Amenemhat III

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Amenemhat III (ca. 1860 BC-1814 BC) was a pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from 1860 BC to 1814 BC, and is regarded as the greatest monarch of the Middle Kingdom. He may have had a long co-regency (of 20 years) with his father, Sesostris III.

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He built a first pyramid at Dahshur (the so-called "Black Pyramid") but there were building problems and this was abandoned. Around Year 15 of his reign the king decided to build a new pyramid at Hawara. The pyramid at Dahshur was used as burial ground for several royal women.

His mortuary temple at Hawara (near the Fayum), is accompanied by a pyramid and was known to Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus as the "Labyrinth." Strabo praised it as a wonder of the world. The king's pyramid at Hawara contained some of the most complex security features of any found in Egypt and is perhaps the only one to come close to the sort of tricks Hollywood associates with such structures. Nevertheless, the king's burial was robbed in antiquity. His daughter, Neferu-Ptah, was buried in a separate pyramid (discovered in 1956) 2km southwest of the king's.

The Rhind Papyrus is thought to have been originally composed during Amenemhat's time. He enjoyed a reign of between 45 to 47 full Years although his Highest known Date is a papyrus from Regnal Year 46, I Akhet 22 of his rule. He later instituted a coregency with his successor Amenemhet IV based upon a now damaged rock inscription at Konosso in Nubia which equates Year 1 of Amenemhet IV to either Year 46, 47 or 48 of his reign. His daughter Sobekneferu later succeeded Amenemhat IV, as the last ruler of the 12th Dynasty. Amenemhat III's throne name, Nimaatre, means "Belonging to the Justice of Re."

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