The Eighth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt History
The Eighth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt History
Eighth Dynasty (2280-2240 BC)
Although the names of their kings are mentioned in the lists of the Pharaohs, their history is completely invisible, except for some minor facts about some of them that we will mention later.
In the “Arabization” list, we find the names of 17 pharaohs who ruled a time during the era of this family, and in the Turin list, we find only eight pharaohs mentioned. As the historian "Maniton" mentioned to us, the number of her kings is eighteen without mentioning their names, whereas the list of Saqqara did not mention the Pharaoh after "Babby II" to the first of the eleventh family; that is, she neglected the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth dynasties.
What was mentioned in the lists, and the effects did not mention to us what cures yield. Indeed, in Saqqara some pyramids must have been erected after the reign of “my second child,” but we did not verify the name of a king from them, but if we judge according to the names mentioned by us in the list of “godmother”
During the era of the Eighth Dynasty, we found that the pharaohs of this family remained conservative in calling themselves by the names of their predecessors in most cases.
For example, we find among the kings of the eighth family five pharaohs called the name “Neferkara,” one called “Djedkara,” and another called himself “Nefer Er Kara.” Thus, it appears that it was due to the movement made by the governors of the provinces to preserve their independence in their provinces since the sixth dynasty that the governor of the Qift Ans province, on his own, had the strength and annexed his province, the seven upper provinces of Upper Egypt, and from which he established an independent kingdom under his authority over the Memphis family, and unfortunately, "Manetho" did not mention us. Absolutely nothing about this Qafta family, and they likely stayed for forty years, and the ruins have preserved the names of some of their pharaohs for us.
Those who were elected from a private family with wide authority and were, in fact, the real controllers of the affairs of this kingdom. Several decrees of the pharaoh, "Nefer Cao Hour," one of the kings of this family, were found in Qaft itself, including a decree to stop the Pharaoh statue.
The Eighth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt: A Period of Fragmentation and Change
The history of ancient Egypt is mixed with grandeur, mystery, and an enduring influence. Among the many dynasties that renewed Egyptian civilization came the very peculiar and somewhat shadowy Eighth Dynasty. Part of the Old Kingdom period, it is usually overshadowed by their more renowned dynasties: the Dynasties of the Great Pyramids of Giza, namely the Fourth Dynasty, or their eventual collapse by the Sixth Dynasty.
The centralized control by the pharaohs began to gradually decline as the provincial governors known as nomarchs acquired greater power in their regions. This period is often called the First Intermediate Period, where the formerly united kingdom broke into parts and the appearance of contesting regional rulers.
The midst of this chaos saw the Eighth Dynasty existing at a time when Egypt was on the verge of an impending political crisis. The pharaohs of this dynasty were short-lived, and their reigns tended to be characterized by general instability. Egypt itself had been divided into previously small satellite territories that would feature different local rulers, with the authority of the pharaoh usually remaining symbolic more than practical.
The Rulers of the Eighth Dynasty
The Eighth Dynasty is known chiefly for its group of rulers who came to the throne in rapid succession. Experts continue to debate the exact number of pharaohs who ruled during this period, estimating them between eight and about twelve, depending on the source. Their reigns are characterized as being short and not having noteworthy achievements that distinguished them from later glorious periods in Egyptian history.
The first king of the Eighth Dynasty was Pharaoh Neferkare, who came to rule after the last sixth king. Unfortunately, very little is learned about his reign, and the same general lack of monumental inscriptions or any grand accomplishments is associated with his rule. This was a pattern of short, uneventful reigns for quite a few succeeding rulers.
Legacy of the Eighth Dynasty
The Eighth Dynasty itself was not responsible for any everlasting monuments, but the incidents that occurred during its time were important in the greater context of Egyptian history. These were transforming times as Egypt traveled from the unity and glory of the Old Kingdom into a far more fragmented and troubled era. The rulers of this dynasty were often subsumed by more general social, political, and economic changes sweeping across Egypt at the time.
But this would also cause the birth of kings who would be more powerful and capable of unifying the land. Instabilities, seen in the light of the Old Kingdom, had provided the fertile ground for alternative leadership to come forth, and this very interference for the Kingdom during the First Intermediate Period allowed the rise of the Middle Kingdom, often regarded as one of the high points of ancient Egyptian civilization.
In the end, the legacy of the Eighth Dynasty reminds us not to underestimate the complexities of ancient Egyptian history: there were neither great pyramids nor breathtaking tombs during this phase. Instead, it was a phase marked by the deepening political turbulences, increasing regionalisms, and the decline of the central authority that had otherwise been the pride of Egypt. Though this dynasty may not have added to the great works of architecture and culture that we identify with the great age of Egypt, its historical significance cannot be overstated in the understanding of the rise and fall of one of the most sophisticated civilizations known to man.
The eighth dynasty and its significant part in the Egyptian history:
The mode of the eighth dynasty wasn't so impressive with monumental deeds, but it was in a very vital position for the movement that Egypt burst forth from the Old Kingdom to enter the Middle Kingdom. It was still a time of continuity by the period in the further breaking down of centralized power, where in practice other pharaohs were ineffective for most days;
The most important consequences that the eighth dynasty brought were from repeating the power of the nomarchs. These regional governors, still usurping powers since the end of the Sixth Dynasty, were an essential part of the process of transitioning Egyptians from a unified empire to a fragmented society. Events during the eighth dynasty politic death increased local prominence; their future would come to shape the lifetime of Egypt.
A powerful local dynasty and regional ruler finally brought the conclusion of the Old Kingdom age and ushered in the beginning of what had been called by the historians as the First Intermediate Period. Such an age, as it was, has been marked by a lot of political tumult, along with a revival, both artistic and intellectual, which paved the way for the formation of the Middle Kingdom.
