- History -

Mentuhotep II was the son of the Theban ruler Antef III and a woman named Iah. When he came to power, his predecessors had already conquered a territory that stretched far beyond Thebes, from the 1st cataract in the south, to the region of Qaw el-Kabir in the north.

The Turin King-lists credits this king with a reign of as much as 51 years. In light of the many events that occurred during his reign, this is not unlikely.

The first years of his reign have left us with only few testimonies. This could mean that he reached the throne at a young age, something that is also suggested by the long duration of his reign. His 14th regnal year was apparently a turning-point in the life of Mentuhotep. Its name "year of the crime of Thinis" suggests that there was some trouble in the Thinite province, where the age-old holy city of Abydos was located. Apparently the Heracleopolitan king Kheti of the 9/10th Dynasty had succeeded in re-conquering this province and was threatening to do the same with the rest of Upper-Egypt. During this re-conquest, a large part of the old necropolis of Abydos was destroyed.

Mentuhotep immediately reacted and not only repelled the Heracleopolitans from Abydos, he also continued the war against them, conquering Assiut, Middle-Egypt and finally Heracleopolis itself. With the fall of the Heracleopolitan Dynasty, nothing stood in the way for the final re-unification of Egypt under Theban rule. At the latest by his 39th year, but presumably somewhere around his 30th year, Egypt was united again and Mentuhotep II was the first Theban who could rightfully call himself King of Upper- and Lower-Egypt.

Mentuhotep's military efforts were not only aimed at reuniting the Two Lands. Inscriptions in Nubia show his desire to re-establish the Egyptian supremacy over this region. A mass-tomb found in Deir el-Bahari contained 60 bodies of slain Egyptian soldiers who perhaps lost their lives in Nubia. That these soldiers were given a burial so near the king's own funerary monument, demonstrates how much importance was attached to them.

Even during the re-conquest of Egypt, Mentuhotep built or restored several temples throughout his territory. He was particularly active in Upper-Egypt as is shown by monuments in Dendara, Abydos, Elkab and Elephantine. The warrior-king paid special homage to the war-god Montu, who, at that time, was the principal god of the Theban province. For him he built temples in Medamud, Armant and Tod.

A view on the remains of Mentuhotep's funerary temple (foreground). The larger building in the background is Hatshepsut's temple, the design of which was largely based on Mentuhotep's.

The most famous monument built by Mentuhotep II was his funerary monument. Unlike his predecessors, who were buried in relatively simple tombs in Dra Abu el-Naga', Mentuhotep chose to build his mortuary temple and tomb at Deir el-Bahari. The design of this building was unique: a terrace was built against the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari. Upon the roof of that terrace was built a massive stone construction, identified by some archaeologists as a pyramid, by others as a mastaba. The tomb of the king was located in the rock behind and underneath the temple.

Titulary

Mentuhotep II changed his titulary several times during his long reign. These changes often reflect different stages in his reign. It would take until after the unification of Egypt before Mentuhotep II would use the complete titulary.

1. Before the war against the Heracleopolitan Dynasty

In the earliest stage of Mentuhotep's reign, his titulary only consisted of a Horus-name and a nomen. The presence and contents of the Horus-name indicate the desire to unite Egypt under Theban rule. The nomen is not written within a cartouche.

• Horus-name

Hr sanx ib tA.wj

Horus, who feeds the heart of the Two Lands or: Horus, who allows the heart of the Two Lands to live.

• Nomen

sA ra mnTw-Htpw

The son of Re, Mentuhotep ("Montu is satisfied").

2. After the defeat of the Heracleopolitan Dynasty

The titulary is more complete. Only the so-called Golden name is missing. As was the case during the early Old Kingdom, Mentuhotep's Nebti-name is similar to his Horus-name. Particularly interesting is the affiliation with Hathor, in stead of Re, in his nomen.

• Horus-name

Hr nTr HD.t

Horus, the god of the White Crown.

This title shows that Mentuhotep could claim rulership over Upper-Egypt, as symbolised by the White Crown.

• Nebti-name

	nb.tj nTr HD.t	The Two Ladies, the god of the White Crown
	nb.tj aA ///	The Two Ladies, great in ///

• Prenomen

nb Hp.t ra

Nebhepetre ("Lord of the rudder is Re")

• Combined Prenomen and Nomen

nb Hp.t ra, sA ra, mnTw-Htp

Nebhepetre, the son of Re, Mentuhotep.

