Intef Nakhtnebtepnefer (Intef III, Inyotef III, Antef III) was the fourth pharaoh of the Eleventh Dynasty. He took the rather hopeful Horus name Nakhtnebtepnefer (“Horus, the victorious one, Lord of the good beginning”). Intef III successfully defended the territory that Intef II had won and held territory as far as the seventeenth nome of Upper Egypt. However, he left little mark on history because he only reigned for about eight years.
He was the son of his predecessor, Intef II. This is confirmed by the biographical detail in the tomb of Tjetjy who acted as treasurer for both pharaohs. Tjetjy confirms;
“Then, when his son (Intef II) assumed his place, Horus Nakht-neb-Tepnefer, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Son of Re, Intef, fashioner of beauty, living like Re, forever, I followed him to all his good seats of pleasure.”
He is also thought to be the father of Montuhotep II, who successfully reunited Egypt. This view is supported by a relief found at Wadi Shatt el-Rigal (near Gebel es-Silsila) and the decoration on a block of masonry in the temple of Montu at Tod which seems to depict Montuhotep II with three kings named Intef (Intef I, Intef II, and Intef III). However, it is also proposed by some that Montuhotep II was not related to Intef III, but wished to be associated with him to ensure his position as pharaoh.
Intef III was buried in a saff (row) tomb in el Tarif (near Thebes) next to Intef I and Intef II, near Deir el-Bahri (the site of Montuhotep II’s Mortuary Temple).
Bibliography
- Bard, Kathryn (2008) An introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
- Dodson, A and Hilton, D. (2004) The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt
- Hornung, Erik (1999) History of Ancient Egypt
- Rice, Michael (1999) Who’s Who in Ancient Egypt
- Strudwick, Nigel and Helen (1999) Thebes in Egypt
- Wilkinson, Richard H. and Weeks, Kent Editors (2016) The Oxford Handbook of the Valley of the Kings
Copyright J Hill 2010