Kamose

Kamose was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt, ruling during the Second Intermediate Period. He was the last pharaoh of the Seventeenth Dynasty, reigning around 1550 BC. Kamose is primarily known for his military campaigns against the Hyksos, who had occupied Lower Egypt for over a century. His reign marked a crucial turning point in the struggle to expel the Hyksos and reunify Egypt.

Surviving inscriptions, notably the Kamose Stele, detail his decision to confront the Hyksos. Kamose initiated hostilities, leading his forces from Thebes northwards. He engaged the Hyksos in several battles, capturing key cities and disrupting their control. His aggressive approach was not universally supported, as some advisors suggested a more cautious approach, but Kamose was determined to restore Egyptian sovereignty.

Kamose's military successes laid the groundwork for his successor and brother, Ahmose I, who ultimately completed the expulsion of the Hyksos and initiated the glorious Eighteenth Dynasty, ushering in the New Kingdom period of Egyptian history. Kamose's decisive actions are therefore seen as vital in ending the foreign occupation and re-establishing a strong, unified Egypt. His reign, though relatively short, is remembered as a period of significant national revival and military triumph.