AMEN-HETEP I.

Whilst Amen-hetep I. was collecting the slaves and cattle which he had raided, a rebellion broke out in the north, and he was obliged to hurry back to quell it ; the king travelled in great haste, and Amasis the captain says, " I brought His Majesty in " two days to Egypt, from the Upper Well,* and His Majesty " rewarded me with a gift of gold." In addition to the women whom he brought to His Majesty, he captured two for himself, and the king promoted him to the rank of Ahatiu-en-heq, i.e., a " warrior of the Royal Guard." Amasis the son of Pen-nekheb also distinguished himself in this expedition, and he captured one Nubian alive. When the king returned to the north he engaged in a fierce conflict with some people called Amu-kehek, or Amuneb-hek, the exact position of whose country is unknown. In this expedition the general Amasis, the son of Pen-nekheb, was again with him, and this officer distinguished himself by capturing '• three hands," which he no doubt cut off himself from the king's enemies." The Amu-kehek were vanquished, and, as we know that Amen-hetep I. conquered a number of Asiatic foes, we may assume that they were among them. The king certainly fought personally in the regions to the north-east of Egypt, and he went into battle in a chariot drawn by horses.'' Thus we see that the Egyptians soon recognized the value of this animal, which appears to have been introduced into Egypt by the Hyksos.

As we hear nothing more of expeditions into Nubia, we may conclude that the king found his hands very full of Asiatic affairs, as the result of his conquest of the southern portion of Syria. About this time he appears to have realized that it was impossible for him to make expeditions both into Nubia and Syria, so, as the tribute of Western Asia was likely to be far more valuable than that of Nubia, he determined to fight in person in Syria, and to place the government of the Sudan in the hands of a viceroy. Having decided to appoint a viceroy, Amen-hetep I. selected his own son, Thothmes I., to fill the position, and bestowed upon him Ca /WWVA V AAAAA -.1 - See Maspero, Aeg: Zei'/., 1883, p. 78.

•' See the wooden tablet in the British Museum, No. 2429.

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