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21st Dynasty
The 21st Dynasty relates to the period of 1069-945 BCE. During that period the divided nation had seven rulers and the era is a part of what we refer to as the "Third Intermediate Period". Officially the country was ruled from the Southern parts of Egypt in Tanis, but in reality the country was fragmented into 3 main parts: The Northern parts of the country were under control of the kings, while the other parts were controlled by the High Priest of Amon Ra. This powerful priest commanded the country's armies throughout the land.
The borders separating the parts of Egypt are believed to have been at Teudjoi, which was located near the southern part of the Fayoum oasis.
The country's breakup happened before the start of the 21st dynasty and came from a period of several civil wars during the period when Ramses II was ruler of the country. The conflicts between Ramses II and the High Priest of Amon Ra caused the country to be divided into parts.
Thebes derived its power from Herihor, the chief general, while the High Priest of Amun Piankh, who is believed to be the son in law of Herihor, founded a military dynasty. In time this dynasty would be taken over by a family that originated from Libya and would in turn usher in the 22nd dynasty and Egypt would fall under Libyan rule.
During the 21st dynasty, the Kings and High priests of Tanis and Thebes maintained good relations, providing stability throughout the country. Documentation from that era in fact shows close blood relations between the rulers in Thebes and Tanis, which often were related.
This fact is also shown by the fact that in the year 959, Psusennes II, who was a High Priest in Thebes, was made king in Tanis. Psusennes II is considered to be the last king of the 21st dynasty. The start of the 22nd dynasty however, was quite uneventful as his successor Osorkon I was his son.
While it seems that throughout the 21st dynasty, a Libyan presence was already established in all parts of Egypt, with the dawn of the 22nd dynasty they rose up into the open and ruled the country.
During the 21st dynasty, the country in general can be classified as a theocracy, where the deity Amon held the power. Large temples were created to Amon and other gods of importance during that period.
The 21st dynasty also appears to be an era of decline and decay, where items from fresh graves were used again, which could be considered to be a sign of poverty or social decline.
There are more facts pointing towards the decline of the country in many fields. For example, Tanis was mostly built with materials that were obtained elsewhere, which is also a sign of a weakening economy.
Perhaps the most compelling evidence for this statement comes from Egypt's foreign policies at the time, where they kept good relationships with the rising Israelis, ruled by King Solomon. During that era, Egypt applied diplomacy in order to maintain healthy relations by marrying off Egyptian royalty, with territory as the price for the marriage, which is the ultimate sign of Egyptian weakness.
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