Can some one read over the beginning of my Thutmose Essay. I feel as if I am getting of the track a little and repeating my self. thanks
Assess The Statement that, “Thutmose 3rd was responsible for creating the Egyptian Empire”
Early New Kingdom Egypt, from Pharaoh Ahmose until the death of Thutmose IV, was an ear of ‘Warrior Pharaoh’ in which each subsequent king attempted the surpass the achievement of those before him. With this mindset, the early New Kingdom Pharaohs all aimed to extend the boarders of Egypt and widen the area over which the country held control. This aim of expending Egypt was a new addition to the duties of the Pharaoh, brought about of the control if the Lower Kingdom by the foreign Hyksos people from Syria- Palestine area during the Second Intermediate Period, directly before the New Kingdom. The New Kingdom Pharaohs believed that if Egypt held power over as much of the areas surrounding it as possible, then they would lessen the like hood that Egypt could ever be ruled by foreigners again. The empire that eventuated from his goal was at its greatest extent at the end of the reign of Thutmose III. It included not just Syria-Palestine in the north, but also Nubia, the land to the south of Egypt. Even through it cannot be denied that Thutmose III’s achievements were extensive, he cannot be attributed with being completely responsible for the creation of the Egyptian empire as he was aided by a number of factors. This includes the capture most of Nubia by other Pharaohs, the achievements of Thutmose I which acted as inspiration for Thutmose III, the work of pervious Pharaohs in Syria-Palestine, the development of the Egyptian army over time and the presence of an effective internal administration in Egypt.
Thutumose III spent many years of his reign abroad on campaigns, leaving an effective, efficient and stable administration, developed under the reigns of past Pharaohs, to run Egypt. Thutmoses III’s ability to leave his government for extended periods of time implies that, by the time of his sole reign, Egypt’s internal affairs showed no or very little like hood of civil uprising occurring. This stability is most likely a result of the consistent presence of a capable and well-organized administration, begun by King Ahmose. As the first Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty and the first to reign over a united Egypt after the expulsion of the Hyksos, Ahmose faced the task of establishing the core of Egypt, its internal administration. As a result of the disturbance caused by the Hyksos, Ahmose was forced to face two successive rebellions, (Breasted, J.H) from both of which he emerged victorious. Even though Ahmose and the Pharaohs following him are often placed in the category of ‘Warrior Pharaohs’ for their many military exploits, “ The kings were not preoccupied with campaigns and in fact devoted most of their reigns to internal affairs… apart from… the atypical Thutmose III” (Trigger, B.G). The government which controlled Egypt in Thutmose III’s absence was, especially at the incept of his sole reign, that of his step mother and predecessor, Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut had maintained a highly effective administration during her reign evidenced at least partially by the fact that she, as a woman, was able to rule as Pharaoh for approximately two decades without any major internal disruption or uprising recorded against this clearly unorthodox situation. This was the governmental system that Thutmose III relied upon to manage his country when he left to fight the battle of Meggido in only his first years of sole rule and for each of his sixteen other campaigns that followed. Even though the competent administrators appointed by Thutmose III contributed to the success of his government, a large factor was simply the existence of an efficient and capable administrative system, which had been securely established for approximately a century, from the time of Ahmose. Had this not been in place, Thutmose III may not have had the freedom to be outside of Egypt for such a comparatively large proportion of his reign contributing to the empire.
