🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
The Theban ruler Kamose recorded conflicts against both the Hyksos and Nubian forces during this turbulent period.
In the 17th century BCE, Egypt fragmented during the Second Intermediate Period as the Hyksos controlled parts of the north. Archaeological and textual evidence suggests that the Kingdom of Kerma aligned with the Hyksos against Theban rulers in Upper Egypt. This alliance pressured Egypt from both north and south. Nubian forces expanded influence into Lower Nubia during Egyptian weakness. The political maneuvering demonstrates strategic diplomacy rather than isolation. Trade and military coordination intersected. When the Theban dynasty eventually expelled the Hyksos, it also campaigned aggressively into Nubia. Alliance politics reshaped frontier dynamics. Balance of power shifted rapidly along the Nile.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Kerma’s alliance illustrates Nubia’s agency within broader regional conflict. Cooperation with the Hyksos maximized leverage during Egyptian instability. Strategic partnerships amplified influence without full-scale invasion. However, shifting alliances carried long-term consequences. Egyptian reunification led to intensified campaigns into Nubian territory. Diplomatic calculation can yield both opportunity and retaliation. Power balances remain fluid.
For communities along the frontier, shifting alliances likely translated into sudden military mobilization. The irony lies in how external alliances briefly elevated Kerma’s influence, only to provoke renewed Egyptian expansion later. Regional politics rarely produce permanent gains. Nubia navigated opportunity with calculated risk. The Nile witnessed shifting loyalties long before modern diplomacy.
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