Late Period
Nepherites I (Nefaarud)
29th Dynasty (Mendesian) · 399-380 BCE
Reign begins399 BCE
Reign ends393 BCE
Dynasty span399-380 BCE
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Founding the 29th Dynasty
Nepherites I defeated and executed Amyrtaeus, establishing himself as pharaoh and moving the capital to Mendes in the delta. He positioned himself as a protector of traditional Saite culture, engaging in building projects and supporting religious centers like the Apis bull cult at Saqqara. To secure Egypt's sovereignty against potential Persian reconquest, he utilized a naval fleet to project power along the eastern Mediterranean coast and formed strategic alliances with Spartan forces.