Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt

The Nubian pharaohs, who originated in the Kingdom of Kush, located to the south of Egypt, ruled Egypt for nearly a century.

25
Twenty-fifth Dynasty
752 BC — 655 BC
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The unification of Lower and Upper Egypt with Kush resulted in the formation of the largest Egyptian empire since the New Kingdom. This unification saw the reaffirmation of Egyptian religious, artistic, and literary traditions, with the adoption of the Egyptian language and writing system, while also introducing some unique aspects of Kushite culture. Given their provenance from Nubia, it is clear that they were of black African descent, but why should that matter? The Egyptian society did not care, nor should we.
The Kingdom of Kush, centered in Napata, had already established its influence over Thebes through religious and political ties, especially through the cult of Amun.

Piye, the king of Kush, launched his campaign around 752 BCE to counter Tefnakht I’s expansion. The Victory Stela of Piye (Cairo JE48862) describes his invasion from Nubia, narrating the swift capture of key cities like Thebes, Hermopolis, and Memphis. The stela emphasizes Piye’s piety toward Amun, his strategic victories, and the submission of Delta rulers, including Tefnakht, portraying him as a legitimate pharaoh restoring order.

After securing submission, Piye returned to Napata, leaving local rulers as vassals. Tefnakht and his successor Bakenranef (24th Dynasty) maintained some independence in the Delta. Around 720–716 BCE, Shabaka, Piye’s successor, launched a follow-up campaign to fully unify Egypt. Shabaka defeated Bakenranef, reportedly executing him, and extinguished the dynasty. This established firm Kushite control over all of Egypt.

Dynasty 25

The chronological order

It is important to note that the chronological order and dates of the kings is still a matter of debate and should therefore be treated with a certain degree of caution. As new research is conducted, the order may be subject to change, which is a fundamental principle that applies to all Egyptian dynasties. In particular, the Second Intermediate Period dynasties are the subject of significant ongoing research, and could see dramatic changes in the future.

Table 1: The kings of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty
№ Pharaoh Also known as
1PiyePiankhi, Piankhy, Pije, Pianchy
2ShabakaSabacon
3ShebitkoShebitku
4TaharqaTaharka, Taharqo
5TenutamenTantamani

The Twenty-fifth Dynasty according to Manetho

ACCORDING TO AFRICANUS

Twenty-fifth dynasty of three Ethiopian kings

  1. Sabakon, who, after taking Bochchoris captive, burned him alive.
    He reigned for8 years
  2. Sebichos, his son 14 years
  3. Tarkos 18 years
  4. Total 40 years
ACCORDING TO EUSEBIOS

Twenty-fifth dynasty of Ethiopian kings

  1. Sabakon, who, after taking Bochchoris captive, burned him alive;
    he reigned for12 years
  2. Sebichos, his son 12 years
  3. Tarakos 20 years
  4. Total 44 years
ARMENIAN TRANSLATION

Twenty-fifth dynasty of three Ethiopian kings

  1. Sapakovn, who captured Bokkovris and burnt him alive, ruled for 12 years
  2. Sebikʻovs, his son 12 years
  3. Tarakos 20 years
  4. In total, reigned for 44 years