Atlanersa (also Atlanarsa) was a Kushite ruler of the Napatan kingdom of Nubia,

reigning for about a decade in the mid-7th century BC. He was the successor
of Tantamani, the last ruler of the 25th Dynasty of Egypt, and possibly a son
of Taharqa or less likely of Tantamani, while his mother was a queen whose name is
only partially preserved. Atlanersa's reign immediately followed the collapse of Nubian
control over Egypt, which witnessed the conquest by the Assyrians and then the
beginning of the Late Period under Psamtik I. The same period also saw the progressive
cultural integration of Egyptian beliefs by the Kushite civilization.

Atlanersa

Atlanersa

Colossal granite statue of Atlanersa from his Osiris-

Dedwen temple at Jebel Barkal, now in the National
Museum of Sudan

Kushite king of Napata

Reign c. 653–643 BC

Predecessor Tantamani

Successor Senkamanisken
 Royal titulary

Consort Khaliset, Malotaral, Yeturow

Uncertain: Peltasen, Taba[..],
K[...], Amenirdis II

Children Nasalsa ♀
Uncertain: Senkamanisken ♂
Conjectural: Amanimalel ♀

Father Taharqa or less likely Tantamani

Mother Queen [..]salka

Born c. 671 BC[3]

Died c. 643 BC

Burial Nuri (probably Nu. 20)

Monuments Pyramid Nuri 20

Jebel Barkal Temple B700
Uncertain: mortuary chapel Nuri 500

Atlanersa may have fathered his successor Senkamanisken with his consort Malotaral,
although Senkamanisken could also be his brother. He built a pyramid in the necropolis
of Nuri, now conjecturally believed to be Nuri 20 and may also have started a funerary
chapel in the same necropolis, now called Nuri 500. Atlanersa was the second Nubian
king to build a pyramid in Nuri after Taharqa. The pyramid produced many small
artefacts which are now on display in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, US. Atlanersa's
most-prominent construction is his temple to the syncretic god Osiris-Dedwen in Jebel
Barkal called B700, which he finished and had time to only partially decorate. This
suggests that he died unexpectedly. The temple entrance was to be flanked with two
colossal statues of the king, one of which was completed and set in place and is now in
the National Museum of Sudan.
Royal familyEdit
ParentsEdit
Atlanersa was the son of king Taharqa[4][5][6] or less probably of Atlanersa's immediate
predecessor Tantamani.[7][8][note 1] Specialists, such as László Török, who contend that
Atlanersa's father was Taharqa, explain the intervening reign of Tantamani by positing
that Atlanersa might have been too young to ascend the throne at the death of his
father[10][11][12] and that attempting a military reconquest of Egypt required a strong
king.[3] A cultural explanation is also possible: Napatan society might have recognized
seniority and maturity as valid arguments for inheriting a throne. In this sense a young
heir to the throne would be overlooked in favor of someone older until they reached
maturity. At this point, should the king die, the right to the throne of the original heir
would be reinstated.[13] If Atlanersa was indeed a son of Taharqa, then he was a cross-
cousin of Tantamani.[13]
Atlanersa's mother was a queen who appeared on a pylon scene at Jebel Barkal Temple
B700 but whose name is not fully preserved and is only known to have ended in
[...]salka.[14][15] She bore the title of "Great one of the Imat-scepter, noblewoman".[16]
Consorts and childrenEdit
Atlanersa was married to at least two of his sisters: Yeturow,[17][18] who bore the title of
"wife of the king, daughter of the king, sister of the king, mistress of Egypt",[19] and
Khaliset (also known as Khalese) who was "noblewoman, lady of the Imat-sceptre,
singer, great daughter of the king".[19][20][note 2] Khaliset was intended to be the mother
of Atlanersa's heir, as indicated by her titles, but it may have been another of Atlanersa's
consorts, Malotaral "mistress of Kush", who was the mother of Atlanersa's
heir Senkamanisken.[19][21][22] Further potential consorts of Atlanersa have been
identified: his sister Peltasen[23] and queens K[...] and Taba[...].[7] Finally, there is a
distinct possibility that Amenirdis II, the Divine Adoratrice of Amun in Thebes, was
married to Atlanersa.[24] In addition, she may have been his sister.[8]
One daughter of Atlanersa by one of his wives is known: Queen Nasalsa, sister-wife of
Senkamanisken and mother of Anlamani and Aspelta.[23] It is also possible that
Queen Amanimalel was his daughter.[25] Atlanersa's successor Senkamanisken[note
3] may have been his son,[6][27] but could instead have been his brother