Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator
Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator
King Ptolemy V gave birth to King Ptolemy VII of the Macedonian dynasty. He is also believed to be King Ptolemy VI's younger sibling. Not only was Ptolemy VII the final son of Ptolemy V, but he had previously ruled Egypt with his younger sister, Queen Cleopatra II, and younger brother, Ptolemy VI.
In fact, when his older brother, the reigning king at the time, Ptolemy VI, was captured during the period when Egypt was suddenly occupied by Antiochus IV of Syria, Ptolemy VII declared himself king to save the day. He ruled the rest of the unoccupied parts of Egypt.
By the time Ptolemy VI was released, the two kings or brothers had already ruled Egypt in a 50/50 system.
But then, in 163, the older brother Ptolemy VI was once again the sole ruler of Egypt, and he remained so until Ptolemy VI died in 145. He was the son of the reigning king Ptolemy VI or known as Philometor and the son of Queen Cleopatra II of Egypt at that time. Some accounts say that they were his brothers, not his parents.
Ptolemy VII did indeed rule Egypt for a very brief period of time with his brother or father in 145 BC, but it was a very short reign. After the death of his father, Ptolemy VI, he was ordered to be killed by his uncle, the Macedonian King Ptolemy VIII, who had the first right to succeed him.
