Sobekhotep I

Sobekhotep I reigned during the early Thirteenth Dynasty, a period that forms the start of the Second Intermediate Period. He ruled from the capital at Itjtawy, taking power following Queen Sobekneferu and the end of the Twelfth Dynasty. His reign was brief, lasting approximately two years from about 1802 to 1800 BC, with dates uncertain by about twenty-five years.

Little is known of his family or royal lineage, but his accession marked a transition to a dynasty characterized by shorter reigns and non-hereditary successions. Although later king lists place him near the start of the dynasty, scholars also debate his precise position in the royal sequence.

Historians identify Sobekhotep I from surviving monumental fragments, including temple reliefs from Medamud and a carved block found at Deir el-Bahari. His burial place remains disputed, though tomb S9 at Abydos has been proposed as a possible site.

Monuments

• Reliefs at Medamud
• Deir el-Bahari block

Explore further

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