famous bust of nefertiti now in the berlin museum
The kings of the Theban dynasty are grouped in the 16th Dynasty. At the same time, the Hyksos pressed on further to the South as well, and after it had been independant for about 20 years, they made an end to the Abydene Dynasty. It would take them another 30 years before they would succesfully end the 16th Dynasty and enforcing their rule upon the entire country. The Hyksos kings, however, were not able to maintain their control over the whole of Egypt, and only a few years after it had been conquered, Thebes again arose as an independent state, and home to the 17th Dynasty. The circumstances that led to Thebes' renewed independance are not clear. A change of power in the 15th Dynasty may hint at some dynastic troubles among the Hyksos, and it is possible that the Thebans took advantage of the situation not only to reclaim their autonomy but also to extend their rule as far North as Abydos. After the Theban conquest of Abydos, a status quo appears to have been established between the 15th and 17th Dynasty and both dynasties even appear to have entered into trade. This situation lasted at least until the reign of Seqenenre, the penultimate king of the 17th Dynasty, during which hostilities between the Thebans and the Hyksos appear to have been reinitiated.
