By the time of the Twelfth Dynasty, the Ancient Egyptian nobility had grown quite economically prosperous and politically well-connected. Naturally, this made the noble class a substantial potential threat to the reigning pharaonic dynasty, which could all too easily be overthrown by a cabal of one or more ambitious aristocratic families. In fact, a noble-led coup had overthrown the last Old Kingdom pharaoh. Although a few pharaohs had attempted to redress this power imbalance, their reforms had either been unsuccessful or quite short-lived. All this changed, however, upon the ascension of Senusret III to the throne. Senusret III was determined to end the noble’s dominance once and for all, and he did so, using a shrewdly crafted plan that involved the revocation of the traditional rights of the nobility and the closing of special courts. Senusret III’s policies broke the back of Ancient Egyptian aristocratic power; gradually, the wealth and political influence of the noble class drained away. A new middle class rose up in replacement, filled with craftsmen, tradesmen, and small farmers.

It is generally believed that women in ancient Egypt enjoyed substantial rights when compared to their contemporaries in other ancient societies. Women could own property, seek divorce, receive inheritance, pursue legal justice, and serve as priestesses.

The Eleventh Dynasty is the first ruling dynasty of the Middle Kingdom period of Egyptian history. The Eleventh Dynasty began during the First Intermediate Period. During the First Intermediate Period, there were two competing dynasties based in Thebes and Heracleopolis. The Eleventh Dynasty, based in Thebes, conquered their rivals in Heracleopolis and reunified Egypt, thus beginning the Middle Kingdom.

Marriage was very common in ancient Egyptian society and most people would have gotten married in their teenage years. The vast majority of Egyptians were monogamous, with the notable exception of many Egyptian rulers. Some Pharaohs would take multiple wives and then one of those would rule as queen or “chief wife.”

During the Old and Middle Kingdoms, it was very uncommon for women to participate in the Egyptian priesthood. The notable exception to this was the cult of Hathor. Hathor is one of the more important Goddesses in the ancient Egyptian pantheon. She is associated with motherhood, femininity, and love.

Tomb raiding was common throughout ancient Egyptian history. Seeing as tomb raiding involved the desecration of a former ruler’s remains and the theft of this property, it is reasonable to infer that religious worship and adherence to social norms must not have been uniform in Egyptian society. After all, conventional Egyptian wisdom declared that a Pharaoh lived forever, as a God after his death, and therefore desecrating his tomb would naturally seem to incur divine retribution. For some people to have done this, means they must not have feared the consequences of their actions.

In ancient Egyptian society, property was generally passed down to the surviving members of the family after someone had died. An individual could specify, in their will, to whom they wished to leave their possessions. Women were more equal in Egyptian society than elsewhere and could both pass down and inherit property. Both sons and daughters expected an equal share of their parent’s wealth unless otherwise stipulated.

According to ancient Egyptian belief, a Pharaoh acquired divinity upon coronation. This reflects how the ancient Egyptians recognized the divinity of the office of the Pharaoh, but conceded that the ruler himself was still a human man. Some Egyptologists disagree with this contention and argue that Pharaohs only acquired divinity after their death. There is some debate about this matter, but general consensus is that the Pharaoh became a living deity when he was crowned.

Rock-throwing slings, bow and arrows, and spears were all common weapons from the Pre-Dynastic Period onwards. There is no archaeological record of constructed, rope wound weapons like cross bows.

The Hyksos are primarily notable for invading Egypt and bringing to an end the rule of the Middle Kingdom. In the mid-seventeenth century BCE, the Hyksos invaded the fractured and weak ruling dynasties in Egypt and swiftly conquered them. The Hyksos ruled over Egypt for approximately a century before they were overthrown.