Horemheb

Horemheb was a commoner who rose to prominence as a military leader under the pharaohs Tutankhamun and Ay. He became the regent of Egypt after the death of Tutankhamun, and later succeeded Ay as the pharaoh. He is considered the last ruler of the 18th dynasty, which had been marked by the religious revolution of Akhenaton, who had replaced the worship of Amon with that of Aton. Horemheb reversed the policies of Akhenaton and restored the traditional cult of Amon. He also initiated a series of reforms to reestablish the stability and prosperity of Egypt. He erased the names of Akhenaton and his successors from the official records and monuments, and claimed to be the successor of Amenhotep III. He built several impressive structures at Karnak, Thebes, and Saqqara, and decorated them with scenes of his military and religious achievements. He also reorganized the administration and the judiciary, and appointed officials from the military ranks. He had no heirs, so he chose his vizier Ramesses I as his successor, who founded the 19th dynasty. Horemheb was buried in a royal tomb in the Valley of the Kings, which was later plundered and damaged. His mummy has not been identified with certainty.