During the time of the 13TH Dynasty a number of minor kings ruled in certain localized areas. The one king that is known to have reigned from this dynasty is Nehesy. He was a high official who took on the royal title when the country began to fragment. Avaris became the powerful capital city for the Hyksos to rule from in the Second Intermediate Period. 
 
 

During this period Egypt was fragmented at the beginning of the Second Intermediate Period,the capital was Thebes. The period ended with the king of Thebes, Ahmose, defeating the Hyksos kings at their capital of Avaris. In the time between the beginning and the end of this period there were many political and cultural changes in Egypt, but these differed in the different areas due to the fragmentation of rule.

Sekerer`s name has been uncovered on a door jamb that was re-used at Tell El-Dab`A in an 18TH Dynasty building. Many of the other rulers names have only been found on scarabs. It is thought that these may be local officials who took on the royal title, although they were probably only ruling over a small area. 

The height of the Hyksos period was during the reign of Aauserra Apepi (c 1555 BC) shown by a revival of scribal traditions of earlier Egyptian periods. However, two kings from Thebes led campaigns against him. The "Rhind Mathematical Papyrus" was copied during his reign. This could only have been achieved by a very skilled scribe who had access to specialized mathematical texts. This sort of texts were available at the Temple of Ptah at Memphis. A stele has been found here which was erected after the "New Kingdom" which listed a line of priests back to the 11TH Dynasty. The names of the King Apepi is recorded on this.

The Hyksos traded with Palestine, the Levant and also with Cyprus. They imported chariots and horses, ships, timber, gold,lapis lazuli, silver, turquoise, bronze axes, oil, incense, fat and honey.

The Avarian King claimed to be King of Upper and Lower Egypt. Their southern border was actually only as far as Cusae, just south of Hermopolis. This area included both Itjtawy and Memphis.

It would appear that the Hyksos had control of the route from "Sako" via the Western Oases to Tumas in Nubia. The Hyksos king could therefore contact his allies, the Kings of Kush, and gave them access to gold.

These rulers were based in Upper (Southern) Egypt. It is known that King Iykhernefert Neferhotep ruled from Thebes. A large stele has been recovered there, when he is described as "A Victorious King, beloved of his army, one who nourishes his town, who defeats his rebels, who reconciles rebellious foreign lands". His name was also found at Gebelein. It is known from stele erected by officials that a pattern of the King being succeeded by his son re-emerged. The kings married women from important official families which led to the allegiance of many local towns. The 16th Dynasty Theban kings ruled at the same time as the Hyksos15th Dynasty.

Contact with Lower Egypt (Northern) was denied to Thebes. The archives at Memphis were therefore no longer accessible to the Theban scribes. A new collection of texts for the funerary rituals was now needed. The "Book of the Dead" ( A collection of funerary spells) has been dated to the 16th Dynasty and was found on a coffin of the wife of King Djehuty.

The first 17th Dynasty King, Rahotep,is known to have restored temples at Abydos and Koptos. His successor, Sobekemsaf II,sent an expedition to the Wadi Hammamat quarries. The shape of coffins in Upper Egypt developed from large rectangular ones to anthropoid coffins painted in a feather pattern. The tombs of the kings and officials contained many funerary objects but the tombs were rarely decorated. Some earlier tombs were actually re-used.

For a period of time during the reign of the Theban kings, Elephantine (near Aswan) was independently ruled. The Nubians also raided the area on occasions. As this area was fairly isolated it formed links with the "King of Kush" . Taxes needed to be paid to him in order to keep the river open between Thebes and the forts. King Kamose (from Thebes) managed to retake the Kushite town of Buhen, opening the route to the gold mines again.

During the reign of King Taa (Senakhtenra/Seqenera) the first battle between Avaris and Thebes was fort. His body shows evidence that he was murdered,an axe cut into his forehead, his cheek bone was broken and a dagger was pushed into the back of his neck. Following his death Kamose became king.

Kamose took an army and fleet north from Thebes. The town of Nefrusi, north of Cusae, was taken, from where he continued to Sako (El-Qes) . A messenger from the Hyksos King Apepi was dIiscovered here and soldiers were sent to Bahariya Oasis, to prevent further communication. When Kamose reached Avaris, his fleet formed a blockade around the city. Avaris was not attacked and King Apepi would not engage in battle. Despite the fact that no battle was actually fort there, King Kamose looked on the confrontation as his victory.

There were no further attacks made upon Avaris by the Thebans for eleven years when Kamose`s successor (Ahmose) led an army north again. During the gap between the two confrontations both King Kamose and King Aauserra Apepi had died. The reign of Ahmose marks the beginning of the New Kingdom and the 18th Dynasty.