Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/583

 APPENDIX in. 479 XIV. Dynasty: XoiTB. (So named from Xoia in Lower Egypt, the native place of the reigning family.) M. 2398. No known records. The rule of these northern usurpers was followed by the most tremen- dous catastrophe recorded in tho Egyptian aunaU, a catastrophe which for a second time arrested the natural development of civilisation in the Nile Vall..y. Taking advantage of the rivalry between the royal house of Thebes and the Xoite rulers in the Delta, the nomad tribes of Arabia. 8yria, and Mesopotamia overran the whole country, and for a time reduced it under their jKiwer. This was the so-called invasion of the Hyksos, or " Shep- herds," who overthrew the Middle Empire and set up the three following dynasties. Their capital was tixe<l at Tunis, near the north-east frontier, where they have left monuments more beautiful and in better taste than those of the contemporaneous dynasties in Thebais. No known records. XV. Dynasty : Hyksos, or the Shepherds. M. 2214. XVI. Dynasty : IIyksos, or the Shepherds ? XVII. Dynasty : IIyksos, or the Shepherds. 13. 1750. Nub, or Nlbti, during whose reign Joseph, son of Jacob, is said to have arrived in Egjpt, where he rose to a high jxisition. Tlie seat of empire of these foreign Shepherd Kings was at San, in the extreme north-east. But contemjioraneously with their rule in Lower Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula the native Thebon kings appear to have continuod to govern in Upper Egj-pt as tributaries or vassals of the Hyksos. In the Sullier papyrus, now in the British Museum, occurs the name of Ro.sekenen, a governor of "the southern town " (probably Thebes). An inscription in a tomb at El Kab also ret^ords the capture of Avaris, a chief stronghold of the IIyksos, by Ahmes (.Vmosis), successor of Hasekenen, and Erst king of the next dynasty. KEW EMPIRE. XVIII. Dynastij : TiiebaX. M. 1703, B. 17C0. AnMES (Amosis), who overtlirew thn foreign Hyksos invaders, and agoin raised Egypt to g^eat jjower under a native djTiasty. M. 1703, B. 1700. Amexuotep or Amukopr I. (AifENopnis), who continued the victorious career of his predecessor, and extended the limits of the empire beyond the frontiers of Egypt proper. B. IGGG. TuoniMEs I. (TnoTHMosis). a famous conqueror, who overran S>Tia, and who appears to have first intro«luced the horse into Egy]>t. At least no representations of this animal orcur on any monuments before his reign. B. 1G33.