Taharqa

Taharqa, also spelled Taharka, was a Kushite king who ruled Egypt as pharaoh of the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty from about 690 to 664 BCE. He is one of the best‑known rulers of the dynasty, which originated in Nubia (Kush) and extended its authority into Egypt after conquering the Nile Valley. Taharqa is traditionally considered a son of Piye, the founding king of the dynasty.

During his reign, Taharqa maintained Kushite control over parts of Egypt and pursued military and political ventures in the wider region. He led forces into the Levant and is associated with conflicts against the expanding Neo‑Assyrian Empire. In the late 7th century BCE, Assyrian attacks under Sennacherib and later Ashurbanipal challenged Kushite‑Egyptian power; Taharqa’s forces were eventually defeated as Assyria consolidated control over Egypt around 663–664 BCE. Taharqa is also noted for extensive building and restoration work, including projects at the temple complexes of Karnak, Napata, and Nubian sites such as Kawa and Jebel Barkal, reflecting the dynasty’s cultural and religious program.

In biblical and later historical sources, Taharqa is referred to as Tirhakah, a ruler who, according to some accounts, supported Hezekiah of Judah during the Assyrian threat. His reign marked the apex of Kushite influence in Egypt; after his death, the Assyrians continued campaigns in the region, and Kushite rule in Egypt waned. Taharqa’s legacy survives in inscriptions, architectural remains, and later scholarly and biblical references, illustrating the foreign‑ruled yet integrated era of the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty.