Editing Hyksos (section)

===Background and arrival in Egypt===
The only ancient account of the whole Hyksos period is by the Hellenistic Egyptian historian [[Manetho]], who exists only as quoted by others.{{sfn|Raspe|1998|p=126–128}} As recorded by Josephus, Manetho describes the beginning of Hyksos rule thus:
{{blockquote|A people of ignoble origin from the east, whose coming was unforeseen, had the audacity to invade the country, which they mastered by main force without difficulty or even battle. Having overpowered the chiefs, they then savagely burnt the cities, razed the temples of the gods to the ground, and treated the whole native population with the utmost cruelty, massacring some, and carrying off the wives and children of others into slavery (''[[Contra Apion]]'' I.75-77).{{sfn|Josephus|1926|p=196}}}}

[[File:Hyksos dagger handle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Electrum]] dagger handle of a soldier of Hyksos pharaoh [[Apepi (pharaoh)|Apepi]], illustrating the soldier hunting with a short bow and sword. Inscriptions: "The perfect god, the lord of the two lands, Nebkhepeshre [[Apepi (pharaoh)|Apepi]]" and "Follower of his lord Nehemen", found at a burial at [[Saqqara]].{{sfn|O'Connor|2009|pp=116–117}} Now at the [[Luxor Museum]].{{sfn |Wilkinson |2013a |p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=wVbGDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT96 96]}}{{sfn |Daressy |1906 |pp=115–120}}]]
Manetho's invasion narrative is "nowadays rejected by most scholars."{{sfn|Ilin-Tomich|2016|p=5}} It is likely that more recent foreign invasions of Egypt influenced him.{{sfn|Bietak|2012|p=1}} Instead, it appears that the establishment of Hyksos rule was mostly peaceful and did not involve an invasion of an entirely foreign population.{{sfn|Mourad|2015|p=130}} Archaeology shows a continuous Asiatic presence at Avaris for over 150&nbsp;years before the beginning of Hyksos rule,{{sfn|Bietak|2006|p=285}} with gradual Canaanite settlement beginning there {{circa|1800 BC}} during the [[Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt|Twelfth Dynasty]].{{sfn|Ben-Tor|2007|p=1}} Strontium isotope analysis of the inhabitants of Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period Avaris also dismissed the invasion model in favor of a migration one. Contrary to the model of a foreign invasion, the study did not find more males moving into the region, but instead found a sex bias towards females, with a high proportion of 77% of females being non-locals.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Stantis|first1=Chris|last2=Kharobi|first2=Arwa|last3=Maaranen|first3=Nina|last4=Nowell|first4=Geoff M.|last5=Bietak|first5=Manfred|last6=Prell|first6=Silvia|last7=Schutkowski|first7=Holger|date=2020-07-15|title=Who were the Hyksos? Challenging traditional narratives using strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis of human remains from ancient Egypt|journal=PLOS ONE|language=en|volume=15|issue=7|pages=e0235414|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0235414|issn=1932-6203|pmc=7363063|pmid=32667937|bibcode=2020PLoSO..1535414S |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Stantis|first1=Chris|last2=Kharobi|first2=Arwa|last3=Maaranen|first3=Nina|last4=Macpherson|first4=Colin|last5=Bietak|first5=Manfred|last6=Prell|first6=Silvia|last7=Schutkowski|first7=Holger|date=2021-06-01|title=Multi-isotopic study of diet and mobility in the northeastern Nile Delta|journal=Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences|language=en|volume=13|issue=6|pages=105|doi=10.1007/s12520-021-01344-x|s2cid=235271929 |issn=1866-9565|doi-access=free|bibcode=2021ArAnS..13..105S }}</ref>

[[Manfred Bietak]] argues that Hyksos "should be understood within a repetitive pattern of the attraction of Egypt for western Asiatic population groups that came in search of a living in the country, especially the Delta, since prehistoric times."{{sfn|Bietak|2006|p=285}} He notes that Egypt had long depended on the Levant for expertise in areas of shipbuilding and seafaring, with possible depictions of Asiatic shipbuilders being found from reliefs from the [[Sixth Dynasty of Egypt|Sixth Dynasty]] ruler [[Sahure]]. The Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt is known to have had many Asiatic immigrants serving as soldiers, household or temple serfs, and various other jobs. [[Avaris]] in the Nile Delta attracted many Asiatic immigrants in its role as a hub of international trade and seafaring.{{sfn|Bietak|2012|p=4}}

The final powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian [[Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt|Thirteenth Dynasty]] was [[Sobekhotep IV]], who died around 1725 BC, after which Egypt appears to have splintered into various kingdoms, including one based at Avaris ruled by the [[Fourteenth Dynasty of Egypt|Fourteenth Dynasty]].{{sfn|Bourriau|2000|pp=177–178}} Based on their names, this dynasty was already primarily of West Asian origin.{{sfn|Bietak|2019|p=47}} After an event in which their palace was burned,{{sfn|Bietak|2019|p=47}} the Fourteenth Dynasty would be replaced by the Hyksos [[Fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt|Fifteenth Dynasty]], which would establish "loose control over northern Egypt by intimidation or force,"{{sfn|Bietak|1999|p=377}} thus greatly expanding the area under Avaris's control.{{sfn|Bourriau|2000|p=180}}

[[Kim Ryholt]] argues that the Fifteenth Dynasty invaded and displaced the Fourteenth. However, Alexander Ilin-Tomich argues that this is "not sufficiently substantiated."{{sfn|Ilin-Tomich|2016|p=6}} Bietak interprets a stela of [[Neferhotep III]] to indicate that Egypt was overrun by roving mercenaries around the time of the Hyksos ascension to power.{{sfn|Bietak|2012|p=5}}