The beginning of the Eighteen Dynasty saw the beginning of a revolution in the administration of the Egyptian army. The expulsion of the Hyksos and the newly developed goal of expanding Egypt’s borders required a powerful army of motivated troops. Over time, the early New Kingdom Pharaohs realize that the most effective way to create a loyal and inspired army was to reward the soldiers. By the end of Thutmose III’s reign, the culmination of over a century of this revised attitude towards the army had created “The most efficient – and the most feared – fighting machine in the ancient world”(Tyldesley, J). Pharaohs Sequenenre Tao II, Kamose and his brother Ahmose all must have known that in order to succeed in their battle against the foreign Hyksos, their soldiers would need to be devoted to cause of freeing Egypt. It can be shown that Ahmose recognized that there was a need for a change in the management of soldiers “Ahmose’s officers and soldiers were rewarded with spoil and captives, who became personal slaves. This marked the creation of an influential military class”. Gardiner also holds the opinion that “There is evidence … that King Amosis treated all his soldiers with great liberality” (Gardiner, A). Reward to soldiers of gold, captured booty and land after a successful campaign became an accepted tradition of the management of members if the Egyptian army and encouraged allegiance. The early New Kingdom also sees the arrival “our army”, in a sense personalizes the military experience and almost promotes the occupation of soldiers from a mere vessel carrying out the Pharaoh’s commands to a man fighting to support his country and his lifestyle. Thutmose III carried on this tradition in order to keep his army motivated by having one of his units carry the names “braves of the king” and thus acknowledging to the soldiers that their achievements have been recognized and appreciated by the Pharaoh himself. Had early New Kingdom Pharaohs such as Ahmose not initiated these methods of generating higher moral, the loyalty and motivation of Thutmose III’s soldiers may not have been as high and hence his fighting power would not have been as great. This may have then resulted in an inability to recapture and consolidate the vast areas that become a part of the Egyptian empire.
Thutmose III’s expansion into Syria – Palestine area would not have been so extensive if the land of Nubia had not first been captured and consolidated by the Pharaohs before him. It has been theorized, “Successful expansion into the Levant depended upon there being no threat of a substantial distraction created by a rebellion in Kush”(Trigger, B.G). That is before Thutmose III could plan his attacks on Retenu, it was imperative that Nubia be securely under Egyptian control. This measure was to ensure that the maximum force of the military could be utilized in Syria – Palestine instead of having to remain in Egypt or Nubia to monitor the southern lands. It also allowed Thutmose III to devote a larger proportion of his sole reign purely to bringing Retenu under Egyptian control. There is evidence that, without fail, each of Thutmose III’s five immediate predecessors, from Ahmose to Hatshepsut, had all faced a Nubian rebellion at the inception of their reign. The periodic Egyptian victories over these uprisings would have cumulatively cemented the Egyptian control over the area over time. Thus, by the time Thutmose III enters his sole reign, little force is needed to ensure Nubia is well within Egypt’s power. Ahmose turned his attention to Nubia after his expulsion of the Hyksos. An inscription in the tomb of Ahmose, Son of Ebana, there are details how Ahmose “ascended the river Khenthennofer to destroy the Nubian bowerman; his majesty med a great slaughter among them” (Forbes, C, Garner, G). Ahmose, Son of Ebana, continued to serve under the King Ahmose’s successor Amenhotep I and recorded that “Djeserkare (Amenhotep I) … ascended the river to Cush … His majesty captured that Nubian bowman in the midst of his army”. A rock inscription on an island near Semneh, just above the Second Cataract, dated to the eighteen year of Amenhotep I’s reign, indicates that the Pharaoh’s Nubian campaign extended to this place (Breasted, J.H). Almost immediately proceeding Amenhotep I’s death, in the second year of the new Pharaoh, Thutmose I, and a yearlong campaign is fought against Nubia. This battle resulted in possible the strongest consolidation of Egyptian power over Nubia in the form of the official extension of the boarder to the Third Cataract of the Nile. This new frontier is marked near the island of Tombos with the Tombos stela which documents how Thutmose I, “hath overthrown the chief of the Nubians; the Negro is helpless, defenseless in his grasp” (Breasted, J.H). Thutmose Ii maintains the control his father established by dispatching “ a numerous army into Nubia … in order to overthrow all those who’s were rebellious against his majesty” (Forbes, C, Garner, G). During Hatshepsut’s first military campaigns, “he overthrew the Nubian bowmen, and … their chiefs were brought to him as living captives” (Reford, D.B). Following Hatshepsut’s disappearance from her Pharaonic role and the consequent ascension of Thutmose III to the position of sole ruler, Thutmose III carried out seventeen successful campaigns, yet there is the noticeable absence of a Nubian rebellion at the start of his sole reign. According to Breasted’s conspectus of Thutmose III’s campaigns, the Pharaoh’s expeditions into Nubia consisted simply of the enforcement of impost upon Wawat or Kush. It was this freedom from the burden of Nubian rebellions, which partially contributed, to Thutmose III’s ability to achieve so much in the northern lands. This favorable circumstance can be attributed to Thutmose III’s New Kingdom predecessors and thus Thutmose III cannot be considered solely responsible for the creation of the Egyptian empire.
