Neferirkare Kakai

Neferirkare Kakai
Neferirkara, Neferarkare, Nefercherês
Neferirkare Kakai, originally depicted as prince Ranefer, on a relief from the mortuary complex of his father Sahure. His royal title and regalia were added later during his own reign.[1][2]
Pharaoh
Reign	Around 17 years c. 2477 – c. 2460 BC[note 1]
Predecessor	Sahure
Successor	Neferefre (most likely) or Shepseskare
Royal titulary Horus name Userkhau Wsr ḫˁ.w Strong of appearances[18] Nebty name Khaemnebty Ḫˁ m nbty Who has appeared [by means of] the Two Ladies[18] Userkhau Wsr ḫˁ.w Strong of appearances [by means of] the Two Ladies[18] Golden Horus Sekhemunebu Sḫm.w nb-w The triple power[18] The three powers[19] Prenomen  (Praenomen) Neferirkare Nfr-jr(.w)-k3-Rˁ The perfect one is the one whom the Ka of Ra has engendered[18] Beautiful is the Soul of Ra[20] Nomen Kakai k3 k3.j Uncertain translation: may be a short form of his throne name[21][22]or a birth name meaning My Ka is a true Ka[18]
Consort	Khentkaus II
Children	Neferefre ♂, Nyuserre Ini ♂, Iryenre ♂, Khentkaus III ♀
Father	Sahure
Mother	Meretnebty (also known as Neferetnebty)
Died	c. 2460 BC
Burial	Pyramid of Neferirkare
Monuments	Pyramid Ba-Neferirkare Sun temple Setibre
Dynasty	5th Dynasty

Neferirkare Kakai (known in Greek as Nefercherês, Νεφερχέρης; died c. 2460 BC) was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the third king of the Fifth Dynasty. Neferirkare, the eldest son of Sahure with his consort Meretnebty, was known as Ranefer A before he came to the throne. He acceded the day after his father's death and reigned for around 17 years, sometime in the early to mid-25th century BCE. He was himself very likely succeeded by his eldest son, born of his queen Khentkaus II, the prince Ranefer B who would take the throne as king Neferefre. Neferirkare fathered another pharaoh, Nyuserre Ini, who took the throne after Neferefre's short reign and the brief rule of the poorly known Shepseskare.

Neferirkare was acknowledged by his contemporaries as a kind and benevolent ruler, intervening in favour of his courtiers after a mishap. His rule witnessed a growth in the number of administration and priesthood officials, who used their expanded wealth to build architecturally more sophisticated mastabas, where they recorded their biographies for the first time. Neferirkare was the last pharaoh to significantly modify the standard royal titulary, separating the nomen or birth name, from the prenomen or throne name. From his reign onwards, the former was written in a cartouche preceded by the "Son of Ra" epithet. His rule witnessed continuing trade relations with Nubia to the south and possibly with Byblos on the Levantine coast to the north.

Neferirkare started a pyramid for himself in the royal necropolis of Abusir, called Ba-Neferirkare meaning "Neferirkare is a Ba". It was initially planned to be a step pyramid, a form which had not been employed since the days of the Third Dynasty around 120 years earlier. This plan was modified to transform the monument into a true pyramid, the largest in Abusir, which was never completed owing to the death of the king. In addition, Neferirkare built a temple to the sun god Ra called Setibre, that is "Site of the heart of Ra". Ancient sources state that it was the largest one built during the Fifth Dynasty but as of the early 21st century it has not yet been located.

After his death, Neferirkare benefited from a funerary cult taking place in his mortuary temple, which had been completed by his son Nyuserre Ini. This cult seems to have disappeared at the end of the Old Kingdom period, although it might have been revived during the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom, albeit in a very limited form. In all probability, it was also around this time that the story of the Papyrus Westcar was first written, a tale where Userkaf, Sahure and Neferirkare are said to be brothers, the sons of Ra with a woman Rededjet.

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