Taharqa

Name of Taharqa
Horus name	Qai-chau Q3j-ḫˁ.w (with) sublime appearances
Sideline	Qai-chau Q3j-ḫˁ.w (with) sublime appearances
Gold name	Chui-taui Ḫwj-t3.wj protector of the two countries
Throne name	Chui-Nefertem-Re Ḫwj-Nfrtm-Rˁ Nefertem's protégé , a Re
Proper name	Taharqa Thrq

Taharqa , also Taharka , Taharqo , Tiharka or Tarakos , was the 5th Pharaoh (King) of the Cushite 25th Dynasty in Egypt. His reign is from 690–664 BC. To apply. He is the successor to Shebitko and son of Pije and Abale . The sister wives of Taharqa include Tekahatamani, Naparaja, Tabaketenamun, Atakhebaskeñ. Sons of Taharqa are Nisuonuris, a prince Nesschutefnut and Atlanersa, the founder of the dynasty of Napata . Amenirdis II , Jeturow (wife of Atlanersa) and Peltaseñ are known as daughters . His successor as the last Kushite ruler of Egypt is Tanotamun .

Life

The politics of Taharqa is largely determined by the struggle against Assyria under its king Asarhaddon . This battle ends with the conquest of Egypt by the Assyrians .

An inscription from Taharqa shows the height of the flood of the Nile . In his sixth year of reign, the Nile in Thebes reached its highest level with a little more than 21 cubits (10.5 meters), which was between 950 and 650 BC. Was measured, but compared to the average of the Nile floods in ancient Egypt, a normal value in the upper range. For example, the flood of the Nile under Ramses X. reached a higher water level.

The report also indicates a visit by Taharqa's mother to Memphis. The election of Taharqa by Shebitko (according to another opinion, his overthrow) and his accession to the throne after the death of Shebitko are reported subsequently. Likewise, Amun's commission to subjugate all countries is mentioned (flood and accession to the throne also recorded on memorial scarabs). The army's high level of performance is mentioned on the so-called catwalk found in 1977. There reports of a run by the soldiers from Memphis to Fayyum and back and the inspection of the troops from Taharqa.

The reason for Assyria's action against Taharqa is its anti-Assyrian policy in Palestine at the time of Sennacherib . Assyria wanted to end the rule of the Cushites in Egypt. At first only cities that had fallen away from Assyria and defected to Egypt were attacked and conquered. Finally Assyria attacked under Azarhaddon in February 673 BC. Chr. Egypt directly to break the support of the Cushitic Egypt for the Palestinian resistance. The attack is repulsed by Taharqa.

671 BC BC Asarhaddon first besieged Tire , whose king Baal had defected to Taharqa, and then led on 16./29. June and July 1, three victorious open field battles against the Egyptian army. After the third battle, Memphis was captured on July 5th. Taharqa then fled, and his son Nisuonuris and a brother were captured by the Assyrians.

After Asarhaddon withdrew, Taharqa again seized power. Azarhaddon drew in 669 BC. Then against Egypt for the second time, but died on the way to Egypt. 667/666 BC The successor of Asarhaddon, Ashurbanipal , defeated the Egyptian army and subjugated Egypt as far as Thebes. First, Assyrian sovereignty was recognized by the Egyptian princes. But then they allied with Taharqa. After the apostasy movement was exposed, the princes involved were deported to Nineveh and executed (further executions in Sais , Mendes and Pelusium or Tanis ).

Only Necho von Sais , who was still needed by the Assyrians, was spared and his rule was confirmed. The son of Nechos was appointed under the name of Nabu-šēzibani (Psammetich I) in Athribis as Gaufürst . The time of the Assyrian advance was a time of unrest and rebellion in Egypt. The inscription on a Serapeum stele shows that in the 26th year of Taharqa's reign on September 4th, ^Greg. ( 9th Peret IV ) 666 BC That Apis-Taurus was born on January 7th ^. ( 20th Schemu IV ) 644 BC Psammetichs I died in the 20th year of reign.

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  Sphinx of Taharqa ( British Museum )

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  Shabti of Taharqa (British Museum)

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  Shabti of the Taharqa

Construction activity

Its building activity is the largest since that of the New Kingdom . It extends from Sudan to the Nile Delta. The main sites and monuments are:

Gebel Barkal (construction work on the great Temple of Amun in Napata and the Temple of Mut ; rock demolition with gigantic king figures?), Sanam (Amun-Re temple), Kawa (completion of the temple of Tutankhamun and construction of the Amun temple with processional street, pylon and statues of rams; Hypostylsaal with chapel in the northeast), Tabo (island of Argo; temple), Semna-Ost (brick temple; barque base; worship of the deified Sesostris III. ), Buhen (reliefs, columns and chapel of the southern temple), Gezira-Dabarosa and Faras (blocks) , Qasr Ibrim (temple), Bab Kalabsha (inscriptions from the 19th year), Philae (blocks and boat support of Amun from Takompso), Elkab ( amulet ), Hefat / Asfun-Matana ( stele ; bronze statue of Taharqa in front of the falcon god Hemen ).

