Pepi II (Neferkare)
2278 BCE–2184 BCE · Old-Kingdom · Saqqara
Pepi II (throne-name Neferkare) was a king of Dynasty 6, conventionally placed around 2278-2184 BCE. He is traditionally credited with a reign of about 94 years, which would be the longest in recorded history, but this figure rests on a Turin Canon and Manetho tradition that many scholars regard as possibly inflated; the true length is an open question. His very long reign is associated with the gradual weakening of central royal authority toward the end of the Old Kingdom, as provincial governors grew more powerful. From his youth survives one of the most charming primary documents of ancient Egypt: a letter the boy-king wrote to the explorer Harkhuf, excitedly instructing him to bring a dancing pygmy back to court safely. His reign closes the great age of the Old Kingdom before its collapse into the First Intermediate Period.
Did you know?
The boy who may have reigned 90 years
Pepi II came to Egypt's throne as a child, said to be about six years old, and ancient tradition credits him with one of the longest reigns in recorded history — by some counts around 90 years (Manetho even wrote 94), though many modern scholars suspect the true figure was shorter, perhaps closer to 64. Beginning around 2278 BCE, more than 4,300 years ago, his long rule stretched across the twilight of the Old Kingdom.
How we know
Pepi II (Neferkare), acceded c. 2278 BCE at age ~6 (6th Dynasty, Old Kingdom); reign length: Manetho 94 yrs, Turin Canon 90+ yrs, some Egyptologists argue ~64 yrs; 2278 + 2026 = 4,304 years ago.
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Saqqara
What they did here
Site of his pyramid complex.
Works
No works attributed in the corpus yet.