Kingdom of Kush
Did you know that not all the Pharaohs were from Egypt? Some were from a Kingdom called Kush.
The Kingdom of Kush was in northern Africa, it what is now modern-day Sudan. People lived in this huge region around Kush (Nubia) as early as 8000 BC, that is 8000 years before Jesus was born.
Archaeologists have shown that the people of Kush were in contact with Egyptians during the early dynastic period of Egypt.
However, the big Kingdom of Kush really flourished between the years of 1069 BC and 350 CE.
The Egyptians had enjoyed a long reign, with lots of power over their neighbours. Eventually, they began fighting within their own borders.
This meant that the Egyptians Pharaohs were so busy trying to survive that the people of Kush did not have to worry about invasions from Egypt any more.
After Egypt’s power weakened, Kushite Kings became Pharaohs of Egypt’s 25th dynasty. A man called Kashta was the first Kushite King in 150 BC and the first to take the Egyptian throne.
Their power in Egypt did not last forever and in 590 Napata, the capital of Kush, was occupied by the Egyptian Pharaoh Psammeticus II (595-589 BC) and the capital of Kush moved to a place called Meroe.
The Kingdom of Kush survived with this new capital until an invasion by the Aksumites of the Kingdom of Aksum took over the capital.
The Aksumites destroyed Meroe and toppled the Kingdom. The capital only survived another 20 years after their rule ended.
Quiz
Where were some of the Egyptian Pharaohs from?
Where was the Kingdom of Kush?
Which Egyptian took over Napata in 590?
Which Egyptian dynasty did Kush rulers take over?
Where did the capital of Kush move to?
