New Kingdom of Egypt

New Kingdom of Egypt
c. 1550-1544 BC–c. 1069 BC
Egyptian territory under the New Kingdom, c. 15th century BC
Capital	Thebes c. 1550–1352 BC Dynasty XVII and Dynasty XVIII (until Akhenaten) Amarna c. 1352–1336 BC Akhenaten of Dynasty XVIII Thebes c. 1336–1279 BC Dynasty XVIII and Dynasty XIX (until Ramesses II) Pi-Ramesses c. 1279–1213 BC Ramesses II of Dynasty XIX Memphis c. 1213–1069 BC Dynasty XIX (from Merneptah) and Dynasty XX
Common languages	Egyptian, Nubian, Canaanite, Amorite
Religion	Egyptian religion Atenism (during the Amarna Period)
Government	Divine absolute monarchy
Pharaoh
• c. 1550 – 1525 BC	Ahmose I (first)
• c. 1107 – 1077 BC	Ramesses XI (last)
History
• Rise	c. 1550-1544 BC
• Downfall	c. 1069 BC
Population
• c. 13th century BCE	3[1] to 5[2] million
Preceded by Succeeded by Second Intermediate Period of Egypt Third Intermediate Period of Egypt

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History of Egypt
Prehistoric Egypt Predynastic Period 6000–3000 BC
Ancient Egypt Early Dynastic Period 3150–2686 BC Old Kingdom 2686–2181 BC 1st Intermediate Period 2181–2055 BC Middle Kingdom 2055–1650 BC 2nd Intermediate Period 1650–1550 BC New Kingdom 1550–1069 BC 3rd Intermediate Period 1069–664 BC Late Period 664–332 BC
Greco-Roman Egypt Argead dynasty 332–310 BC Ptolemaic dynasties 310–30 BC Roman and Byzantine Egypt 30 BC–641 AD Sasanian Egypt 619–629
Medieval Egypt Rashidun caliphate 641–661 Umayyad caliphate 661–750 Abbasid dynasty 750–935 Tulunid dynasty 868–905 Ikhshidid dynasty 935–969 Fatimid dynasty 969–1171 Ayyubid dynasty 1171–1250 Mamluk dynasty 1250–1517
Early modern Egypt Ottoman Egypt 1517–1867 French occupation 1798–1801 Muhammad Ali dynasty 1805–1953 Khedivate of Egypt 1867–1914
Late Modern Egypt British occupation 1882–1922 Sultanate of Egypt 1914–1922 Kingdom of Egypt 1922–1953 Republic 1953–present
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The New Kingdom, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire, was the ancient Egyptian nation between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC. This period of ancient Egyptian history covers the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties. Through radiocarbon dating, the establishment of the New Kingdom has been placed between 1570 BC and 1544 BC.^[3] The New Kingdom followed the Second Intermediate Period and was succeeded by the Third Intermediate Period. It was the most prosperous time for the Egyptian people and marked the peak of Egypt's power.^[4]

In 1845, the concept of a "New Kingdom" as one of three "golden ages" was coined by German scholar Baron von Bunsen; the original definition would evolve significantly throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.^[5] The later part of this period, under the Nineteenth Dynasty (1295–1189 BC) and the Twentieth Dynasty (1189–1069 BC), is also known as the Ramesside period. It is named after the eleven pharaohs who took the name Ramesses, after Ramesses I, the founder of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and his grandson Ramesses II, its longest-reigning monarch.^[4]

Possibly as a result of the foreign rule of the Hyksos during the Second Intermediate Period, the New Kingdom saw a historic expansion into the Levant, thus marking Egypt's greatest territorial extent. Similarly, in response to attacks by the Kushites, who led raids into Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period,^[6][7] the rulers of the New Kingdom felt compelled to expand far into Nubia and to hold wider territories in the Near East, particularly on the Levantine frontier.