African Kingdoms

Nubia
2500 BC - c.AD 350

The first developed societies appeared in Nubia before the time of the First Dynasty in Egypt (3100-2890 BC). In around 2500 BC, Egyptians began moving south, and it is from them that most of our knowledge of Kush originates. This expansion was halted by the fall of the Middle Kingdom in Egypt. By circa 1500 BC Egyptian expansion had resumed, but this time it encountered organised resistance (either from multiple city states or a single unified empire, it is unclear which). The Egyptians defeated this and made the region a colony.

1475 BC

The Egyptians found the city of Napata as they re-take control of the gold trade following the resurgence of the New Kingdom. A viceroy governs the district on behalf of the pharaoh.

1075 BC

Egypt becomes divided at the start of the Third Intermediate Period (1075-664 BC). The Nubians take the opportunity to regain autonomy under their Egyptianised local ruling families and viceroy, and by 785 BC Alara unites the region and founds a new kingdom, Kush, centered on Napata.

Kingdom of Kush (Nepata / MeroË)
785 BC - c.AD 350

The Nubian city of Napata was situated on the west bank of the Nile, about 400km north of Khartoum (the modern capital of Sudan). It was built by the Egyptians in around 1450 BC. Since the early dynastic period the Egyptians had been interested in Nubia and its rich gold reserves, and they soon controlled trade there. As a result of this contact, Nubia became very heavily influenced by Egyptian culture. The area achieved independence during the breakdown of power in Egypt's Third Intermediate Period.

c.795 - 760 BC

Alara

Kingdom's founder.

c.760 - 747 BC

Kashta

Attacked Upper Egypt.

747 - 721 BC

Piye / Piankhi

Son. Founder 25th Dynasty of Egypt. Pharaoh 732-721 BC.

721 - 707 BC

Shabaka

Brother. Pharaoh 721-707 BC.

707 - 690 BC

Shebitku

Son of Piye. Pharaoh 707-690 BC.

690 - 664 BC

Taharqa

Younger brother. Pharaoh 690-664 BC.

677 BC

Esarhaddon, the Assyrian king and Egypt's enemy, leads several campaigns against Taharqa.

673 - 670 BC

Assyria invades Egypt and conquers Lower Egypt. Upper Egypt's kingdoms are allowed to remain, as the Assyrians hope to use them as allies against the Ethiopians.

664 - 653 BC

Tantamani

Son of Shabaka. Pharaoh (in name only) 664-656 BC.

653 BC

The Nubians revolt against the Assyrians but are overpowered, and Tantamani and other leaders are deported to Ninevah. Once the Assyrians appoint Necho as the first pharaoh of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty and leave Egypt, Tantamani marches down the Nile from Nubia and reoccupies all of Egypt including Memphis. Necho is killed in Tantamani's campaign but Assyrian reinforcement of Necho's successor forces Tantamani to give up on Egypt and return to Napata.

653 - 643 BC

Atlanersa

643 - 623 BC

Senkamanisken

620 - 593 BC

Anlamani

Great-grandson of Taharqa?

593 - 568 BC

Aspelta

Brother.

591 - 590 BC

Following a powerful Persian Empire & Egyptian raid which seriously affects Napata the capital is moved further south to Meroë. The Island of Meroë, the peninsula formed by the Nile and the Atbara courses, is an area rich in iron, which quickly becomes an essential source of wealth. It seems that the raid was due to Aspelta's own plans for a reinvasion of Egypt.

From this point the list is incomplete, with dates being rough estimates. These are based on estimates made by Fritz Hintze, based on the average length of reigns, shortened or lengthened based on the size and splendour of the monarch's tomb, the assumption being that monarchs who reigned longer had more time and resources to build their burial sites. An added complication is that in recent years there have been disputes on which monarch belongs to which tomb.

568 - 555 BC

Amtalqa

555 - 542 BC

Malenaqen

542 - 538 BC

Analmaye

538 - 519 BC

Amaninatakilebte

519 - 510 BC

Karkamani

510 - 487 BC

Amaniastabarqa

487 - 469 BC

Siaspiqa

468 - 463 BC

Nasakhma

463 - 435 BC

Malewiebamani

435 - 431 BC

Talakhamani

431 - 405 BC

Amanineteyerike

405 - 404 BC

Baskakeren

404 - 369 BC

Harsiotef

369 - 350 BC

Unknown king.

350 - 335 BC

Akhraten

350 - 335 BC

Candace of Meroe

Queen. Unknown apart from her name.