Assess The Statement that, “Thutmose 3rd was responsible for creating the Egyptian Empire”
Early New Kingdom Egypt, from Pharaoh Ahmose until the death of Thutmose IV, was an ear of ‘Warrior Pharaoh’ in which each subsequent king attempted the surpass the achievement of those before him. With this mindset, the early New Kingdom Pharaohs all aimed to extend the boarders of Egypt and widen the area over which the country held control. This aim of expending Egypt was a new addition to the duties of the Pharaoh, brought about of the control if the Lower Kingdom by the foreign Hyksos people from Syria- Palestine area during the Second Intermediate Period, directly before the New Kingdom. The New Kingdom Pharaohs believed that if Egypt held power over as much of the areas surrounding it as possible, then they would lessen the like hood that Egypt could ever be ruled by foreigners again. The empire that eventuated from his goal was at its greatest extent at the end of the reign of Thutmose III. It included not just Syria-Palestine in the north, but also Nubia, the land to the south of Egypt. Even through it cannot be denied that Thutmose III’s achievements were extensive, he cannot be attributed with being completely responsible for the creation of the Egyptian empire as he was aided by a number of factors. This includes the capture most of Nubia by other Pharaohs, the achievements of Thutmose I which acted as inspiration for Thutmose III, the work of pervious Pharaohs in Syria-Palestine, the development of the Egyptian army over time and the presence of an effective internal administration in Egypt.
Thutumose III spent many years of his reign abroad on campaigns, leaving an effective, efficient and stable administration, developed under the reigns of past Pharaohs, to run Egypt. Thutmoses III’s ability to leave his government for extended periods of time implies that, by the time of his sole reign, Egypt’s internal affairs showed no or very little like hood of civil uprising occurring. This stability is most likely a result of the consistent presence of a capable and well-organized administration, begun by King Ahmose. As the first Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty and the first to reign over a united Egypt after the expulsion of the Hyksos, Ahmose faced the task of establishing the core of Egypt, its internal administration. As a result of the disturbance caused by the Hyksos, Ahmose was forced to face two successive rebellions, (Breasted, J.H) from both of which he emerged victorious. Even though Ahmose and the Pharaohs following him are often placed in the category of ‘Warrior Pharaohs’ for their many military exploits, “ The kings were not preoccupied with campaigns and in fact devoted most of their reigns to internal affairs… apart from… the atypical Thutmose III” (Trigger, B.G). The government which controlled Egypt in Thutmose III’s absence was, especially at the incept of his sole reign, that of his step mother and predecessor, Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut had maintained a highly effective administration during her reign evidenced at least partially by the fact that she, as a woman, was able to rule as Pharaoh for approximately two decades without any major internal disruption or uprising recorded against this clearly unorthodox situation. This was the governmental system that Thutmose III relied upon to manage his country when he left to fight the battle of Meggido in only his first years of sole rule and for each of his sixteen other campaigns that followed. Even though the competent administrators appointed by Thutmose III contributed to the success of his government, a large factor was simply the existence of an efficient and capable administrative system, which had been securely established for approximately a century, from the time of Ahmose. Had this not been in place, Thutmose III may not have had the freedom to be outside of Egypt for such a comparatively large proportion of his reign contributing to the empire.
The beginning of the Eighteen Dynasty saw the beginning of a revolution in the administration of the Egyptian army. The expulsion of the Hyksos and the newly developed goal of expanding Egypt’s borders required a powerful army of motivated troops. Over time, the early New Kingdom Pharaohs realize that the most effective way to create a loyal and inspired army was to reward the soldiers. By the end of Thutmose III’s reign, the culmination of over a century of this revised attitude towards the army had created “The most efficient – and the most feared – fighting machine in the ancient world”(Tyldesley, J). Pharaohs Sequenenre Tao II, Kamose and his brother Ahmose all must have known that in order to succeed in their battle against the foreign Hyksos, their soldiers would need to be devoted to cause of freeing Egypt. It can be shown that Ahmose recognized that there was a need for a change in the management of soldiers “Ahmose’s officers and soldiers were rewarded with spoil and captives, who became personal slaves. This marked the creation of an influential military class”. Gardiner also holds the opinion that “There is evidence … that King Amosis treated all his soldiers with great liberality” (Gardiner, A). Reward to soldiers of gold, captured booty and land after a successful campaign became an accepted tradition of the management of members if the Egyptian army and encouraged allegiance. The early New Kingdom also sees the arrival “our army”, in a sense personalizes the military experience and almost promotes the occupation of soldiers from a mere vessel carrying out the Pharaoh’s commands to a man fighting to support his country and his lifestyle. Thutmose III carried on this tradition in order to keep his army motivated by having one of his units carry the names “braves of the king” and thus acknowledging to the soldiers that their achievements have been recognized and appreciated by the Pharaoh himself. Had early New Kingdom Pharaohs such as Ahmose not initiated these methods of generating higher moral, the loyalty and motivation of Thutmose III’s soldiers may not have been as high and hence his fighting power would not have been as great. This may have then resulted in an inability to recapture and consolidate the vast areas that become a part of the Egyptian empire.
