Snefru THE
PHARAOH
Snefru was the first king of the 4th dynasty (2613 - 2589 BC). He ruled for an estimated 24 years. Unlike most kings, he was not declared kingship though birthright but through marriage. He was a superior military manager and advanced Egypt’s economy. Establishing trading routes along the Mediterranean, Snefru planned in moving ahead his empire to great lengths. His most famous contribution was the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur.
Snefru was the first king of the 4th dynasty (2613 - 2589 BC). He ruled for an estimated 24 years. Unlike most kings, he was not declared kingship though birthright but through marriage. He was a superior military manager and advanced Egypt’s economy. Establishing trading routes along the Mediterranean, Snefru planned in moving ahead his empire to great lengths. His most famous contribution was the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur.
Family
Hetepheres I was the wife of Snefru, and probably was his half
sister. It’s believed he was born from one of the wives in his
father’s harem which made him lack royal blood. Marrying his
half sister might have been the key to legitimizing his rule as
Pharaoh. Together, both Snefru and Hetepheres gave birth to
Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid. Snefru’s parents were
Meresankh and Huni was his stepfather.
Snefru
Like most Pharaohs, Snefru was active in foreign affairs with
countries from the Mediterranean and received materials such as
cedar for construction of many ships. This most probably came
from Lebanon. Although trading and exporting was very important
to his success, so were his military skills. Campaigning against
the Libyans and Nubians, Snefru found himself leading massive
campaigns that often lead to victory. Campaigning against Nubia
offered great rewards such as raw materials for construction and
the safety of Egypt’s southern borders.
Snefru was intelligent and very logical. In order to accomplish
his tasks as Pharaoh he needed no barriers. To complete many of
his wishes, Snefru kept the power of the royal family fixed.
Most of his appointed officials were members of his ruling
family and as a result the administrative powers remained within
that structure. This logical and brilliant strategy might be why
he was able to construct his three pyramids. Although this logic
may have helped build the three pyramids, his brilliant strategy
might not have been so helpful in holding firm the “Old Kingdom”
as this appeared to fall after his death.
Pyramids
Like most Pharaohs, death was a very important aspect of
Snefru’s life. He constructed the pyramid at Maidum, which was
originally a seven-stepped pyramid. Once erected, the steps of
the pyramid were filled in. This formed a true pyramid; however,
eventually the pyramid failed and the outer casing soon
collapsed. Although this pyramid failed, Snefru still did not
give up. His next major plan was the construction of the Bent
Pyramid located in Dahshur. Unlike his last project, the bent
pyramid was planned as a pyramid. The sides soon became too
steep and a quick fix was needed. They changed the degree of the
pyramid which made the structure more stable.
Snefru will most likely always be known as being one of Egypt’s
most prominent pyramid builders of his time. In addition, he
will also be known as contributing to the continuous evolution
of religious beliefs during his reign.
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