Karnak was a center of Taharqa's activities: Taharqa's ramp and building for drawing water on the New Year festival; so-called kiosk in front of the 2nd pylon (and similar buildings in the north, south, east); Founding depots at the entrance to the Temple of Month, facade of the Harpre-Rettaui Temple, easternmost chapel of the southern wall of the Month district; Chapel for Osiris-Lord of Eternity with Schepenupet II. , Gateways to the 2nd and 10th pylon, inscription in the courtyard in front of the 6th pylon, construction of the Taharqa at the Holy Lake ; in the south of the temple district Taharqas and Tanotamuns chapel for Osiris - Ptah -lord-of-life, gate in the district of the courage temple, various blocks of other buildings in Taharqa. Taharqa built a chapel in the forecourt of the Temple of Luxor. On the Theban west side, Taharqa is building in Medinet Habu (surrounding wall of the Small Temple, completing the decoration of the pylon).

In contrast, activities in Taharqa north of Thebes to the delta are poorly documented. Qus (granite lion), Memphis (including a sanctuary for Amun-Re-der-dem-Tempel-protrudes), bronze door (from Sais ), Serapeum steles [including year 26], Athribis (sanctuary), Tanis (statue). A stele from Kawa mentions the resettlement of Libyan princes and residents of Bahrija to Nubia .

The royal sculpture of Taharqa is well documented (colossal statue by Gebel Barkal ; granite head from Cairo; statues from Karnak, Kawa and Tanis, sphinx of Tahaqa from Kawa).

Where Taharqa was buried has not yet been conclusively determined. In his pyramid , which is no longer in El-Kurru but in Nuri , there were no traces of a burial, except for 1070 ushabtis . A pyramid tomb in the west cemetery of Sedeinga contained (presumably recycled) blocks of the Taharqa and the remains of an approximately 50-year-old man.

Bible

Pharaoh Taharqa is mentioned several times in the Old Testament of the Bible . In the Second Book of Kings in Chapter 19, verse 9, the conflict between the Assyrian king and Taharqa is mentioned:

"The king of Assyria had heard about Tirhaka (= Taharqa) , the king of Cush: Behold, he has gone out to fight with you."

Also in the book of Isaiah Taharqa is mentioned in the 9th verse of the 37th chapter in the same context.

literature

• Erhart Graefe / F. Mohga Wassef: A pious foundation for the god Osiris - who saves-his-follower-in-the-underworld from the year 21 of the Taharqa (670 BC). In: Communications from the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department. (MDAIK) 35, von Zabern, Mainz 1979, pp. 103-118.
• Karl Jansen-Winkeln : The Chronology of the Third Intermediate Period: Dyns 22-24. In: Erik Hornung, Rolf Krauss, David A. Warburton (eds.): Ancient Egyptian Chronology (= Handbook of Oriental studies. Section One. The Near and Middle East. Volume 83). Brill, Leiden / Boston 2006, ISBN 978-90-04-11385-5 , pp. 234-264 ( online ).
• Susanne Martinssen-von Falck: The great pharaohs. From the New Kingdom to the Late Period. Marix, Wiesbaden 2018, ISBN 978-3-7374-1057-1 , pp. 201-205.
• Ahmed M. Moussa: A Stela of Taharqa from the Desert Road at Dahshur. In: Communications of the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department (MDAIK) 37, von Zabern, Mainz 1981, pp. 331–337.
• Karol Mysliwiec: The King Portrait of the Taharka in Napata. In: Communications of the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department (MDAIK) 39, von Zabern, Mainz 1983, pp. 151–157.
• Thomas Schneider : Lexicon of the Pharaohs. Albatros, Düsseldorf 2002, ISBN 3-491-96053-3 , pp. 281-283.

Web links

Commons : Taharqa  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Angelika Lohwasser :  Taharqo. In: Michaela Bauks, Klaus Koenen, Stefan Alkier (eds.): The scientific biblical lexicon on the Internet (WiBiLex), Stuttgart 2006 ff., Accessed on May 26, 2012.

Notes and individual references

1. ↑ According to the royal chronicle of Asarhaddon: The first battle was fought on the 3rd Du'zu . The beginning of the 3rd Du'zu fell in 671 BC. On the evening of June 23rd and the beginning of spring on March 29th in the proleptic Julian calendar. The time difference to the Gregorian calendar is eight days, which must be subtracted from June 23. Calculations according to Jean Meeus: Astronomical Algorithms - Applications for Ephemeris Tool 4,5 - , Barth, Leipzig 2000 and Ephemeris Tool 4,5 conversion program .
2. ↑ Two days after the second battle.
3. ↑ Four days after the third battle.
4. ↑ Bibeltext :: bibelwissenschaft.de. Retrieved April 16, 2018 . 
5. ↑ Taharqo . ( bibelwissenschaft.de [accessed on April 16, 2018]).
6. ↑ Bibeltext :: bibelwissenschaft.de. Retrieved April 16, 2018 . 
7. ↑ Tirhakah Definition and Meaning - Bible Dictionary. Retrieved April 16, 2018 . 

predecessor	Office	successor
Shabaka	Pharaoh of Egypt 692/691 BC Chr. – 664 BC Chr.	Tanotamun

predecessor	Office	successor
Shabaka	King of Nubia 692/691 BC Chr. – 664 BC Chr.	Tanotamun