Thutmose III’s expansion into Syria – Palestine area would not have been so extensive if the land of Nubia had not first been captured and consolidated by the Pharaohs before him. It has been theorized, “Successful expansion into the Levant depended upon there being no threat of a substantial distraction created by a rebellion in Kush”(Trigger, B.G). That is before Thutmose III could plan his attacks on Retenu, it was imperative that Nubia be securely under Egyptian control. This measure was to ensure that the maximum force of the military could be utilized in Syria – Palestine instead of having to remain in Egypt or Nubia to monitor the southern lands. It also allowed Thutmose III to devote a larger proportion of his sole reign purely to bringing Retenu under Egyptian control. There is evidence that, without fail, each of Thutmose III’s five immediate predecessors, from Ahmose to Hatshepsut, had all faced a Nubian rebellion at the inception of their reign. The periodic Egyptian victories over these uprisings would have cumulatively cemented the Egyptian control over the area over time. Thus, by the time Thutmose III enters his sole reign, little force is needed to ensure Nubia is well within Egypt’s power. Ahmose turned his attention to Nubia after his expulsion of the Hyksos. An inscription in the tomb of Ahmose, Son of Ebana, there are details how Ahmose “ascended the river Khenthennofer to destroy the Nubian bowerman; his majesty med a great slaughter among them” (Forbes, C, Garner, G). Ahmose, Son of Ebana, continued to serve under the King Ahmose’s successor Amenhotep I and recorded that “Djeserkare (Amenhotep I) … ascended the river to Cush … His majesty captured that Nubian bowman in the midst of his army”. A rock inscription on an island near Semneh, just above the Second Cataract, dated to the eighteen year of Amenhotep I’s reign, indicates that the Pharaoh’s Nubian campaign extended to this place (Breasted, J.H). Almost immediately proceeding Amenhotep I’s death, in the second year of the new Pharaoh, Thutmose I, and a yearlong campaign is fought against Nubia. This battle resulted in possible the strongest consolidation of Egyptian power over Nubia in the form of the official extension of the boarder to the Third Cataract of the Nile. This new frontier is marked near the island of Tombos with the Tombos stela which documents how Thutmose I, “hath overthrown the chief of the Nubians; the Negro is helpless, defenseless in his grasp” (Breasted, J.H). Thutmose Ii maintains the control his father established by dispatching “ a numerous army into Nubia … in order to overthrow all those who’s were rebellious against his majesty” (Forbes, C, Garner, G). During Hatshepsut’s first military campaigns, “he overthrew the Nubian bowmen, and … their chiefs were brought to him as living captives” (Reford, D.B). Following Hatshepsut’s disappearance from her Pharaonic role and the consequent ascension of Thutmose III to the position of sole ruler, Thutmose III carried out seventeen successful campaigns, yet there is the noticeable absence of a Nubian rebellion at the start of his sole reign. According to Breasted’s conspectus of Thutmose III’s campaigns, the Pharaoh’s expeditions into Nubia consisted simply of the enforcement of impost upon Wawat or Kush. It was this freedom from the burden of Nubian rebellions, which partially contributed, to Thutmose III’s ability to achieve so much in the northern lands. This favorable circumstance can be attributed to Thutmose III’s New Kingdom predecessors and thus Thutmose III cannot be considered solely responsible for the creation of the Egyptian empire.
