Keys to this period
1) Egypt Virtually Bankrupt!
Summary
Despite being bankrupt some of the pharaohs of the 21st Dynasty were buried in the Delta with considerable wealth which came to light in 1939-40 - the discovery did not receive much publicity because of World War II.
By the 22nd Dynasty, pharaohs of Libyan descent came to power, to be followed by rulers from Nubia in the 25th Dynasty which began in the 8th century B.C. The old crafts reached a very high standard again and many of the styles of the Old Kingdom were copied.
The country was invaded by Assyrians in 671 B.C. and Memphis was captured. Under the rule of Psamtik (Psammetichus) from 664 B.C., Egypt began to enjoy peace for about 140 years.
The 21st through the 24th Dynasties ruled from Tanis, in the north, vied with a line of high priests, to whom they appear to be related, from Thebes, in the south. The rulers of the 21st Dynasty may have been partially Libyan in ancestry, and the 22nd Dynasty began with Libyan chieftains as kings. As the Libyans' rule deteriorated, several rivals rose to challenge them. In fact the next two dynasties, the 23rd and 24th, were contemporaneous with part of the 22nd Dynasty, just as the 25th (Cushite) Dynasty effectively controlled much of Egypt during the latter years of the 22nd and the 24th dynasties.
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