Amenhotep (20th dynasty High Priest of Amun)
Amenhotep was the High Priest of Amun near the end of Egypt’s Twentieth Dynasty, serving under Ramesses IX, Ramesses X, and Ramesses XI. He was the son of Ramessesnakht, the previous high priest.
Who followed him is not certain. For a long time people thought Herihor succeeded Amenhotep, but some scholars, like Karl Jansen-Winkeln, argue that Piankh may have been his successor. The exact line of succession is debated.
Amenhotep’s career was interrupted by a serious event. The Viceroy of Kush, Pinehesy, attacked Thebes and removed Amenhotep from office before the era known as the Wehem Mesut (the Renaissance). The word often translated as “suppression” is now understood by some researchers as a more general act of aggression against the High Priest.
Pinehesy fled south and kept power in Nubia for years, at least until year 10 of the Renaissance, when he is mentioned in a letter from the High Priest Piankh. It is unclear whether Amenhotep survived this event. A badly damaged Karnak inscription suggests that Amenhotep may have been ousted and later restored after appealing to the king, but this is not certain.
Some scholars think Amenhotep’s death or replacement by Herihor happened early in the Renaissance, while others place his possible restoration later. Piankh is first securely attested in year 7 of the Renaissance, which adds to the dating confusion. There are also theories that the Tale of Woe (the Letter of Wermai) is a coded reference to the suppression of Amenhotep, implying he returned to office.
Amenhotep’s brother Nesamun, the Second Prophet of Amun, is known to have claimed the high priest title on a statue base, but he likely acted only temporarily during Amenhotep’s troubles and with Piankh’s permission.
In short, Amenhotep’s end as High Priest happened during a time of great political upheaval, and historians still debate the exact sequence of events and his ultimate fate.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 03:12 (CET).