Amenemhat II

The successors of Mentuhotep II in the 11th dynasty maintained the unity he had restored, though their reigns were shorter and focused mainly on consolidating control within the borders.

The last ruler of that line, Mentuhotep IV, left few major monuments, and the transition to a new family occurred smoothly when a vizier named Amenemhat rose to the throne as Amenemhatai.

He came from a Theban background but recognised the practical advantages of a more central location for governing the entire country.

Early in his reign, he established a new capital called Ixtawi, which means Sizer of the Two Lands, situated near the entrance to the Fayum Oasis and not far from the old centre at Memphis.

Within the country, he supported temple building at sites such as Karnak and Heliopolis, ensuring that the priesthoods received regular offerings and that the gods continued to be honoured according to tradition.

The court at Itjatawi grew more organised, with departments handling everything from the collection of taxes in kind to the distribution of tools for provincial projects.

The next rulers, Amenemhat II and Sinusret II, maintained this stability and focused on further agricultural improvements.

CNUSRET II in particular expanded the Fayum irrigation network, adding more dikes and sluice gates that allowed farmers to regulate water levels with greater precision.