The Theban Monarchy c. 1524–1514 BCE

Only decades after facing near annihilation from the depredations of the Hyksos from the north and the Kushites from the south, the first two rulers of the 18th Dynasty accomplished a stunning turnaround. Kamose, the founder, in a brief reign drove the Hyksos back into their Nile delta strongholds and established a bulkhead in Nubia by recapturing the strategic fortress of Buhen on the second cataract. The recovery stalled on Kamose’s death until his son Ahmose I reached adulthood in 1529 BCE. In the south, he reconquered the vital gold mining regions and established fortifications to block Kushite retaliation. In the north, after repeated campaigns, he captured the Hyksos capital in the delta at Tell el-Daba. Then, with the clear intent of extinguishing the Hyksos threat permanently he drove on to their heartland of Canaan, laying waste to the countryside and destroying the key city of Sharuhen.