Horemheb

Horemheb rose from the ranks of the military to become commander-in-chief of Egypt's armies under Tutankhamun and Ay. When Ay died around 1319 BC without leaving a direct successor, Horemheb secured the crown with the support of the army and the priesthood of Amun, ruling until about 1292 BC. His reign lasted roughly twenty-seven years, with dates uncertain by about a decade, marking the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty and establishing strong foundations for the subsequent Ramesside Period.

As king, Horemheb enacted extensive legal and administrative reforms aimed at stamping out official corruption, protecting provincial subjects, and re-establishing royal authority. These measures were publicised across the country on royal stelae. He also pursued an aggressive programme of religious renewal. Horemheb dismantled surviving temples dedicated to the Aten, using the recycled stone blocks as inner packing for massive new buildings. At Karnak, he initiated the construction of the Second, Ninth, and Tenth Pylons, reshaping the approach to the great temple complex.

Because he took the throne late in life, Horemheb left behind two distinct burial sites. Before his coronation, he had constructed an elaborate private tomb at Saqqara adorned with fine limestone reliefs depicting his foreign campaigns. Upon becoming pharaoh, he commissioned a majestic royal sepulchre, KV57, in the Valley of the Kings, notable for its innovative deep corridors and painted plaster reliefs.

Scholars know Horemheb through temple inscriptions, legal edicts, surviving architecture, and his two monumental tombs. Lacking a surviving son with his queen Mutnedjmet, he designated his trusted vizier, Paramessu, to succeed him as Ramesses I, ensuring a smooth transition to a new ruling family.

Monuments

• Tomb KV57
• Karnak Pylons II, IX, and X
• Saqqara Memphite tomb

Explore further

Try the name on the Cartouche Desk, or see where the reign falls on the timeline.