PEPI I

third king of the 6th dynasty (c. 2325-c. 2150 BC) of ancient Egypt, whose reign saw the spread of trade and conquest and a growth in the influence of powerful provincials from Upper Egypt. Pepi was the son of Teti, founder of the 6th dynasty. Before succeeding his father, Pepi had to cope with a usurper whose early success forced Pepi to seek the aid of Upper Egyptian potentates to gain control of the kingdom. Two of Pepi's chief queens were sisters of his vizier, one of the Upper Egyptian potentates; they each bore a son who succeeded to the throne. Pepi I initiated a policy of intensive penetration of Nubia, south of the First Nile Cataract. Inscriptions record journeys southward early in his reign. Fragments of vessels bearing the king's name were excavated at Kerma, though some scholars believe that the vessels were brought there later. Uni, another Upper Egyptian and a close confidant of the king, recruited troops from Nubia as well as from Egypt in preparation for raids against rebellious Bedouins of the northeastern frontier. Extensive trade with Lebanon is attested by numerous vessels made during Pepi's reign and found at Byblos. An Upper Egyptian biography mentions frequent journeys to Punt, on the Somali coast of eastern Africa. Pepi's courtiers also led quarrying expeditions to various parts of Egypt, and remains of a temple of the king have been found deep in the Nile delta. Pepi's pyramid complex was built at Saqqarah, southwest of Cairo; its name, MeneferPepi, eventually became attached to Memphis, the capital of Egypt.