New Kingdom of Egypt

New Kingdom of Egypt
c. 1550 BC – c. 1077 BC
New Kingdom at its maximum territorial extent in the 15th century BC.
Capital		Thebes (1550 – c. 1352 BC, XVII dynasty and XVIII dynasty before Akhenaten) Akhetaten (c. 1352 – c. 1336 BC, Akhenaten of XVIII dynasty) Thebes (c. 1336 – 1279 BC, XVIII dynasty and XIX dynasty before Ramesses II) Pi-Ramesses (c. 1279 – c. 1213 BC, Ramesses II of XIX dynasty) Memphis (c. 1213 – c. 1077 BC, XIX dynasty starting with Merneptah and XX dynasty)
Languages		Ancient Egyptian, Nubian, Canaanite
Religion		Ancient Egyptian religion Atenism (during the Amarna Period)
Government		Divine, Absolute Monarchy
Pharaoh
•	c. 1550 BC – c. 1525 BC	Ahmose I (first)
•	c. 1107 BC – c. 1077 BC	Ramesses XI (last)
History
•	Established	c. 1550 BC
•	Disestablished	c. 1077 BC
Preceded by Succeeded by Second Intermediate Period of Egypt Kingdom of Kerma Third Intermediate Period of Egypt Kingdom of Kush Tribe of Judah
Today part of		Egypt  Sudan  Palestine  Israel  Lebanon  Syria  Jordan  Turkey

The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt. Radiocarbon dating places the exact beginning of the New Kingdom between 1570–1544 BC. The New Kingdom followed the Second Intermediate Period and was succeeded by the Third Intermediate Period. It was Egypt’s most prosperous time and marked the peak of its power.

The later part of this period, under the Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasties (1292–1069 BC) is also known as the Ramesside period. It is named after the eleven pharaohs that took the name of Ramesses I, founder of the 19th Dynasty.

Possibly as a result of the foreign rule of the Hyksos during the Second Intermediate Period, the New Kingdom saw Egypt attempt to create a buffer between the Levant and Egypt, and attained its greatest territorial extent. Similarly, in response to very successful 17th century attacks by the powerful Kingdom of Kush, the New Kingdom felt compelled to expand far south into Nubia and hold wide territories in the Near East. Egyptian armies fought Hittite armies for control of modern-day Syria.

The Eighteenth Dynasty contained some of Egypt's most famous Pharaohs, including Ahmose I, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Amenhotep III, Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Queen Hatshepsut concentrated on expanding Egypt's external trade by sending a commercial expedition to the land of Punt.