335 - 310/05 BC

Nastasen

310/05 - 279 BC

Aktisanes

310/05 - 279 BC

Alakhebasken

Queen.

c.300 BC

Anti-Egyptian feeling incites the people of Kush to make their culture distinct from that of the Egyptians. The capital is suffering politically and economically. Napata had lost its economic influence since Egypt had lost its autonomy, and the Napatan Region itself has been desiccating for some time, leading to less cattle and agriculture. Napata is finally abandoned in favour of Meroë.

270 - 260 BC

Arrakkamani / Ergamenês

First ruler to be buried at Meroë.

260 - 250 BC

Amanislo

250 - 235 BC

Aman-tekha

235 - 218 BC

Arnekhamani

218 - 200 BC

Arqamani

200 - 190 BC

Tabriqo (Adikhalmani?)

190 - 185 BC

Unknown king.

185 - 170s BC

Unknown king.

177 - 155 BC

Kandake Shanakdakhete

150s - 130 BC

Unknown king.

130 - 110 BC

Naqyrinsan

110 - 90 BC

Tanyidamani

90 - 50 BC

Unknown king.

90 - 50 BC

Unknown queen.

50s BC

Nawidemak

50 - 40 BC

Kandake Amanikhabale

40 - 10 BC

Teriteqas

At Meroë.

40 - 10 BC

Kandake Amanirenas

At Napata.

23 BC

The Roman governor of Egypt, Petronius, invades Nubia in response to a Nubian attack on southern Egypt, pillaging the north of the region and sacking Napata in 22 BC before returning north.

10 BC - AD 1

Kandake Amanishakheto

AD1 - 12

Kandake Amanitore

12 - 20

Natakamani

Kush continues for several centuries but little information exists on it. While earlier Kush had used Egyptian hieroglyphics, Meroë had developed a new script and began to write in the Meroitic language, which has yet to be fully deciphered. The state seems to have prospered, trading with its neighbours and continuing to build monuments and tombs.

Arikhankharer

Arikakahtani

c.20 - 30

Shorkaror

c.30 - 40

Pisakar

c.40 - 50

Amanitaraqide

c.50 - 62

Amanitenmemide

62 - 85

Kandake Amanikhatashan

c.85 - 90

Teritnide

c.90 - 114

Teqerideamani I

114 - 134

Tamelerdeamani

134 - 140

Adeqetali

c.140 - 155

Takideamani

c.155 - 170

Tarekeniwal

c.170 - 175

Amanikhalika

c.175 - 190

Aritenyesbokhe

c.190 - 200

Amanikhareqerem

c.200 - 215

Teritedakhatey

c.200 - 350

The kingdom goes into decline.

215 - 225

Aryesbokhe

225 - 246

Unknown king.

246

Unknown king.

246 - 266?

Teqerideamani II

266 - 283

Kandake Maleqorobar

283 - 306

Yesbokheamani

306 - 314

Kandake Lahideamani

314 - 329

King Maleqorobar

329 - 340

Akedaketival

340 - 355

Unknown king.

350

The traditional theory is that the kingdom is destroyed during an invasion by Ezana of the Ethiopian kingdom of Axum. However, the Ethiopian account seems to describe the quelling of a rebellion in lands they already control. It also refers only to the Nuba, and makes no mention of the rulers of Meroë. However, no details of rulers are known after this date, making their survival unlikely.

350 - 543

The 200 years from the fall of Kush to the middle of the sixth century is an unknown age in the Sudan. Nubia is inhabited by a people called the Nobatae by the ancient geographers (and the X-Group by modern archaeologists, who are still at a loss to explain their origins). The Nobatae are clearly the heirs of Kush, as their whole cultural life is dominated by Meroitic crafts and customs, and occasionally they even feel themselves sufficiently strong, in alliance with the nomadic Blemmyes (the Beja of the eastern Sudan), to attack the Romans in Upper Egypt. When this happens, the Romans retaliate, defeating the Nobatae and Blemmyes and driving them into obscurity once again.

When the Sudan is once more brought into the orbit of the Mediterranean world by the arrival of Christian missionaries in the sixth century, the middle course of the Nile is divided into three kingdoms: Nobatia, with its capital at Pachoras (modern Faras); Maqurrah, with its capital at Dunqulah (Old Dongola); and the kingdom of 'Alwah in the south, with its capital at Subah (Soba) near what is now Khartoum.