The Eighteenth Dynasty (Dynasty XVIII)
The Eighteenth Dynasty ushered in the New Kingdom by defeating and expulsing the Hyksos. The Two Lands were finally united again, and successive pharaohs expanded the empire through force and diplomacy. The wealth gained led to an era of prosperity and massive building projects as art and architecture flourished.
Thutmose III was the greatest military pharaoh ever, his reign is seen as a high point of the dynasty. Many of the pharaohs of the dynasty were buried in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes. Several diplomatic marriages are known to have been arranged.
There was however also the Amarna Period, during which monotheism was forced upon the kingdom, under Pharaoh Akhenaton. His successors had his name systematically erased from history, which makes it is very difficult to establish the chronological sequence of reigns, as most of the evidence of his reign was destroyed some 2300 years ago.
| # | Pharaoh | Throne name | Also known as | Reign* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahmose I | Nebpehtyra | Amasis, Amosis | 1550–1525 |
| 2 | Amenhotep I | Djoserkara | Amenophis I | 1541–1520 |
| 3 | Thutmose I | Aakheperkara | Tuthmosis I, Thutmosis I | 1520–1492 |
| 4 | Thutmose II | Aakheperenra | Tuthmosis II, Thutmosis II | 1492–1479 |
| 5 | Hatshepsut | Maatkara | Hatchepsut | 1473–1458 |
| 6 | Thutmose III | Menkheperra | Tuthmosis III, Thutmosis III | 1479–1425 |
| 7 | Amenhotep II | Aakheperura | Amenophis II | 1425–1400 |
| 8 | Thutmose IV | Menkheperura | Tuthmosis IV, Thutmosis IV | 1400–1390 |
| 9 | Amenhotep III | Nebmaatra | Amenophis III | 1390–1352 |
| 10 | Amenhotep IV | Neferkheperura waenra | Akhenaten, Akhenaton, Echnaton, Amenophis IV | 1352–1334 |
| 11 | Neferneferuaten | Ankhkheperura | Nefertiti, Meritaten | 1334–1332 |
| 12 | Smenkhkara | Ankhkheperura | Smenkhare, Smenkare | c. 1332 |
| 13 | Tutankhamun | Nebkheperura | Tutankhamon, King Tut, Tutankhamen, Tutankhaton | 1332–1323 |
| 14 | Ay | Kheperkheperura–Irimaat | Aja, Aya | 1322–1320 |
| 15 | Horemheb | Djeserkheperura setepenra | Horemhab, Haremhab | 1320–1292 |