View source for Necho I

{{Short description|Ancient Egyptian ruler of the city of Sais, father of Psammetich I}}
{{Infobox pharaoh
|Name=Necho I 
|Image= Necho I Horus.png
|Caption= Horus statuette bearing the cartouches of Necho I. London, [[Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology|Petrie Museum]].<ref name=Petrie>{{cite web|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt//chronology/nekaui.html|title=Nekau I|website=Digital Egypt for Universities|publisher=University College London|access-date=8 July 2018}}</ref>
|NomenHiero=<hiero>n:kA-w</hiero>
|Nomen=''Nekau''<ref name=Petrie/><br>''N-kꜣ-w'' (𓈖𓂓𓅱)<ref name=jvb>{{harvp|von Beckerath|1999|pp=212–213}}.</ref>
|PrenomenHiero=<hiero>ra:mn-xpr</hiero>
|Prenomen=''Menkheperre''<br>''Mn-ḫpr-Rˁ''<ref name=jvb/><br>''Enduring is the apparition of [[Ra]]''
|Reign=672–{{BCE|664}}
|Died={{BCE|664}}
|Predecessor=[[Nekauba]] or [[Tefnakht II]]<ref name=RyholtJea/>
|Successor=[[Psamtik I]] 
|Dynasty=[[Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt|26th Dynasty]]
|Father=[[Tefnakht II]]<ref name=RyholtGot/>
|Spouse= Istemabet<ref name=Settipani/>
|Children=Psamtik I, possibly Ta-khered-en-ta-ihet-[weret] and Meresamun
}}
Menkheperre '''Necho I''' ([[Egyptian language|Egyptian]]: '''Nekau''',<ref name=Petrie/> [[Ancient Greek|Greek]]: '''Νεχώς Α'''' or '''Νεχώ Α'''', [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]]: '''Nikuu'''<ref name=oxf>{{harvp|Lloyd|2001|pp=504–505}}.</ref> or '''Nikû'''<ref name=Ryholt2004>{{harvp|Ryholt|2004|p=486}}.</ref>) (? – {{BCE|664}} near [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]]) was a ruler of the [[ancient Egypt]]ian city of [[Sais, Egypt|Sais]]. He was the first securely attested local Saite king of the [[Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt|26th Dynasty of Egypt]] who reigned for 8 years (672–{{BCE|664}}) according to [[Manetho]]'s ''[[Aegyptiaca]]''. Egypt was reunified by his son [[Psamtik I]].

==Biography==
In {{BCE|672}} Necho became ruler of Sais, assuming the [[Ancient Egyptian royal titulary|pharaonic titulary]], and a year later the [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyrians]] led by [[Esarhaddon]] invaded Egypt. Necho became one of Esarhaddon's vassals, and the latter confirmed Necho's office and his possessions, as well as giving him new territories, possibly including the city of [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]].<ref name=TIP117>{{harvp|Kitchen|1996|loc=§&nbsp;117}}.</ref>

In {{BCE|669}}, King [[Taharqa]] of the [[Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt|25th Dynasty]] was advancing from the south toward the [[Nile Delta]] principalities which were formally under Assyrian control; Esarhaddon prepared himself to return to Egypt to repel the invader, but died suddenly. Esarhaddon's death led to a political crisis in the [[Neo-Assyrian Empire]] but at the end his son [[Ashurbanipal]] managed to become the new undisputed monarch. The [[counter-offensive]] planned by his father took place in 667–{{BCE|666}}.<ref>{{harvp|Kitchen|1996|loc=§&nbsp;353}}.</ref><ref>{{harvp|Picchi|1997|p=49}}.</ref>

Taharqa was defeated and driven back to [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]], but Ashurbanipal found that the fleeing king and some of the rulers of [[Lower Egypt]] – named ''Pekrur'' of ''Pishaptu'' ([[Per-Sopdu]]), ''[[Šarru-lu-dari|Sharruludari]]'' of ''Ṣinu'' (maybe [[Pelusium]]) and ''Nikuu'' (Necho I) – were plotting against him. The Assyrian king captured the conspirators, killed part of the population of the cities they governed, and deported the prisoners to [[Nineveh]].<ref>{{harvp|Picchi|1997|pp=48–52}}.</ref>

