Merkawre Sobekhotep
Merkawre Sobekhotep was an Ancient Egyptian petty king during the Second Intermediate Period. His chronological position within this period is unclear. The period represents the transition between the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom, a time of climate change and socio-economic problems leading to political turmoil with numerous claimants to the throne throughout the country.
Biography
Reign
Merkaure had a short reign of two regnal years. Not much is known about this king besides some attestations found in the Karnak Temple, Thebes, Upper Egypt. These items may indicate that he ruled at Karnak or they were brought to Karnak as looted items. One object refers to the local deity Amun, while another refers to the Mouth/Speaker of Nekhen, a town further south. However, his name in the Karnak King List shows that he was not omitted and forgotten by people in the Thebaid region. The order of succession is unclear as he does not provide any evidence of his right to succession.Family
Children
The attestations mentions two King's Sons who may have been his sons. However, they are apparently adult with several titles. Considering the short reign of the king, the king's sons were either born non-royal or may have gotten their titles from another king.Titulary (Royal names)
His Horus, Nebty, and Golden Horus names are unknown.His prenomen mr-kꜣw-rꜥ can be transliterated as Merkawre or Merkaure, and translated as masc. "mr" + "Ka.w" + "Ra" ", "Beloved Kas of Ra". The name can be compared to Khakaure Senusret II of the 12th Dynasty.
His nomen Sobekhotep consist of the elements Sobek + hotep. The name became popular as a common name during the 12th Dynasty and became a royal name for several rulers during the 13th Dynasty.
Attestations
Merkaure is only attested by a few attestations mainly from Thebes, Upper Egypt, with one reference to Nekhen.Contemporary
Merkawre Sobekhotep is attested by a scarab-seal of unknown origin.He is also attested by two statues dedicated to Amun. The statues were originally from Karnak and are now in the Egyptian Museum and in the Louvre Museum respectively. The statues present Merkawre Sobekhotep with two sons Bebi and Sobekhotep, both bearing the titles of "king's son" and of "court official".
Seated Statue Louvre E 7824
At Karnak, a pink granite seated statue with the royal name.Seated Statue Cairo JE 43599
At Karnak, a granite seated statue dedicated to Amun with the royal name of mr-kꜣw-rꜥ sbk-ḥtp. Also mentioned Bebi King's Son, Seb Official, Mouth of Hierakonpolis and Sobekhotep King's Son, Seb Official, Mouth of Hierakonpolis.Bebi may be mentioned in Bologna EG 1927 as "king's son", and Stela Cairo CG 20578 as “senior king's son” and “true king's son”.