Sobekneferu

Sobekneferu came to the throne following the death of Amenemhat IV, reigning as the final monarch of the Twelfth Dynasty. Her rule was an exceptional event necessitated by the absence of a direct male heir, making her the earliest woman confirmed by contemporary records to have reigned as an independent king with full pharaonic titles.

She reigned from about 1806 BC to 1802 BC, with dates uncertain by about fifteen years. Despite her short tenure, she maintained traditional royal duties and made additions to her father Amenemhat III's mortuary complex at Hawara in the Fayum. In her representations, she combined female royal dress with male pharaonic insignia, navigating the traditional expectations of royal iconography.

Scholars know her through entries in the Turin Canon, contemporary cylinder seals, and damaged statues. Her tomb is uncertain, though the northern pyramid at Mazghuna has been suggested. Her death marked the peaceful transition to the Thirteenth Dynasty.

Monuments

• Hawara mortuary complex additions
• Tell el-Dab'a cylinder seal

Explore further

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