List of monarchs of KushW
List of monarchs of Kush

This is an incomplete list for rulers with the title of Qore (king) or Kandake (queen) of the Kingdom of Kush. Some of the dates are only rough estimates. While the chronological list is well known only a few monarchs have definite dates. These include those leaders who also ruled Ancient Egypt and those who ruled during famous invasions or famous trade expeditions. The others are based on estimates made by Fritz Hintze. The estimates are based on the average length of the reigns, which were then shortened or lengthened based on the size and splendour of the monarch's tomb. The assumption being that monarchs who reigned longer had more time and resources to build their burial sites. An added complication is that in recent years there have been disputes as to which monarch belongs to which tomb.

AkhratenW
Akhraten

Akhraten was a King of Kush.

Alara of KushW
Alara of Kush

Alara was a King of Kush, who is generally regarded as the founder of the Napatan royal dynasty by his 25th Dynasty Kushite successors and was the first recorded prince of Kush. He unified all of Upper Nubia from Meroë to the Third Cataract and is possibly attested at the Temple of Amun at Kawa. Alara also established Napata as the religious capital of Kush. Alara himself was not a 25th dynasty Kushite king since he never controlled any region of Egypt during his reign compared to his two immediate successors: Kashta and Piye respectively. Nubian literature credits him with a substantial reign since future Nubian kings requested that they might enjoy a reign as long as Alara's. His memory was also central to the origin myth of the Kushite kingdom, which was embellished with new elements over time. Alara was a deeply revered figure in Nubian culture and the first Kushite king whose name came down to scholars.

AmaniastabarqaW
Amaniastabarqa

Amaniastabarqa was a Kushite king of Meroë who ruled in the late Sixth or early Fifth centuries BC, c. 510–487 BCE.

AmanikhareqeremW
Amanikhareqerem

Amanikhareqerem was a King of Kush who ruled towards during the 1st century AD. In older research he was placed into the 2nd century AD. or possibly earlier.

AmanikhatashanW
Amanikhatashan

Amanikhatashan was a ruling queen of Kush. As a Queen, her proper title was "Kandake". Her pyramid is at Meroe in the Sudan. She was preceded by Amanitenmemide and succeeded by Teritnide.

AmaninatakilebteW
Amaninatakilebte

Amaninatakilebte was a Meroitic king who ruled in the 6th century, probably between 538 to 519 BC at Napata. He succeeded King Analmaye and was in turn succeeded by King Karkamani. Like others of his dynasty, he was discovered buried among the pyramid chambers at Nuri, specifically Nuri 10. These remains, along with engraved blocks at Meroe, are the only known records of the ruler. Also significant is the gold cylinder discovered with the ruler in this pyramid, not unlike those found buried with King Aspelta in Nuri 8, but the function of which remains obscure.

AmanineteyerikeW
Amanineteyerike

Amanineteyerike was a Kushite King of Meroe. His reign is dated to the end of the 5th century BCE.

AmanisloW
Amanislo

Amanislo was a king of Kush dating to the middle of the third century BCE.

AmanitenmemideW
Amanitenmemide

Amanitenmemide was a Nubian king whose throne name was Nebmaatre. His name is written in Meroitic, while his throne name is written in classical Egyptian hieroglyphs.

AnalmayeW
Analmaye

Analmaye was a Kushite King of Meroe who ruled in the 6th century BC.

AnlamaniW
Anlamani

Anlamani was king of the Kingdom of Kush in Nubia, and who ruled from 620 BC and died around 600 BC.

ArakamaniW
Arakamani

Arakamani was a Nubian king of Meroë, who ruled in the early third century BCE.

Aramatle-qoW
Aramatle-qo

Aramatle-qo or Amtalqa was a Meroitic king.

ArikhankharerW
Arikhankharer

Arikhankharer was a crown-prince of Kush.

ArnekhamaniW
Arnekhamani

Arnekhamani was a Nubian king of the Kushite Kingdom in the third century BC. The king is mainly known from his building activity at the Musawwarat es-Sufra temple complex. The main temple complex at this place was built by Arnekhamani, but was never finished. Most likely the king died before completing the temples.

ArqamaniW
Arqamani

Arqamani was a Kushite King of Meroë dating from the late 3rd to early 2nd century BCE.

