Shepenupet II

Shepenupet II
Shepenupet II
	Shepenwepet II, Shapenewpet II
	Head of Shepenupet II from Alexandria National Museum, Egypt
Divine Adoratrice of Amun; God's Wife of Amun
Reign	around 700–650 BC (25th Dynasty)
Predecessor	Amenirdis I
Successor	Amenirdis II (as Divine Adoratrice); Nitocris I (as God's Wife)
Prenomen (Praenomen)
Nomen
Father	Piye
Burial	Medinet Habu

Shepenupet II (alt. Shepenwepet II, prenomen: Henutneferumut Irietre) was an ancient Egyptian princess of the 25th Dynasty who served as the high priestess, the Divine Adoratrice of Amun, from around 700 BC to 650 BC. She was the daughter of the first Kushite pharaoh Piye[2] and sister of Piye's successors, Shabaka and Taharqa.

Biography

Shepenupet II was adopted by her predecessor in office, Amenirdis I, a sister of Piye. Shepenupet was God's Wife of Amun from the beginning of Taharqa's reign until Year 9 of Pharaoh Psamtik I. While in office she had to come to a power sharing arrangement with the mayor of Thebes, Mentuemhat.[3]

Her niece, Amenirdis, the daughter of Taharqa, was appointed as her heiress.[3] Shepenupet was compelled to adopt Nitocris, daughter of pharaoh Psamtik I, who reunited Egypt after the Assyrian conquest. This is evidenced by the so-called Adoption Stela of Nitocris. In 656 BC, in Year 9 of the reign of Psamtik I, she received Nitocris at Thebes.[4][5]

Her tomb is located in the grounds of Medinet Habu.[6] She was succeeded as Divine Adoratrice by Amenirdis II, who was succeeded by Nitocris I.

Images

Shepenupet II at Medinet Habu
Shepenupet II and Amenirdis II at Medinet Habu
Chapel of Shepenupet at Medinet Habu
Shepenupet's cartouche
Box with name of Shepenupet
Shepenupet and Amenirdis II

References

von Beckerath, Jürgen (1999). Handbuch der Ägyptischen Königsnamen (in German). Mainz am Rhein, Von Zabern. ISBN 3-8053-2591-6. pp. 210-11
John Boardman ed., The Cambridge Ancient History Vol.III, Cambridge University Press 1982, ISBN 0-521-24289-4, p.136
Michael Rice, Who's Who in Ancient Egypt, Routledge 2001, p.189
J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, Part Four: "The Adoption Stela of Nitocris" §§ 945
Sergio Donadoni, The Egyptians, University of Chicago Press 1997, ISBN 0-226-15556-0 p.141
Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, (London: Thames & Hudson, 2004) ISBN 0-500-05128-3, p.240

Preceded by Amenirdis I	Divine Adoratrice of Amun around 700–650 BCE	Succeeded by Amenirdis II
Preceded by Amenirdis I	God's Wife of Amun	Succeeded by Nitocris I

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[beck-1] von Beckerath, Jürgen (1999). Handbuch der Ägyptischen Königsnamen (in German). Mainz am Rhein, Von Zabern. ISBN 3-8053-2591-6. pp. 210-11

[2] John Boardman ed., The Cambridge Ancient History Vol.III, Cambridge University Press 1982, ISBN 0-521-24289-4, p.136

[Michael_Rice_2001,_p.189-3] Michael Rice, Who's Who in Ancient Egypt, Routledge 2001, p.189

[4] J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, Part Four: "The Adoption Stela of Nitocris" §§ 945

[5] Sergio Donadoni, The Egyptians, University of Chicago Press 1997, ISBN 0-226-15556-0 p.141

[6] Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, (London: Thames & Hudson, 2004) ISBN 0-500-05128-3, p.240