Unexpectedly, Necho was pardoned by the Assyrian king, and was reinstated at Sais with his previous possessions as well as many new territories as a gift, while his son Psamtik (called ''Nabusezibanni'' in Akkadian) was made mayor of [[Athribis]].<ref name=Picchi52>{{harvp|Picchi|1997|p=52}}.</ref><ref name=oxf/> It has been suggested that with his magnanimity Ashurbanipal hoped to rely on the loyalty of an Egyptian ally in the event of another offensive led by the 25th Dynasty pharaohs, and perhaps to inspire and strengthen a rivalry between the two families (i.e., [[Kingdom of Kush|Kushites]] and Saites) because of shared interests.<ref name=Picchi52/> According to historical records, Necho I was slain in {{BCE|664}} near Memphis while defending his realms from a new Kushite offensive led by Taharqa's successor [[Tantamani]]<ref name=Picchi52/><ref name=oxf/><ref>{{harvp|Kitchen|1996|loc=§§&nbsp;117, 354}}.</ref> while Psamtik fled to Nineveh under Ashurbanipal's aegis. This Nubian invasion into the Egyptian Delta was subsequently (664–{{BCE|663}}) repelled by the Assyrians who proceeded to advance south into [[Upper Egypt]] and performed the infamous [[sack of Thebes]].<ref>{{harvp|Kitchen|1996|loc=§&nbsp;354}}.</ref>

With the Nile Delta secured once again, Psamtik I was appointed with his dead father's offices and territories. Later, he ultimately was successful in reuniting Egypt under his sole control.<ref>{{harvp|Spalinger|2001|p=74}}.</ref>

===Family===
{{see also|Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt family tree}}
Danish [[Egyptologist]] [[Kim Ryholt]] made claims regarding Necho I: studying a papyrus from [[Tebtunis]], he stated that Necho I was the son of a king named Tefnakht, presumably [[Tefnakht II]].<ref name=RyholtGot>{{harvp|Ryholt|2011b|pp=123–127}}.</ref> Ryholt also put in discussion the existence of [[Nekauba]] who was the purported predecessor of Necho I and possibly his brother; Ryholt suggested that the few, dubious documents regarding Nekauba should be attributed to the later [[Necho II]] instead, and that Necho I was the direct successor of Tefnakht II.<ref name=RyholtJea>{{harvp|Ryholt|2011a}}.</ref>

French historian [[Christian Settipani]] believes that Necho married Istemabet, and they were the parents of Psamtik I.<ref name=Settipani>{{harvp|Settipani|1991|pp=153, 160, 161–162}}.</ref>

According to British Egyptologist [[Kenneth Kitchen]], it is possible that princess Ta-khered-en-ta-ihet-[weret] was Necho's daughter, given in a [[Marriage of state|politically arranged marriage]] to the local ruler of [[Heracleopolis Magna|Herakleopolis]], Pediese.<ref>{{harvp|Kitchen|1996|loc=§§&nbsp;201, 363}}.</ref>

A now-lost limestone lintel from [[Luxor]] depicted a chantress of [[Amun]] named Meresamun along with a Saite form of [[Osiris]] and the [[Divine Adoratrice of Amun]] [[Shepenupet II]]; Meresamun is called "royal daughter of the lord of the Two lands, Nec[...]", the latter name written within a royal [[cartouche]]. It appears likely that Meresamun's royal father was no other than Necho I who sent his daughter to the [[Precinct of Amun-Re]] in [[Karnak]], thus marking the beginning of the Saite influence in the city of Thebes.<ref name=CP>{{harvp|Coulon|Payraudeau|2015|pp=21–31}}.</ref>

