Ancient Egypt: Timelime

Second Intermediate Period (1650 BC – 1550 BC)

The Middle Kingdom couldn't last forever. During the 18th century BC, increasing numbers of Semitic-Asiatics, known as Hyksos, settled in the Nile Delta. Their presence contributed much to Egyptian commercial and cultural life but also seems to have sparked instability, too. A series of rebellions followed and, in the resulting chaos, the Hyksos seized power in the north. In the south, a rival, Egyptian dynasty ruled what was left of the kingdom. Egypt was laid low again: it even lost the Nubian territories it had gained during the Middle Kingdom.

New Kingdom (1550 BC – 1069 BC)

King Ahmose signalled the beginning of the New Kingdom by waging war on the Hyksos rulers and driving them out of Egypt. Under Ahmose, a reinvigorated, unified Egypt pushed into southern Palestine and regained the lost lands in Nubia. Amhose also founded the 18th Dynasty, which gave Egypt some of its most influential and colourful rulers, including the warrior Thutmose III, Queen Hatshepsut, Amenhotep III, Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. During the New Kingdom, Egypt acquired an empire and the riches to go with it. But there were divisions over religion and bitter power struggles, too. New Kingdom pharaohs were some of Egypt's most prolific builders: the Valley of the Kings dates from this period.