• Nomen

	sA ra, mnTw-Htp	The son of Re, Mentuhotep.
	sA Hw.t-Hr nb(.t) iwn.t, mnTw-Htp	The son of Hathor, the lady of Dendara, Mentuhotep. Note the similarity of this name, with one of the names used by Pepi I.

3. After the unification of the Two Lands

After the unification of the Two Lands, the titulary is completed with the Golden name. There are two versions of the Golden name: a simple one, as was also the case during the early Old Kingdom, and a more elaborate one. Again the Nebti-name is practically the same as the Horus-name. Mentuhotep appears to have paid special attention to the early Old Kingdom royal titularies when creating his own.

• Horus-name

Hr smA tA.wj

Horus, who has united the Two Lands.

• Nebti-name

nb.tj smA tA.wj

The Two Ladies, the one who has united the Two Lands.

• Golden name

	bik nbw, qa Sw.tj	The Golden Falcon, high of plumes. The plumes refer to a plumed crown
	bik nbw, qa Sw.tj	The Golden Falcon, high of plumes. The plumes refer to a plumed crown
	bik nbw	The Golden Falcon.

• Prenomen

nb Hpt ra

Nebhepetre. Note the alternative writing, compared to the older examples of this name.

• Nomen

	mnTw-Htp	Mentuhotep
	mnTw-Htp	Mentuhotep

• King-lists

	nb Hpt ra	Nebhepetre.
	mnTw-Htpw	Mentuhotep

• Alternative names in modern-day literature

Montuhotep II, Mentouhotep II, Mentuhetep II, Mentouhetep II, Mentuhotep Nebhepetre, Montuhotep Nebhepetre, Mentouhotep Nebhepetre, Mentuhetep Nebhepetre, Mentouhetep Nebhepetre

- Objects and Documents -

• Funerary statue from Deir el-Bahari

This statue of Mentuhotep II, now one of the many exhibits at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, is one of the few known sculptures of the 11th Dynasty. It was made of sandstone and reaches to a height of 183 cm. It was discovered in a room underneath Mentuhotep's funerary temple at Deir el-Bahari.

It represents the king while seated upon his throne, wearing the Red Crown of Lower-Egypt. He is dressed in the close fitting white Heb-Sed dress. His black skin is a reference to the mortuary god Osiris, whose beard the king is wearing as well.

This and the fact that the statue was found underneath the king's mortuary temple, places it in a funerary context. The Heb-Sed dress was intended for the Heb-Sed festivals that the king hoped to enjoy after death, for he needed them to continue his life eternally.

• Another statue from Deir el-Bahari

• A relief from Deir el-Bahari

That Mentuhotep's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari must once have been richly and beautifully decorated, is shown by several fragments of reliefs. This relief, now on exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was once part of the southern wall of the temple's sanctuary. It shows the king, crowned with the White crown of Upper-Egypt and wearing the false beard showing his divinity.

It is 1,98 metres long and 0,38 metres high.

• Fragment from a relief from Deir el-Bahari

A fragment of a relief, also found at Deir el-Bahari, represents the king's head. The wig is carved with much attention for detail. The king also wears a diadem with the royal uraeus and a false beard.

Contrary to the statue discussed above, the king's skin colour is brown, the traditional colour used by Egyptian artists to represent Egyptian men.

The relief is carved in limestone. It measures 36 by 33 cm. and is now located in the Royal Scottish Museum of Edinburgh.

• A relief from Dendara

Mentuhotep II was also very active in Dendara, in the temple of the goddess Hathor. That Mentuhotep felt related to this goddess is not only shown by his building activity, but also by his titulary.

This limestone relief, now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, was found in a chapel dedicated to the cult of the king in Dendara. It shows the king seated on a throne inside a baldaquin, protected by the falcon-god Horus. In his right hand, he holds the flail, one of the royal insignia. His left hand is raised towards the offerings that are piled before him.

The figure of the king measures 0,95 metres.

• An offering relief from Tod

The building activity of Mentuhotep II is demonstrated, among others, by this limestone relief found in the temple of Montu at Tod. It measures 1.4 metres in height and is now located in the Egyptian museum of Cairo.

The relief represents the king, wearing the White crown of Upper Egypt, followed by the Lower-Egyptian goddess Neith, offering a triangular bread to the god Montu, his protector-god.

The accompanying text identifies the king, the goddess behind him and the god who receives the offering. In return the king is given "all life and authority, and all the foreign countries are placed underneath your sandals, so that you may