Vizier (Ancient Egypt)


The vizier was the highest official in ancient Egypt to serve the pharaoh during the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Vizier is the generally accepted rendering of ancient Egyptian tjati, tjaty etc., among Egyptologists. The Instruction of Rekhmire, a New Kingdom text, defines many of the duties of the tjaty, and lays down codes of behavior. The viziers were often appointed by the pharaoh. During the 4th Dynasty and early 5th Dynasty, viziers were exclusively drawn from the royal family; from the period around the reign of Neferirkare Kakai onwards, they were chosen according to loyalty and talent or inherited the position from their fathers.

Responsibilities

The viziers were appointed by the pharaohs. The vizier's paramount duty was to supervise the running of the country, much like a prime minister. At times this included small details such as sampling the city's water supply. All other lesser supervisors and officials, such as tax collectors and scribes, reported to the vizier. The judiciary was part of the civil administration, and the vizier also sat in the High Court. At any time, the pharaoh could exert his own control over any aspect of government, overriding the vizier's decisions. The vizier also supervised the security of the pharaoh and the palace by overseeing the comings and goings of palace visitors. The viziers often acted as the pharaoh's seal bearer as well, and the vizier would record trade. From the Fifth Dynasty onwards, viziers, who by then were the highest civilian bureaucratic official, held supreme responsibility for the administration of the palace and government, including jurisdiction, scribes, state archives, central granaries, treasury, storage of surplus products and their redistribution, and supervision of building projects such as the royal pyramid. In the New Kingdom, there was a vizier for Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt each.

Installation of the Vizier

According to the Installation of the Vizier, a New Kingdom document describing the office of the vizier, there were certain traits and behaviors that were required to be a vizier:
  • Act by the law
  • Judge fairly
  • Do not act willfully or headstrong

    List of viziers

Early Dynastic period

VizierPharaohDynastyComments
RekhitNarmer1st DynastyRetired to look after the estates of Neithhotep in their older years
SaisetHor-Aha1st DynastyServed as administrator of the Memphite region
AmkaDjer, Djet and Merneith's regency1st DynastyServed as administrator of Her-sekhenti-dju. Retired as overseer of Royal Estates in the Delta.
SewadjkaDjet and Den1st DynastyRetired as overseer of Her-sekhenti-dju, one of the most prestigious offices of the 1st Dynasty
HemakaDen1st DynastyServed as royal sealbearer and chancellor. First non-royal to hold such a position. First dual chancellor over Her-sekhenti-dju and Her-tepi-khet.
Henu-KaSemerkhet and Qa'a1st DynastyServed both Pharaohs and supported Qa'a in his early reign
MenkaNynetjer?2nd DynastyEarliest known holder of the simplified direct title known as 'Tjaty'

Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period

VizierPharaohDynastyComments
Kagemni ISneferu4th DynastyPurported author of the Instructions of Kagemni. Not attested in contemporary sources.
NefermaatKhufu4th DynastySon of Sneferu and father of Hemiunu
HemiunuKhufu4th DynastyNefermaat's son, believed to have designed Khufu's pyramid
KawabKhufu4th DynastyEldest son and vizier of Khufu
AnkhhafKhafre4th DynastySon of Sneferu
Nefermaat IIKhafre4th DynastyNephew of Nefermaat the Elder, a son of Nefertkau I; a grandson of Sneferu
Minkhaf IKhafre4th DynastySon of Khufu, vizier under Khafre
Khufukhaf IKhafre4th DynastySon of Khufu, vizier under Khafre
NikaureLikely Menkaure4th DynastySon of Khafre
AnkhmareMenkaure4th DynastySon of Khafre
DuaenreMenkaure4th DynastySon of Khafre, vizier during the late 4th dynasty
NebemakhetMenkaure4th DynastySon of Queen Meresankh III
Iunmin IPossibly Menkaure4th DynastyPossibly son of Khafre, vizier during the late 4th dynasty
Babaef IIShepseskaf4th DynastyLikely a grandson of Khafre
Kanefer4th or 5th Dynasty
Possibly SeshathotepPossibly Userkaf5th DynastyIt is not certain if Seshathetep held the titles of a vizier
SekhemkareUserkaf and Sahure5th DynastySon of Khafre and queen Hekenuhedjet
WerbaubaSahure5th Dynasty
WashptahNeferirkare Kakai5th Dynasty
MinneferNyuserre Ini5th Dynasty
PtahshepsesNyuserre Ini5th DynastyBecame the son-in-law of Nyuserre Ini some time after his ascension to the throne.
Seshemnefer IIINyuserre Ini5th Dynasty
KayPossibly Nyuserre Ini5th Dynasty
PehenuikaiPossibly Nyuserre Ini5th Dynasty
Ptahhotep DesherMenkauhor Kaiu and/or Djedkare Isesi5th Dynasty
RashepsesDjedkare Isesi5th Dynasty
PtahhotepLikely Djedkare Isesi5th Dynasty
Ptahhotep IDjedkare Isesi5th DynastyPurported author of The Maxims of Ptahhotep
AkhethotepDjedkare Isesi5th DynastySon of Ptahhotep I
Senedjemib IntiDjedkare Isesi5th Dynasty
Senedjemib MehiDjedkare Isesi and Unas5th Dynastypossible son-in-law of Unas, vizier during the early 6th dynasty
Ptahhotep IIUnas5th Dynasty
Akhethetep HemiUnas5th Dynasty
IhyUnas5th Dynasty
NiankhbaUnas5th Dynasty
Sekhem-ankh-Ptah5th or 6th DynastyDating uncertain, may have been the son-in-law of a Pharaoh
NefersheshemreTeti6th Dynasty
KagemniTeti6th Dynastyson-in-law of Teti
MererukaTeti6th Dynastyson-in-law of Teti
KhentikaTeti6th Dynasty
MehuTeti or Pepi I6th Dynasty
AnkhmahorTeti – Pepi I6th Dynasty
MerefnebefPossibly Userkare6th DynastyMerefnebef was also named Fefi and Unasankh
HeriTeti – Pepi I6th DynastyMay have participated in the assassination of Teti
MerytetiPepi I6th Dynastygrandson of Teti, son of Mereruka
Iunmin IIPepi I6th Dynasty
NebetPepi I6th DynastyFirst woman appointed vizier, mother-in-law of Pepi I
Inenek-IntiPepi I6th DynastyConsort of Pepi I
TjetjuPepi I6th Dynasty
QarPepi I6th Dynasty
DjauPepi I6th Dynastybrother-in-law of Pepi I, son of Nebet
RawerPepi I6th Dynasty
WeniMerenre Nemtyemsaf I6th DynastyLikely the same person as vizier Neferwenmeryre
TetiPepi II6th Dynasty
Hemre, Isi6th or 8th Dynasty
Pepyankh the Middle6th or 8th Dynasty
Pepy-ankh the black6th or 8th Dynasty
ShemayNeferkaure and Neferkauhor8th Dynastyson-in-law of Neferkauhor, nomarch of Coptos, later vizier
IdyPossibly Neferirkare8th Dynastyson of Shemay

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period

VizierPharaohDynastyComments
BebiMentuhotep II11th Dynasty
DagiMentuhotep II11th Dynasty
AmenemhatMentuhotep IV11th DynastyLater succeeded Mentuhotep IV on the throne as Amenemhat I, first Pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty
IpiAmenemhat I12th Dynasty
IntefiqerAmenemhat I
Senusret I		12th DynastyHe is indicated in the Wadi el-Hudi as being involved in military missions in Lower Nubia.
SenusretSenusret I
Amenemhat II		12th Dynasty
AmenyAmenemhat II12th Dynasty
AmenemhatankhPossibly Amenemhat II12th Dynasty
SieseAmenemhat II12th Dynasty
NebitSenusret III12th Dynasty
Khnumhotep IIISenusret III12th Dynasty
KhetiAmenemhat III12th Dynasty
AmenyAmenemhat III12th Dynasty
ZamonthAmenemhat III12th Dynasty
Senewosret-Ankh12th-13th Dynasty
Khenmes13th Dynasty
AnkhuKhendjer13th Dynasty
Resseneb13th dynastySon of Ankhu
Iymeru13th DynastySon of Ankhu
Neferkare IymeruSobekhotep IV13th Dynasty
Sobka called Bebi13th Dynasty
IbiawWahibre Ibiau or Merneferre Ay13th Dynasty
SonbhenafWahibre Ibiau or Merneferre Ay, or Sekhemre Sementawy Djehutyuncertain
AyaIni I13th DynastyAya was Governor of El Kab before being appointed vizier in year 1 of Ini I, as reported in the Juridical Stela
Ayameru13th DynastyAyameru was the younger son of Aya and succeeded him in office, as reported in the Juridical Stela