“Chachnaq” or Shoshenq I A King Amazigh (Berber) founder of the XXII dynasty in Egypt![/caption]
Conquerors, chiefs of war and Amazigh (Berber) Pharaons of Egypt.
Dice prehistory, one attends a penetration of the Amazigh ( Berber) populations in Egypt. The whole first Egyptian archaeological documents, mention them under the name of THNW, Tehenu, and the low-reliefs represent them sometimes, sometimes confronted with the Egyptian sovereigns, as triumphing kings and queens. The Egyptian sources also quote the large Amazigh (Berber) tribes with which Egypt was in contact: Temehu, which had settled at one unmemorable time on Western bank of the Nile, in the eloquent Egyptian, Tehenu, more in north, on the coasts of the Mediterranean and, more in the east, in current Libya, Lebu (or Rebu) and Mashawash. It is name of Lebu which the words Libyen and Libya derive, at the Greeks and the Romans, initially for designer the Amazigh (Berber) ones of the areas of the East like their country, then the whole of Amazigh (Berber) and the current Maghreb.
To the whole beginning, the Amazigh (Berber) ones went to Egypt to exchange products of their country, mainly of the cattle and an aromatic gasoline that the Egyptians called gasoline of Libya, against grain. Many Libyans benefitted from it to be installed on the edge of the lakes, close to the Nile, taking part in the creation of the large cities which were going to form the core from which constituted Egyptian civilization and the Pharaonic dynasties. A historian as Gordon Childe will support that it is the meeting of Libyan civilization with the cultures autochtones which caused the advent of the first predynastic culture of Egypt.
The Libyans were not assimilated to the Egyptians: they are always distinguished from it, on the frescos, by their physics (in particular gabelle projecting), their nattés hair and their finished beards points some like their clothing (long tunics) and the elements of their hairstyle (feathers of ostriches). They had also kept the use of their language and if this one could be influenced by the Egyptian it exerted also an influence on him. The specialists in the old Egyptian belong in the dialects to the areas where Lybian many forms berbérisantes lived, sign of a contact prolonged between the two languages. Tolerated incursions and occupations, the Libyans passed to the invasions, breaking the fortifications established by the Pharaons. Tribes, men, women, children and cattle, were installed on the grounds conquered by the weapons. They were combined with other invaders, the famous people of the sea about which speak the Egyptian sources: people of the north of the Mediterranean, Semites, Asian.
The Pharaon Thoutmosis III (16th century before J.C) had built fortresses throughout the coasts until the west of the Nile to protect the country. Ramsès II reinforced them during its reign and drove back the Libyans to the desert. But not managing to get rid completely of them, it tried to reconcile them, by integrating a certain number of them in its army. It is during the reign of the Pharaon Mineptah (1224-1214 before J.C) that took place the great invasion of the Libyans and the people of the sea, carried out by the Libyan Meghiey, wire of Ded, of the tribe of Lebu. The warriors, 25.000, penetrated by the sea and the desert: thrown into a panic Egypt threw all its forces in the battle which took place in the delta of the Nile. United, overcome, left on the battle field 8500 died and 900 prisoners. Meghiey had to flee with its family, giving up all her goods. If it had gained the victory, there is no doubt that the history of Egypt, even of the Mediterranean world, would have been different! Ramsès III (1198-1166 before J.C) had to face another invasion. This time, Lebu and Mashawash had been united with the people of Seped and had been presented in mass in front of the Pharaon: pretexting a habit of vassalage which bound them to the Egyptian sovereigns, they came to ask the Pharaon to give them a king.
Ramsès reached their demand for D ésignant at their head a Libyan raised in Egypt but it finishes understanding that the intention of the Libyans is to occupy the country. It thus mobilized its troops fought battle to them. The Libyans were carried out by Mesher, wire of Kaper: the war lasted six me and showed the defeat of the Libyans and their allies. Once more Egypt escaped libyanisation which would have changed its history. In spite of these defeats, the Libyan infiltrations continued throughout the centuries. The Libyans are numerous in the partners and the cities where hundreds of them were useful in the Egyptian army. Some of these soldiers set up even as feudal chiefs, commander with their compatriots, assuming rights and dice privileges which the Egyptians have same recognized. In 945 before J. C, a member of the Mashawash tribe became, in Bubastis, Pharaon, under name of Sheshonq 1st, melting the first Amazigh (Berber) dynasty of Egypt. Sheshonq had overcome the Egyptian armies and had even invaded Palestine. The Bible which calls it Sesac, rappol which it had crushed the troops of king de Judée Roboam and had plundered the treasures of the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Frescos of the northern wall of the temple of Ammon, in Karnak, celebrate this bright victory of the Amazigh (Berber) sovereign who counts among the most prestigious pages of the history of Egypt.
Other kings succeeded Sheshonq, such Osorkon II which reigned from 874 to 850 before J.C and whose lès warlike exploits is brought back by the Egyptian chronicles. Osorkon was also a lit sovereign, whose reign was among most brilliant of the Amazigh (Berber) dynasties of Egypt.
Libyan queens are also mentioned, with the example of Karomama whose gold statuette, preserved today at the Museum of Louvre, counts among the masterpieces of the Egyptian art.
Libyans also occupied of high sacerdotal loads. One quotes, inter alia, Nitocris, which carried the prestigious title of wife of Ammon, girl of the Pharaon Psammétique 1st who reigned from 664 to 610 before J.C.]]>
“Chachnaq” or Sheshonq I An Amazigh (Berber) King founder of the XXII dynasty in Egypt !
