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History of Palestine

The Egyptians began challenging the Hyksos domination of their country from Thebes (Luxor) in southern Egypt. To instigate a quarrel with the revolting Egyptians, Apophis, the Hyksos king, sent the Egyptian king, Seqenenre, a message demanding that he stop molesting the hippopotami in the palace pools of Thebes.

The Hyksos king complained that the noisy roaring of the hippopotami kept him awake at night in his palace in Avaris. The hippopotami could not, of course, be heard in Avaris, but the message was enough to start a war.

Segenenre, the Egyptian king, was killed as a result of multiple wounds inflicted to his head and his skull still survives at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It shows that the most damaging wound had occurred on the back of the skull. Was Seqenenre killed before he could even turn to defend himself?

Was he the victim of a conspiracy?

He was succeeded by his son Kamose who also died mysteriously during the campaigns against the Hyksos. However, his younger brother, Amos, successfully repelled the Hyksos driving them back to Avaris where they were besieged for several years. Amos finally concluded a treaty with them and they apparently departed unmolested back to Palestine in 1567 BC.

In retrospect, it could be said that the Hyksos occupation of Egypt was beneficial in the highest degree. Before their invasion, Egypt had deteriorated into a static and chaotic state. In contrast, the Canaanites had an astonishing number of cities with flourishing industries and trade and they had developed a considerable degree of luxury in their manners. Canaanite culture, therefore, presented itself to the Egyptians as a perfected and independent one. In the articles of luxury, the Egyptians also found much to learn and envy, as the love of display of all the petty Canaanite princes had increased their demand for jewels and costly vessels. After the expulsion of the Hyksos, we therefore see the magnificent Egyptian New Kingdom immediately come into being, with Egyptian art, architecture and military strength reaching epic heights.

Egypt began stretching out beyond its borders and when Pharoach Thutmose III carried out incessant raids into Palestine, the Canaanites decided for a showdown with this adventurous pharaoh. In 1468 BC, old history’s greatest battle, “Armageddon”, took place in Megiddo, Palestine. Three hundred and thirty Canaanite and Syrian princess, with a large and formidable-looking allied army, including about one thousand chariots, some of which were made of gold and silver, faced Thutmose and the Egyptian army on the hills of Megiddo. Thutmose was victorious and Palestine, along with Syria, went under Egyptian suzerainty.

The great battle of Armageddon catapulled Egypt into the role of the superpower of the civilized world. The Hittites of Asia Minor, however, were to rival Egypt and the rich Canaanite coastline was to become a tug of war between these two powers.