MIDDLE KINGDOM

The Middle Kingdom (2040-1782 BCE) is considered ancient Egypt's Classical

Age during which it produced some of its greatest works of art and literature.
Scholars remain divided on which dynasties constitute the Middle Kingdom as
some argue for the later half of the 11th through the 12th, some the 12th to 14th,
and some the 12th and 13th. The 12th Dynasty is often cited as the beginning
because of the vast improvement in the quality of art and architecture but these
developments were only possible because of the stability the 11th Dynasty secured
for the country.
The 13th Dynasty was never as powerful or stable as the 12 th and allowed an
immigrant people known as the Hyksos to gain power in Lower Egypt. According
to every estimation of the Middle Kingdom, Egypt reached its highest point of
culture during the 12th Dynasty, and the innovations of this period influenced the
rest of Egypt’s history.