He continued his father's aggressive expansionist policies against
Nubia by initiating two expeditions into this region in his 10th and 18th years and established Egypt's formal southern border near the
second cataract where he placed a garrison and a victory
stele. He also organized an expedition to a
Western Desert oasis. Senusret I established diplomatic relations with some rulers of towns in Syria and
Canaan. He also tried to centralize the country's political structure by supporting
nomarchs who were loyal to him. His pyramid was constructed at
el-Lisht. Senusret I is mentioned in the
Story of Sinuhe where he is reported to have rushed back to the royal palace in Memphis from a military campaign in
Libya after hearing about the assassination of his father,
Amenemhat I.
Accession Coregency In Year 21 of Amenemhat I, a
coregency was established with Senusret I celebrating his Year 1 as junior coregent (
Horus), while his father became senior coregent (
Osiris). A double dated stele from
Abydos and now in the
Cairo Museum (CG 20516) is dated to the Year 30 of Amenemhat I and to the Year 10 of Senusret I.
Sole Reign Assassination of Amenemhat. In Year 30 of Amenemhat I and Year 10 of Senusret I of the coregency, his father Amenemhat I was assassinated. This marked the beginning of the sole reign of Senusret I. As recounted in the
Story of Sinuhe, a famous text of Egyptian literature: As Senusret was informed of the attack by a messenger while still on campaign, he likely also learned that several of his brothers, present in the army, may have been involved in the conspiracy that lead to Amenemhat's assassination. Without alerting anyone, he returned hastily to the palace, leaving his forces behind, fearing he might also become a target. The exact means by which he regained control of the government or secured the throne remain unknown. It is historically attested that a civil war broke out shortly afterwards and that Senusret was forced to brutally suppress seditious forces aligned against him.
Nubian campaign. In Year 18 of Senusret I, he launched a military campaign against Lower Nubia and conquered the region down to the
Second Cataract. The date of the expedition is mentioned on a stela from Buhen. The military campaign is mentioned in several inscriptions of this king's reign. Several local officials were involved with the military expedition.
Amenemhat, governor of the
Oryx nome went there with the title
overseer of troops.
Famine. In Year 25, Egypt was devastated by a famine caused by a low Nile flood.
Elephantine. In Year 43, a rock inscription is dated to the king by Ameny (PD 91; title: jrj-pꜥt; ḥꜣtj-ꜥ; ḫtmw-bjtj; smr-wꜥtj; jmj-rꜣ sḫtjw jmnjj).
Expeditions Senusret I dispatched several quarrying expeditions to the
Sinai Peninsula and
Wadi Hammamat. In Wadi Hammamat, a series of inscriptions are known: Hammamat 3042 (royal name), Hammamat G 61 (Year 38), Hammamat G 62, Hammamat G 63, Hammamat G 64 = M 123 (Year 16), Hammamat G 65 (royal name), Hammamat G 66 (royal name), Hammamat G 67 (Year 2), Hammamat G 75 (Year 33 of unnamed king), Hammamat G 83, Hammamat G 86, Hammamat M 87 (Year 38), Hammamat M 116, Hammamat M 117 (royal name), Hammamat M 120 (Year 16?), Hammamat M 121 (Year 16?), Hammamat M 122 (Year 16?), Hammamat M 124 (Year 16?), and Hammamat Kischel GM 175.
Building program He built numerous shrines and temples throughout Egypt and Nubia during his long reign.
Heliopolis. He rebuilt the important temple of Re-Atum in Heliopolis which was the centre of the sun cult. He erected 2 red granite obelisks there to celebrate his Year 30
Heb Sed Jubilee. One of the obelisks still remains and is the oldest standing obelisk in Egypt. It is now in the Al-Masalla (Obelisk in Arabic) area of
Al-Matariyyah district near the
Ain Shams district (
Heliopolis). It is 67 feet tall and weighs 120 tons or 240,000 pounds.
Abydos. Senusret remodelled the Temple of Khenti-Amentiu Osiris at
Abydos.
Karnak. A shrine (known as the
White Chapel or Jubilee Chapel) with fine, high quality reliefs of Senusret I, was built at Karnak to commemorate his Year 30 jubilee. During the New Kingdom it was demolished and used as filler for the Third Pylon of the temple of Karnak, Precinct of Amun-Re. It has subsequently been successfully reconstructed from various stone blocks discovered by Henri Chevrier in 1926.
Elephantine. He did work at the
Temple of Satet on
Elephantine. Building projects at other major temples include the temple of Min at
Koptos, the Montu-temple at
Armant and the Montu-temple at
El-Tod, where a long inscription of the king is preserved.
Succession (center left) while the gods
Horus (left) and
Set (right) look on at them. Found at the Cachette court in the Precinct of Amun-Re. Now at the Karnak open air museum.
Coregency In Year 43 of Senusret, he appointed his son
Amenemhat II as his junior
coregent (Horus). Most likely in his 60s, Senusret I became the senior coregent (Osiris) with a more retiring administrative role. The stele of Wepwawet-aa is dated to Year 44 of Senusret I and Year 2 of Amenemhet II, thus a coregency was established in Year 43. Others suggest the two dates only refer to the period Wepwawet-aa was in office.
Reign length The Turin King List 6:21 provides a reign length of
45 regnal years. The number of months and days are missing. His highest attested date is Year 44, such as the stele of Wepwawet-aa. == Royal Court ==