SMENDES

flourished 11th century BC also called Nesbenebded king of Egypt (107044 BC), founder of the 21st dynasty, who permanently established the capital at Tanis, in the northeast Nile River delta, while high priests of Amon ruled Thebes and Upper Egypt. Smendes, a native of the delta, probably secured his right to rule though his queen, Tentamon, who was possibly related to the previous dynasty. Though the high priests of Amon held the real power in Upper Egypt, they recognized Smendes as pharaoh and cooperated with him. Smendes was evidently buried at Tanis, as shown by a piece of his funerary equipment found there.