Merneferre Ay

Merneferre Ay
Aya, Eje, Aye, Iy, Mernoferre, Ay I
An inscribed section of the pyramidion of king Merneferre Ay's tomb.
Pharaoh
Reign	23 years, 8 months and 18 days, 1701–1677 BC,[1] 1695–1685 BC,[2] 1684–1661 BC[3]
Predecessor	Wahibre Ibiau
Successor	Merhotepre Ini
Royal titulary Prenomen  (Praenomen) Merneferre mr-nfr-Rˁ He who loves the perfection of Ra Nomen Ay Iii Turin King List: Merneferre mr-nfr-Rˁ
Consort	Ineni?
Dynasty	13th Dynasty

Merneferre Ay (also spelled Aya or Eje, sometimes known as Ay I) was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the mid 13th Dynasty. The longest reigning pharaoh of the 13th Dynasty, he ruled a likely fragmented Egypt for over 23 years in the early to mid 17th century BC. A pyramidion bearing his name shows that he possibly completed a pyramid, probably located in the necropolis of Memphis.

Merneferre Ay is the last pharaoh of the 13th Dynasty to be attested outside Upper Egypt. In spite of his long reign, the number of artefacts attributable to him is comparatively small. This may point to problems in Egypt at the time and indeed, by the end of his reign, "the administration [of the Egyptian state] seems to have completely collapsed".^[1][3] It is possible that the capital of Egypt since the early Middle Kingdom, Itjtawy was abandoned during or shortly after Ay's reign. For this reason, some scholars consider Merneferre Ay to be the last pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt.