Userkare
Pl. 39
2323 BC to 2321 BC, about 2 years ยท Old Kingdom
Userkare was a pharaoh of the Sixth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. Chronologies place his brief reign between 2323 BC and 2321 BC, though exact dates remain uncertain by approximately 25 years. He came to power following Teti and governed from Memphis for an estimated two to four years before Pepi I took control.
Very little is known about Userkare's background, family relationships, or administration. Later historical traditions have suggested he may have been an opportunistic usurper who took advantage of political turbulence after Teti's death, but contemporary records provide no details on how he gained or lost the throne. No verified pyramid or burial site has been identified for him, and he left no major surviving monuments. Egyptologists know of his existence primarily from official New Kingdom king lists, including the Abydos and Turin lists, as well as a few contemporary administrative seal impressions and copper work records. No physical remains of his body have ever been discovered.
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Dates are conventional and approximate. See method and sources.