| Conventional Long Name: | Ninth Dynasty of Egypt |
| Era: | Bronze Age |
| Government Type: | Absolute monarchy |
| Image Map Caption: | Jasper weight with the cartouche of Nebkaure Khety |
| Year Start: | c. 2160 BC |
| Year End: | c. 2130 BC |
| P1: | Seventh Dynasty of Egypt |
| P2: | Eighth Dynasty of Egypt |
| S1: | Tenth Dynasty of Egypt |
| Capital: | Herakleopolis Magna |
| Common Languages: | Egyptian language |
| Religion: | ancient Egyptian religion |
The Ninth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Dynasty IX) is often combined with the 7th, 8th, 10th and early 11th Dynasties under the group title First Intermediate Period.[1] The dynasty that seems to have supplanted the Eighth Dynasty is extremely obscure. The takeover by the rulers of Herakleopolis was violent and is reflected in Manetho's description of Achthoes, the founder of the dynasty, as 'more terrible than his predecessors', who 'wrought evil things for those in all Egypt".
The Ninth Dynasty was founded at Herakleopolis Magna, and the Tenth Dynasty continued there. At this time Egypt was not unified, and there is some overlap between these and other local dynasties. The Turin Canon lists eighteen kings for this royal line, but their names are damaged, unidentifiable, or lost.[2]
The following is a possible list of rulers of the Ninth Dynasty based on the Turin Canon, as egyptologists have differing opinions about the order of succession within the two dynasties. Among them, only Meryibre Khety and Nebkaure Khety are undoubtedly attested by archaeological finds:
| Name | Image | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meryibre Khety I | Manetho's Achthoes, a nomarch who proclaimed himself pharaoh | ||
| [name lost] | - | ||
| Neferkare VII | Might be the Kaneferre mentioned in the tomb of the nomarch Ankhtifi | ||
| Nebkaure Khety II | Also mentioned in The Eloquent Peasant tale | ||
| Setut | - | ||
| [name lost] | - | ||
| Mery[...] | - | ||
| Shed[...] | - | ||
| H[...] | - | ||
| [three names lost] | - | ||
| User(?)[...] | - | ||
| Imhotep | Ephemeral ruler of the Ninth Dynasty. Only known from two rock inscriptions in the Wadi Hammamat.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Correct chronological position unknown. |