The ‘commander of the ruler’s crew’: some remarks about a high military title in the Second Intermediate Period and the Egyptian army in the 17th dynasty

It is difficult to gain a clear view of Egyptian military organisation and warfare in the first half of the 2nd millennium BC, due to the absence of clear and telling evidence in archaeological and literary record. However, it is possible to produce an overall picture by evaluating the number of records for military-ranked men and their effect on Egypt’s social and political history. Among the more recorded military titles in the Second Intermediate Period, the ‘commander of the ruler’s crew’ (#Tw n Tt Hq#), which probably refers to the command of naval forces, becomes more relevant amongst the high military officers, and more important at the Royal Court and the leadership of the Egyptian troops. While the 13th dynasty records show close familial and political ties within the echelons of the Late Middle Kingdom administration, these military officers could be considered the core officers of the Egyptian army by the 17th dynasty, who oversaw the defence of the Theban Kingdom. In this period, they seem to be, far more than just naval officers, more evidently the ‘senior officers’ of the 17th dynasty army. This paper describes and explains the role of the ‘commander of the ruler’s crew’, and considers the emergence and characteristics of the title, his records, and military tasks, until the sudden disappearance of the role at the beginning of the New Kingdom.