Merenre Nemtyemsaf I

Merenre Nemtyemsaf I
Mernere Ra-mer-en Antyemsaf Mentusuphis Μεθουσοῦφις
A small box of hippopotamus ivory inscribed with the royal titulary of Merenre Nemtyemsaf, Musée du Louvre[note 1]
Pharaoh
Reign	6–7 or 9–11 years in the early 23rd century BC.[note 2]
Coregency	uncertain, possibly with his father Pepi I, less likely with his successor Pepi II
Predecessor	Pepi I Meryre
Successor	Pepi II Neferkare
Royal titulary Horus name Ankh Khau ˁnḫ-ḫȝw Horus, whose appearances are (very much) alive[3] Nebty name Ankh Khau Nebty ˁnḫ-ḫȝw nbty (The one for whom) the appearances of the two ladies are alive[3] Golden Horus Bikwi Nebu bikwy nbw The golden double falcon[3] Prenomen  (Praenomen) Nemty em za ef nmty m zȝ.f (The god) Nemty is his protection[3] Nemty is his protection[4] Nomen Merenre mr.n rˁ The one whom Re has loved[3]
Consort	Ankhesenpepi II (aunt and stepmother)
Children	Ankhesenpepi III ♀ Iput II♀ Uncertain: Pepi II Neferkare ♂
Father	Pepi I Meryre
Mother	Ankhesenpepi I
Burial	Pyramid of Merenre in Saqqara
Monuments	Pyramid complex Khanefermerenre Possibly a Ka-chapel in Abydos Renewal of a granite shrine in the temple of Satet on Elephantine island Canal dug near the First Cataract
Dynasty	Sixth Dynasty

Merenre Nemtyemsaf (meaning "Beloved of Ra, Nemty is his protection") was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, fourth king of the Sixth Dynasty. He ruled Egypt for six to 11 years in the early 23rd century BC, toward the end of the Old Kingdom period. He was the son of his predecessor Pepi I Meryre and queen Ankhesenpepi I and was in turn succeeded by Pepi II Neferkare who might have been his son or less probably his brother. Pepi I may have shared power with Merenre in a co-regency at the very end of the former's reign.

Merenre's rule saw profound changes in the administration of the southern provinces of Egypt, with a marked increase in the number of provincial administrators and a concurrent steep decline in the size of the central administration in the capital Memphis. As a consequence the provincial nobility became responsible for tax collection and resource management, gaining in political independence and economic power. This led to the first provincial burials for the highest officials including viziers, governors of Upper Egypt and nomarchs. Several trading and quarrying expeditions took place under Merenre, in particular to Nubia where caravans numbering hundreds of donkeys were sent to fetch incense, ebony, animal skins, ivory and exotic animals. Such was the interest in the region that Merenre had a canal dug to facilitate the navigation of the first cataract into Nubia. Trade with the Levantine coast for lapis lazuli, silver, bitumen, and tin took place while quarrying for granite, travertine and alabaster took place in the south and in the Eastern Desert.

A pyramid complex was built for Merenre in Saqqara, known as Khanefermerenre by the Ancient Egyptians meaning "The appearance of the perfection of Merenre" and likely completed prior to the king's death. The subterranean chambers were inscribed with the Pyramid Texts. In the burial chamber, the black basalt sarcophagus of the king still held a mummy when it was entered in the 19th century. The identification of the mummy as Merenre's is still uncertain. Following his death, Merenre was the object of a funerary cult until at least the end of the Old Kingdom. During the New Kingdom period, he was in a selection of past kings to be honoured.

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