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Dynasty I

Menes (Aha)
Aha is known for millions of people as King Menes of Memphis. He was the founding king of the 1st Dynasty, and the first king to unify Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom.

Ancient Egypt’s most predominant form of civilization began with his crowning, and did not end permanently until the beginning of the Roman era, which started with Augustus Caeser.

Menes emerges from the haze, where the only clues are that of inference from a few trifling relics, into the region of actual history. Yet it is only since the late 19th Century that it has become possible to say this. In the Egyptian history of Manetho, the position of first king of the First Dynasty is assigned to 'Menes,' of whom it is affirmed that he belonged to the town of Thinis, in Upper Egypt, and that after a reign of sixty-two years he was slain by a hippopotamus. Other traditions recount that he united the two lands and established his capital at Memphis, diverting the Nile from its former course by means of a vast dam in order to gain ground for his purpose. All these statements, however, are of late date, and as no traces existed of the evidence on which they were based, their historic character was questioned, and the very existence of 'Menes' was considered doubtful. So late as 1887, Rawlinson was obliged to write : 'Probably we shall do best to acquiesce in the judgment of Dr. Birch: "Menes must be placed among those founders of monarchies whose personal existence a severe and enlightened criticism doubts or denies."' Facts, nevertheless, have entirely vindicated the personal existence of Mena and the traditions as to his importance.

Menes founded the city of Memphis, and chose its location on an island in the Nile, so that it could be easily defended. He was also the founder of Crocodopolis. During his time, the Egyptian army launched raids against the Nubians in the south and expanded his sphere of influence as far as the First Cataract on the Nile.

His chief wife was Queen Berenib, though she was not the mother of his heir, King Djer, and his mother was Neithotepe. His death is a mystery, for, according to a legend he was attacked by wild dogs and Nile crocodiles in Faiyum . Menes’ tomb relies at Saqqara, the famed necropolis of Memphis. He died at the age of Sixty Three.

Djer
Djer was the second king during the 1st Dynasty, when the crown was still present at Memphis. He was the son of Aha and one of his lesser ranked wives, a woman named Hent.
Djer built a palace at Memphis where he ruled Egypt for fifty years. He also launched a successful military campaign to fight the Hekssus in Sinai.

His name was found in an inscription on the Wadi Halfa, south of the first Cataract, proving the boundaries of his reign. Djer’s wife was Queen Herneith.

He was buried in a mortuary complex which is called the True Grave of the god Osiris.

Wadj
Wadj, the third king of the 1st Egyptian Dynasty. His stela is displayed at the Louvre in Paris. It is made of limestone carved by the sculptor Serekh.

The stela was discovered near the ancient city of Abydos where Wadj’s mortuary complex is located.

The only other place where Egyptologists found a reference to him was in an inscription near the city of Edfu, to the south of Egypt.

His wife was Queen Mereneith, who acted as mentor and advisor for his successor, King Den.

Den (Udimu)
Den was the fourth king of the 1st Dynasty. Because the king came to power in Egypt as an infant, Queen Merenith was appointed as his political advisor, which essentially meant that she ruled Egypt until he was capable for the rule by himself.

Den ruled Egypt for almost fifty years after Wadj. He was an energetic and athletic person, and was artistic as well.

He figures in the Ebers papyrus as well as the Berlin medical papyrus. Den was militarily active in Sinai, which was justified by his interest in protecting the mineral resources of the peninsula.

His mortuary complex was built in the ancient city of Abydos, but his body was buried at Saqqara.

Anedjib
Anedjib was the fifth king during the 1st dynasty. He kept Memphis as his capitol city throughout his 14 years of rule.

Anedjib’s crown carried the symbols of both Upper and Lower Egypt, a representation of the unification of the country under his power.

Historians, however, doubt that Anedjib really controlled the north, due to the fact that the northern Nomes rebelled against him constantly throughout his reign.

His wife, Queen Betrest, was the mother of King Semerkhet, who was his successor. The queen provided Anedjib with legitimacy and power since she was a descendant from the Memphite royal line.

Semerkhet
Semerkhet was the sixth king of the 1st Dynasty. He was the son of King Adjib and Queen Betrest, and for unknown reasons, ruled only for eight years.

Egyptologists discovered very little about him, save for a black stela with Semerkhet’s name carved on it.