INTEF II

flourished 21st century BC also called Wahankh Intef third king of the 11th dynasty (20811939 BC) in Egypt, who, during his long reign, successfully warred against the allies of the Heracleopolitansrulers of Middle and Lower (northern) Egypt composing the 9th and 10th dynasties. In 2065 BC Intef II succeeded his father, who had declared his independence of the Heracleopolitans and gathered the five southernmost nomes (administrative districts) of Upper Egypt under his leadership. Intef II started his reign with a vigorous thrust northward; his tomb inscription suggests that he expanded his kingdom by conquest, thus acquiring two very important areasAbydos, the chief religious centre (sacred to Osiris) of the Middle Kingdom, and the Thinite nome, home of the earliest kings of a united Egypt. Perhaps following this successful war, Intef concluded peace with the Heracleopolitans. After a prosperous reign of 50 years, Intef was buried in a tomb in western Thebes.