==Attestations==
[[File:Necho-KnellingStatue BrooklynMuseum c.jpg|thumb|130px|Kneeling statuette of a king Necho. It may depict either Necho I or II. Brooklyn Museum (acc.no. 71.11)<ref name=Brooklyn/>]]
Necho I is primarily known from Assyrian documents but a few Egyptian objects are known too. A [[Ceramic glaze|glazed pottery]] statuette of [[Horus]] which contains his cartouches and a dedication to the goddess [[Neith]] of Sais<ref name=TIP117/><ref>{{harvp|Petrie|1917|loc=pl.&nbsp;LIV, 25.5}}.</ref> is now exhibited at the [[Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology]] (UC 14869).<ref name=Petrie/> The aforementioned, long–lost lintel of Meresamun was once photographed in an [[antiquities trade|antiquities market]] at Luxor.<ref name=CP/> A [[bronze]] kneeling statuette of a king Necho is housed at the [[Brooklyn Museum]] (acc.no. 71.11), but it is impossible to determine if it actually depicts Necho I or rather Necho II instead.<ref name=Brooklyn>{{cite web|url=https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/3798|title=Kneeling Statuette of King Necho|publisher=Brooklyn Museum|access-date=8 July 2018}}</ref> He is also mentioned in several demotic stories.<ref name=Ryholt2004/><br>
Necho I's Year 2 is attested on a privately held donation stela that was first published by Olivier Perdu. The stela records a large land donation to the Osirian [[triple deity|triad]] (Osiris, [[Isis]], and Horus) of Per-Hebyt (modern [[Behbeit el-Hagar]] near [[Sebennytos]]) by the "priest of Isis Mistress of Hebyt, Great Chief... son of Iuput, Akanosh."<ref>{{harvp|Perdu|2002|pp=1215–1244}}.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|24em}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Coulon|first1=Laurent|last2=Payraudeau|first2=Frédéric|year=2015|title=Une princesse saïte à Thèbes sous la XXVe dynastie?|journal=[[Revue d'Égyptologie]]|volume=66|pages=21–31|url=https://www.academia.edu/28692139}}
*{{cite book|last=Kitchen|first=Kenneth|author-link=Kenneth Kitchen|year=1996|title=The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100–650 BC)|edition=3rd|publisher=Aris & Phillips Limited|location=Warminster|isbn=0-85668-298-5}}
*{{cite book|last=Lloyd|first=Alan B.|year=2001|chapter=Necho I|title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, vol. II|editor1=Redford, Donald B.|editor-link=Donald B. Redford|publisher=University Press|location=Oxford}}
*{{cite journal|last=Perdu|first=Olivier|year=2002|title=De Stéphinatès à Néchao ou les débuts de la XXVIe dynastie|journal=CRAIBL|lang=fr|volume=146|issue=4|pages=1215–1244|doi=10.3406/crai.2002.22514}}
*{{cite book|last=Petrie|first=Flinders|author-link=Flinders Petrie|year=1917|title=Scarabs and cylinders with names|publisher=University College Press|location=London|url=https://archive.org/details/scarabscylinders00petr}}
*{{cite book|last=Picchi|first=Daniela|year=1997|title=Il conflitto tra Etiopi ed Assiri nell'Egitto della XXV dinastia|lang=it|trans-title=The war between Kushites and Assyrians in Egypt during the 25th Dynasty|publisher=La Mandragora|location=Imola|isbn=88-86123-34-5}}
*{{cite book|chapter=The Assyrian Invasion of Egypt in Egyptian Literary Tradition|last=Ryholt|first=Kim|author-link=Kim Ryholt|editor-last=Dercksen|editor-first=J.G.|year=2004|publisher=Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten|title=Assyria and Beyond: Studies Presented to Mogens Trolle Larsen|lang=nl|pages=483–510|location=Leiden}}
*{{cite journal|last=Ryholt|first=Kim|year=2011a|title=New light on the legendary King Nechepsos of Egypt|journal=[[Journal of Egyptian Archaeology]]|volume=97|pages=61–72|doi=10.1177/030751331109700104|s2cid=190499542|url=https://www.academia.edu/1601667}}
*{{cite book|last=Ryholt|first=Kim|year=2011b|chapter=King Necho I son of king Tefnakhte II|title=Von Theben nach Giza. Festmiszellen für Stefan Grunert zum 65. Geburtstag|editor1=F. Feder|editor2=L. Morenz|editor3=G. Vittmann|series=Göttinger Miszellen Beihefte|lang=de|volume=10|location=Göttingen}}
*{{cite book|last=Settipani|first=Christian|author-link=Christian Settipani|year=1991|title=Nos ancêtres de l'Antiquité, Étude des possibilités de liens généalogiques entre les familles de l'Antiquité et celles du haut Moyen Âge européen|lang=fr|trans-title=Our ancient ancestors: study into possible genealogical links between families in Antiquity and those in the Middle Ages of Europe|location=Paris|isbn=2864960508}}
*{{cite book|last=Spalinger|first=Anthony J.|year=2001|chapter=Psamtik I|title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt|volume=III|editor1=Redford, Donald B.|publisher=University Press|location=Oxford|url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordencycloped0000unse_t6r2|isbn=978-0195102345}}
*{{cite book|last=von Beckerath|first=Jürgen|author-link=Jürgen von Beckerath|year=1999|title=Handbuch der Ägyptischen Königsnamen|series=Münchner Ägyptologische Studien 49|publisher=Philip von Zabern|location=Mainz|lang=de|isbn=3-8053-2591-6}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Pharaohs}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:660s BC deaths]]
[[Category:7th-century BC pharaohs]]
[[Category:Pharaohs of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Monarchs killed in action]]