Osorkon IV
Usermaatre Osorkon, designated Osorkon IV, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh during the late Third Intermediate Period. Long considered the last king of the 22nd Dynasty, he was de facto little more than ruler in Tanis and Bubastis, in Lower Egypt and is now generally grouped in the Tanite 23rd Dynasty. He is generally – though not universally – identified with the King Shilkanni mentioned by Assyrian sources, and with the biblical So, King of Egypt mentioned in the second Books of Kings.
Osorkon ruled during one of the most chaotic and politically fragmented periods of ancient Egypt, in which the Nile Delta was dotted with small Libyan kingdoms and principalities and Meshwesh dominions; as the last heir of the Tanite rulers, he inherited the easternmost parts of these kingdoms, the most involved in all the political and military upheavals that soon would afflict the Near East. During his reign, he had to face the power of, and ultimately submit himself to, the Kushite King Piye during Piye's conquest of Egypt. Osorkon IV also had to deal with the threatening Neo-Assyrian Empire outside his eastern borders.
Reign
Early years
According to the reconstruction of events by Kenneth Kitchen, Osorkon IV ascended to the throne of Tanis in c. 730 BC, after the long reign of Shoshenq V of the 22nd Dynasty, who was possibly his father and predecessor. However, this view was first challenged in 1970 by Karl-Heinz Priese, who preferred to place Osorkon IV in a lower–Egyptian branch of the 23rd Dynasty, just after the reign of the shadowy pharaoh Pedubast II; this placement found support among certain scholars. Aidan Dodson omitted Pedubast II and had Shoshenq V followed immediately by Osorkon IV, but still placed the latter in the Tanite 23rd Dynasty. More recently, Frédéric Payraudeau placed Sehetepibre Pedubast II at the start of the Tanite 23rd Dynasty, and has him succeeded by Osorkon IV. Osorkon's mother or wife, named on an electrum Egyptian and Nubian tradition|aegis] of Sekhmet now in the Louvre, was Tadibast III. Osorkon IV's realm was restricted only to the district of Tanis and the territory of Bubastis, both in the eastern Nile Delta. His neighbors were Libyan princes and Meshwesh chiefs who ruled their small realms outside of his authority.Around 729/28 BC, soon after his accession, Osorkon IV faced the invasion of the Kushite pharaoh Piye of the Nubian 25th Dynasty. Along with other rulers of Lower and Middle Egypt – mainly Nimlot of Hermopolis and Iuput II of Leontopolis – Osorkon IV joined the coalition led by the Chief of the West Tefnakht in order to oppose the Nubian. However, Piye's advance was unstoppable and the opposing rulers surrendered one after another: Osorkon IV found it wise to reach the Temple of Ra at Heliopolis and pay homage to his new overlord Piye personally— an action which was soon imitated by the other rulers. As reported on his Victory Stela, Piye accepted their submission, but Osorkon and most of the rulers were not allowed to enter the royal enclosure because they were not circumcised and had eaten fish, both abominations in the eyes of the Nubian. Nevertheless, Osorkon IV and the others were allowed to keep their former domains and authority.
The Assyrian threat
In 726/25 BC Hoshea, the last King of Israel, rebelled against the Assyrian King Shalmaneser V who demanded an annual tribute, and, according to the second Book of Kings, sought the support of So, King of Egypt who, as already mentioned, was most likely Osorkon IV. For reasons which remained unknown – possibly in order to remain neutral towards the powerful Neo-Assyrian Empire, or simply because he did not have enough power or resources – King So did not help Hoshea, who was subsequently defeated and deposed by Shalmaneser V. The Kingdom of Israel ceased to exist, many Israelites were brought to Assyria as exiles, and Assyrian and Babylonian settlers occupied Israel.Battle of Raphia (720 BC)
In 720 BC, a revolt occurred in Palestine against the new Assyrian King Sargon II, led by King Hanunu of Gaza who sought the help of "Pirʾu of Musri", a term most probably meaning "Pharaoh of Egypt" and referring to Osorkon IV. Assyrian sources claim that this time the Egyptian king did send a turtanu called Reʾe or Reʾu as well as troops in order to support his neighboring ally. However, the coalition was defeated in battle at Raphia. Reʾe fled back to Egypt, Raphia and Gaza were looted and Hanunu was burnt alive by the Assyrians.In 716 BC, Sargon II almost reached Egypt's boundaries. Feeling directly threatened this time, Osorkon IV was carefully diplomatic: he personally met the Assyrian king at the "Brook of Egypt" and tributed him with a present which Sargon personally described as "twelve large horses of Egypt without equals in Assyria". The Assyrian king appreciated his gifts and did not take action against Osorkon IV.
End
No mention of Osorkon IV is known after 716 BC. Some archaeological evidence suggest that shortly after this date, Bakenranef of the 24th Dynasty expanded his realm eastward, taking over Tanis. In 712 BC, Piye's successor Shebitku marched northward and defeated Bakenranef. When around the same year King Iamani of Ashdod sought refuge from Sargon II in Egypt, Shebitku was in fact the sole ruler of Egypt, and returned Iamani to the Assyrians in chains. In any case, Osorkon IV was seemingly dead before that year.Whether it was Osorkon IV or a successor who was possibly supplanted by Bakenranef, Osorkon IV's line appears to have survived for decades. His immediate successor seems to have been the recently identified King Neferkare Pami II, who was eventually followed at Tanis by Shepseskare Gemenefkhonsbak, Sekhemkare, and Pedubast III.