Shepseskare

Shepseskare
Sisires
Drawing by the Egyptologist Georges Émile Jules Daressy of a bronze cylinder seal of Shepseskare bearing his Horus name "Sekhemkhaw".[1]
Pharaoh
Reign	Duration uncertain: likely for less than a year[2][3][4][5] or seven years[6][7][8][9] in the mid 25th century BC.[a]
Predecessor	uncertain, Neferefre (most likely) or Neferirkare Kakai
Successor	uncertain, Nyuserre Ini (most likely) or Neferefre
Royal titulary Horus name Sekhemkhaw Sḫm-ḫˁ.w He whose apparitions are powerful Turin canon: Niswt Shepseskare Maat Kheru Niswt Špss-k3-Rˁ M3ˁ-ḫrw King Shepseskare the justified Prenomen  (Praenomen) Shepseskare Špss-k3-Rˁ The Ka of Ra is noble Nomen Netjeruser Nṯr-wsr He whose strength is divine
Father	highly uncertain and conjectural: Sahure, Neferirkare Kakai or Neferefre
Mother	uncertain, possibly Meretnebty
Monuments	Unfinished trench in North Abusir representing the earliest stages of a pyramid.
Dynasty	Fifth Dynasty

Shepseskare or Shepseskara (Egyptian for "Noble is the Soul of Ra")^[15] was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the fourth or fifth ruler of the Fifth Dynasty (2494–2345 BC) during the Old Kingdom period. Shepseskare lived in the mid-25th century BC and was probably the owner of an unfinished pyramid in Abusir, which was abandoned after a few weeks of work in the earliest stages of its construction.^[16]

Following historical sources, Shepseskare was traditionally believed to have reigned for seven years, succeeding Neferirkare Kakai and preceding Neferefre on the throne,^[17][18] making him the fourth ruler of the dynasty. He is the most obscure ruler of this dynasty and the Egyptologist Miroslav Verner has strongly argued that Shepseskare's reign lasted only a few months at the most, after that of Neferefre. This conclusion is based upon the state and location of Shepseskare's unfinished pyramid in Abusir as well as the very small number of artefacts attributable to this king. Verner's arguments have now convinced several Egyptologists such as Darrell Baker and Erik Hornung.

Shepseskare's relations to his predecessor and successor are not known for certain. Verner has proposed that he was a son of Sahure and a brother to Neferirkare Kakai, who briefly seized the throne following the premature death of his predecessor and probable nephew, Neferefre. Shepseskare may himself have died unexpectedly or he may have lost the throne to another of his nephews, the future pharaoh Nyuserre Ini. The possibility that Shepseskare was a short-lived usurper from outside the royal family cannot be totally excluded.

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