Intef I

Intef I was the first member of the Theban Eleventh Dynasty to claim royal titles, adopting the Horus name Sehertawy, which means 'Maker of peace in the Two Lands'. He transformed a powerful local southern lordship into a rival kingship that directly challenged the northern Tenth Dynasty at Herakleopolis. He reigned about 2134 to 2117 BC, with his dates uncertain by about 20 years.

Succeeding his father Mentuhotep I, who was regarded as an ancestor rather than a full king, Intef I began the territorial expansion of Thebes northward into Upper Egypt. His reign initiated decades of warfare that would eventually reunite the country. He was succeeded on the throne by his brother Intef II.

His memory is preserved primarily through contemporary block fragments, later royal lists, and his distinctive saff-tomb, known as Saff el-Dawaba, located at El-Tarif on the west bank of Thebes.

Monuments

• Saff el-Dawaba at El-Tarif

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