The fourteenth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty
Prenomen: Kheperkheperura–Irimaat
Also known as: Aja · Aya
Accession 1322 BC
End of reign 1320 BC
Duration 2 years
Highest attested year Year 4
Ay is believed to be the father of Nefertiti. the wife of Akhenaten. When Tutankhamun died, his powerful vizier Ay quickly stepped in and assumed kingship, despite fact that general Horemhab was the designated heir. Manetho assigned Armais with a reign for 4-5 years, which usually has been assigned to Ay instead, based on his known highest date of 4 years. It is now believed that the assignation of Armais to Horemhab was correct, but the number of years should be raised by ten. This leaves Ay unaccounted for by Manetho, unless one of the three(!) Akenchereses could somehow be assigned to Ay.
Titulary & Hieroglyphs
References
- Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 18 (1912): pp. 374–380
- Beckerath, J., 1999. “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2 ed., MÄS 49 (1999): pp. 146–147
- Leprohon, R. J., 2013. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary. pp. 106–107
- Baker. D. D., 2008. The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I. pp. 62–65
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