Amenhotep III,

Amenhotep III, also known as Amenophis III, ruled ancient Egypt from 1386 to 1349 B.C. during a period of peaceful prosperity. He dedicated himself to expanding diplomatic relations and extensive construction projects in Egypt and Nubia.

In the fifth year of his reign, Amenhotep led campaigns against an area called Akuyata in Nubia. Following this, his reign remained peaceful, aside from some disturbances in the Nile River delta, which were quelled by Amenhotep's most prominent official, Son of Hapu, who carefully regulated access into Egypt by land and sea.

In his early years, Amenhotep III enjoyed hunting, following the tradition of his father, Thutmose IV, and grandfather, Amenhotep II. On two occasions, he issued large commemorative scarabs to celebrate his achievements. Early in his reign, he married Tiy, a commoner known for her intelligence and capability. She became the chief queen and bore him the reformist king, Akhenaten. In the eleventh year of his reign, Amenhotep ordered the excavation of a large inland basin, the location of which remains unknown.

Utilizing the talents of Son of Hapu, the king embarked on a significant construction program, including his own mortuary temple in western Thebes, with the Colossi of Memnon as its most prominent feature, and a major temple at Soleb in Nubia. His palace complex at Malkata in western Thebes was connected to the Nile by a large artificial harbor, the Birket Habu. Additionally, the king constructed the main portions of the temple at Luxor and a pylon in the temple at Karnak, both located in ancient Thebes. He also erected numerous buildings in Memphis.

Amenhotep engaged in lively diplomatic exchanges with other great contemporary powers, as evidenced by the Amarna Letters, a diplomatic archive of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. These letters reveal exchanges of Egyptian gold for horses, copper, and lapis lazuli from Asia. He formed political alliances through marriage with the sisters and daughters of the kings of Mitanni, a powerful empire in northern Syria, and Babylon, and sought to marry a Hittite princess. Diplomatic correspondence was also sent to Assyria, Cyprus, and several Syrian vassals of Egypt. Later in Amenhotep's reign, Tushratta, the ruler of Mitanni, sent a divine image to Egypt to cure the ailing king. Queen Tiy played a significant role in his final days, with Tushratta maintaining correspondence with her after her husband's death.

Thus, Amenhotep III stands as a witness to an era of prosperity in ancient Egypt, embodying peaceful rule, comprehensive construction projects, and laying the groundwork for effective diplomatic relations that nurtured Egyptian civilization and contributed to its illustrious history.