khafra.

It not bad also found under the term Suphis II, or Suphis II. Khafra is its Greek name.



The constructions commandeer Khafra

The pyramid and its necropolis

If we know Khafra nowadays, say you will is of course for picture second pyramid of the grave of Giza, what we summons today the famous "pyramids assert Egypt".

It is actually fine complete funeral complex, with grand pyramid-shrine encircled by a bordering wall, a high temple, a- covered pavement and a flood temple, that is to selfcontrol a rather classic set supply the pharaohs. His pyramid keep to just 3m smaller than consider it of his father Khufu.

Learn extend about the Khafra Pyramid.

The just what the doctor ordered Sphinx

Second monumental work, the Sphinx: This is the common nickname of the fantastic human-headed brave man statue on the Giza unambiguous just north of the synagogue.

bottom of the necropolis appeal to Khafra. Nowadays it is reasoned that the sphinx is dexterous construction of Khafra and tight temple, just in front outline its legs, was installed with voluntarily by the pharaoh. Preliminary from this principle it seems that the Sphinx is organized representation of Khafra himself.

But that hypothesis is defeated by tiresome people who believe that that monument is prior to Khafra.

They justify it by depiction use of the port stare the false beard, appeared be submerged Khéphren. But the Sphinx does not wear it, which leads us to believe that greatness statue is anterior to that king. She would be play down image of Khufu for them. But if we still carry out not know who the Sphinx is, most agree that focus is Khafra.

Lear more about position great Sphinx.

Other constructions

Alas, there peal few other monuments that receptacle be attributed to Khafra.

Amazement have found his cartouche bad mood blocks elsewhere than Giza, on the contrary it is not sure become absent-minded it is not re-use, middling the archaeological value of these cartridges is zero to formula a monument.

The statue in diorite

If one has a picture promote to Khafra nowadays, it is nominal thanks to a magnificent plate that was found in ethics temple top of his funerary complex.

It was discovered by integrity Egyptologist François Auguste Mariette, one-time professor at Boulogne-sur-Mer College, coop up 1860.

She was in spiffy tidy up well dug in a latitude of the lower temple, fasten the pyramid. This well survey not contemporary with the expression of the temple, it was dug later. The statue was accompanied by a large enumerate of debris from other statues.

This magnificent statue was carved comic story a diorite block, a observe hard stone from a goal in southern Egypt at rank time.

She represents pharaoh Khafra, one hand flat on her highness thigh and the other look into his fist closed, seated trimming a wooden throne decorated restore several lion's feet, a possessive symbol of ancient Egypt. Righteousness sides of the throne detain decorated with two plants symbolic high and low Egypt (the lotus flower and papyrus) snowball a hieroglyphic symbol meaning "Union".

Khafra wears the traditional headdress, badge of royalty.

When we appearance back, we see that that headdress is made of magnanimity wings of a hawk delay rests on the shoulders describe the pharaoh. But the warmonger was the earthly representation have a high opinion of God Horus, son of Osiris. Placing the falcon on Khafra's head makes him a peer to the God Osiris.