The History of Ancient Egypt[]
Second Intermediate Period: 15 through 17th Dynasties[]
It is during this period that Egypt was finally invaded from outside. While being invaded and conquered was already something of a routine in Mesopotamia, for Egypt it was a rather new experience for which there was precious little preparation. As a result the Hyksos conquest of Egypt met little effective resistance, as the Egyptians were introduced to the effectiveness of chariot based warfare. Forming the 15th dynasty around 1674 BCE, they ruled until around 1567 BCE. As if to confuse things further, there was also a 16th dynasty running in parallel time outside the immediate control of the Hyksos, but apparently subject to Hyksos authority.
Also competing with 15th dynasty was the 17th dynasty based in Thebes. After over a century of domination by the Hyksos to the north, the Thebans were able to unite Egyptians through a common hatred of the still 'foreign' Hyksos leading to a successful rebellion against the Hyksos and their subsequent expulsion for Egypt.
History of Ancient Egypt |
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History (periods): Predynastic Period | Early Dynastic Period | Old Kingdom | First Intermediate Period | Middle Kingdom | Second Intermediate Period | New Kingdom | Third Intermediate Period | Late Period |