AryamaniW
Aryamani

Aryamani was a Nubian king.

AspeltaW
Aspelta

Aspelta was a ruler of the kingdom of Kush. More is known about him and his reign than most of the rulers of Kush. He left several stelae carved with accounts of his reign.

AtlanersaW
Atlanersa

Atlanersa was a Kushite ruler of the Napatan kingdom of Nubia, reigning for about a decade in the mid-7th century BC. He was the successor of Tantamani, the last ruler of the 25th Dynasty of Egypt, and possibly a son of Taharqa or less likely of Tantamani, while his mother was a queen whose name is only partially preserved. Atlanersa's reign immediately followed the collapse of Nubian control over Egypt, which witnessed the Assyrian conquest of Egypt and then the beginning of the Late Period under Psamtik I. The same period also saw the progressive cultural integration of Egyptian beliefs by the Kushite civilization.

BaskakerenW
Baskakeren

Baskakeren was a king of Kush. He was likely a son of King Malewiebamani and the younger brother of King Amanineteyerike. He succeeded King Amanineteyerike to the throne.

HarsiotefW
Harsiotef

Harsiotef was a Kushite King of Meroe.

KarkamaniW
Karkamani

Karkamani was a Meroitic king who ruled in the 6th century, probably between 519 to 510 BC at Napata. He succeeded King Amaninatakilebte and was in turn succeeded by King Amaniastabarqa. Like others of his dynasty, he was discovered buried among the pyramid chambers at Nuri, specifically Nuri 7.

KashtaW
Kashta

Kashta was an 8th century BC king of the Kushite Dynasty in ancient Nubia and the successor of Alara. His nomen k3š-t3 "of the land of Kush" is often translated directly as "The Kushite". He was succeeded by Piye, who would go on to conquer ancient Egypt and establish the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty there.

MalewiebamaniW
Malewiebamani

Malewiebamani was a Kushite King of Meroe.

MalonaqenW
Malonaqen

Malonaqen was a Meroitic king who probably governed in the first half of the 6th century BC. His prenomen was "Sekhemkare."

NasakhmaW
Nasakhma

Nasakhma (Nasakhmaqa) was a Kushite King of Meroe. He was the successor of king Siaspiqa.

NastasenW
Nastasen

Nastasen was a king of Kush. According to a stela from Dongola his mother was named Queen Pelkha and his father may have been King Harsiotef. His successor was Aryamani.

NatakamaniW
Natakamani

Natakamani was a King of Kush who reigned from around or earlier than 1 BC to c. AD 20. Natakamani is the best attested ruler of the Meroitic period. He was born to queen Amanishakheto.

SiaspiqaW
Siaspiqa

Siaspiqa was a ruler of the Kushite kingdom of Meroë reigning for close to twenty years in the first half of the 5th century BC. Very little is known of Siaspiqa's activities beyond the construction of his pyramid at Nuri, now known as Nuri 4. The pyramid and its chapel have yielded several inscribed stelas bearing his name as well as numerous artefacts suggesting a once rich burial. Nothing is known for certain on the relations between Siaspiqa and his predecessor Amaniastabarqa and successor Nasakhma. Equally uncertain is the identity of his consort, with queen Pi'ankhqewqa buried in the nearby Nuri 29 conjectured for that role.

TalakhamaniW
Talakhamani

Talakhamani was a Kushite King of Meroe during the second half of the 5th century BCE. No prenomen is known, and his nomen is Talakhamani. He may have been a son of Nasakhma and a younger brother of Malewiebamani. It is also possible Talakhamani is a son of Malewiebamani.

TanyidamaniW
Tanyidamani

Tanyidamani was a Kushite king of Meroë who ruled around 100 BCE.

TarekeniwalW
Tarekeniwal

Tarekeniwal was a Kushite King of Meroe of whom little is known. He likely ruled the Meroitic empire during the 2nd century AD. Tarekeniwal is only known from his pyramid in Meroe. His name appears on the pylon of the cult chapel in front of the pyramid, which was in modern times restored. The chapel and its decoration is still well preserved.

Twenty-fifth Dynasty of EgyptW
Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt

The Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt, also known as the Nubian Dynasty or the Kushite Empire, was the last dynasty of the Third Intermediate Period of Egypt that occurred after the Nubian invasion.