Osorkon I

Preceded by: Shoshenq I	Pharaoh of Egypt 22nd Dynasty	Succeeded by: Shoshenq IIa
Osorkon I
Manetho: Osorthon
The Bust of Osorkon I from Byblos on exhibition at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden. (©Khaemwaset)
Reign
922–887 BC (35 years)
Royal Titulary Praenomen Sekhemkheperre-Setepenre Powerful Manifestation of Re, Chosen of Re Nomen Osorkon-Meryamun Osorkon, Beloved of Amun Horus name Kanakhte-Meryre Strong Bull, Beloved of Re Nebty name Seaakheperuwerbiaut He Magnifies Manifestations and is Great of Marvels Golden Horus Nakhtekhepeshderpedjut-9 Strong-armed one who has Repelled the Nine Bows
Legacy
Father	Shoshenq I
Mother	Karomama A
Consort(s)	Maatkare C, Tashedkhonsu, Shepensopdet A
Issue	Shoshenq Q (=IIa?), Iuwalot, Smendes III, Takelot I
Died	887 BC
Burial	Unknown, probably at Tanis.
Monuments	Per-Sekhemkheperre

For other pages by this name, see Osorkon.

Sekhemkheperre-Setepenre Osorkon (transliteration: wsỉrkn) was the second Pharaoh of the Twenty-second Dynasty during the Third Intermediate Period.

Family

Osorkon I was the eldest son of his predecessor Pharaoh Shoshenq I by Queen Karomama, who was the daughter of Psusennes II. Through his father, Osorkon was a descendant of the Great Chiefs of the Ma (Meshwesh tribe) who had a Libyan origin. His brother Iuput became High Priest of Amun at Thebes, while another brother Nimlot was an army general.

Osorkon I's sons Shoshenq Q, Iuwalot and Smendes III successively became High Priest of Amun at Thebes, while the youngest known son eventually became pharaoh as Takelot I.

British scholar Kenneth A. Kitchen expressed the view that Pharaoh Shoshenq IIa might be identical to Osorkon I's son, Shoshenq Q. However, Shoshenq Q's decendents do not make reference to his kingship and instead only refer to him as a King's Son. Furthermore, no mention of Osorkon I's name was preserved on any ushabtis, jars, jewelry or other objects within Shoshenq II's tomb. This situation would be improbable if this king was indeed Osorkon I's son.

Dates and Length of Reign

Osorkon I probably succeeded his father Shoshenq I within a year of the latter's successful 923 BC campaign against the Philistines and the kingdom of Israel.

While Manetho gives Osorkon I a reign of 15 years in his Ægyptiaca, this is most likely an error for 35 years based on the evidence of the second Heb Sed bandage, as Kenneth Kitchen notes. Osorkon's highest known date is a Year 33 date found on the bandage of Nakhtefmut. This date can only belong to Osorkon I since no other early 22nd Dynasty king ruled for close to thirty years until further down to Osorkon II.

Burial and Succession

The location of Osorkon I's tomb and mummy remains unknown. Although Osorkon I was thought to have been directly succeeded by his son Takelot I, it now seems likely that another ruler intervened, namely Shoshenq IIa, and possibly even another, Shoshenq IIb.

Bibliography

• Kitchen, K.A., 1996: The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100–650 BC). 3rd edition. Aris & Phillips Ltd.

Predecessor: Shoshenq I

Pharaoh of Egypt 22nd Dynasty

Successor: Shoshenq IIa