War of the Crowns

by Christian Jacq

  To break through the Hyksos defensive line, the pharaoh decided to launch a three-pronged attack using the river and both banks, thus involving all his forces. He had two pieces of luck: it was the time when the guards were relieved; and the general in charge of the Qis front was bedridden, suffering from intense pain in his kidneys.

  Surprised by the scale of the offensive, the Hyksos lost precious minutes organizing themselves as best they could. Several of their boats were already burning when their camp was attacked from both east and west. As soon as Ahmes, son of Abana, had killed the senior officers, who thought they were safe on the mound from which they were observing the battle, the chain of command was broken and the defenders panicked.

  Like an all-consuming flame, the Theban army poured into the many breaches in the Hyksos line, their battle-fever controlled and directed by Kamose’s precise, efficient orders. Not until the last Hyksos was dead, burnt along with his camp, did the Thebans’ passion die down.

  Emheb was amazed. How could this motley assortment of raw troops have beaten the Hyksos, who greatly outnumbered them and were much better armed? The attackers’ enthusiasm had been the decisive factor, it was true, but young King Kamose’s exceptional leadership had also been vital. Trusting to nothing but his own instinct, he had struck in the right places at the right times. Ahhotep’s magic must have been guiding him.

  ‘What were our losses?’ asked the queen.

  They were light, Majesty.’

  ‘Send the seriously wounded by boat to Thebes. Are there any prisoners?’

  ‘No, none.’

  Kamose emerged from the smoke, his sword dripping blood; he looked so gruesome that even his own soldiers were nervous of him. All trace of youth was gone from his face, which for the rest of his life would bear the marks of all the brutal deaths he had inflicted.

  ‘You exposed yourself to too much danger,’ Ahhotep chided him.

  ‘If I don’t show an example, who will dare defy the darkness?’ Wearily, the king sat down on a modest throne of sycamore-wood; Laughter licked his hands, as if trying to wipe away all traces of the terrible battle. ‘You were right, Mother: we were indeed capable of breaking through the Hyksos front. This victory has strengthened our heka, and we have shown qualities we did not know we had. It was like a birth … We have given birth to formidable forces which Set himself would not deny. Is this really the path we must follow?’

  ‘Answering violence with gentleness, cruelty with diplomacy and forgiveness—is that what you would like, my son? That policy would lead to the triumph of barbarism. We are facing not simple adversaries, with whom we could negotiate, but the Hyksos, invaders who want to destroy our bodies and our souls. It is because only Set can confront the dragon of darkness that he holds the prow of the sun’s ship.’

  Kamose closed his eyes. ‘bahad prepared myself to fight, but not for this war.’

  ‘This is only the beginning,’ said Ahhotep. Today you were reunited with the courage of your father, and you felt what he felt as he died for freedom.’

  Kamose got to his feet. ‘Like him, I shall fight to the end. A few days’ rest, and then we shall take Nefrusy.’

  Ahhotep sighed. ‘I cannot let you have those few days. We must take advantage of this victory to force our advantage and swoop down like a falcon on our enemy.’

  The Afghan and Moustache gulped down a frugal meal, collected their belongings together and climbed back on to their boat. Despite their status and decorations, they still behaved like simple rebel fighters.

  ‘It would have been good to get our breath back,’ grumbled a footsoldier.

  ‘Do you really want to die?’ asked the Afghan.

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Then be glad about your orders. The sooner we reach our next objective, the better chance we shall have of victory—and therefore of survival.’

  ‘Are we going to fight again?’

  ‘That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?’

  The question plunged the soldier into confusion. ‘There is some truth in that, Commander.’

  ‘Come on, my lad. We haven’t killed all the Hyksos yet.’

  ‘Now that thought I like!’ The soldier made his way happily up the gangplank.

  Showing exemplary discipline, the soldiers of Theban army embarked in record time. Then it was the oarsmen’s turn to show what they could do.

  42

  The ceremony was at its height. Dozens of children were loudly singing Tita’s song in praise of Apophis.

  Suddenly, shouts shattered the apparent peace. Enraged, Tita signalled to his soldiers to arrest the troublemakers and have them executed immediately. But the shouts grew louder, and soon it was clear that they came from outside the town.

  ‘It’s the peasants, my lord,’ said a soldier. They’re begging us to open the great gate.’

  Terminating the celebration, Tita climbed up on to the ramparts and looked down. It was an appalling sight: dozens of farm-workers had left their fields and were trying to take refuge in the city. Across the rich fields of the vast plain, the Theban army was advancing. At its head was Pharaoh Kamose.

  ‘We must give the peasants shelter quickly,’ urged the commander of the archers.

  ‘No, we can’t risk it. Kill them.’

  ‘Kill them? You mean … kill our peasants, our own peasants?’

  ‘Opening the gate is out of the question. Obey my orders, then fire on the enemy, so that they cannot get near our walls.’

  Watched in horror by the Egyptians, the unarmed peasants were slaughtered by Tita’s archers. A young Theban captain and a few footsoldiers were so appalled that they rushed to the peasants’ aid, but they, too, were all shot down.

  ‘No one is to try anything similar,’ ordered Kamose. ‘You can see what the results would be.’

  ‘We must recover back the bodies of our men,’ said Emheb.

  ‘Not by sacrificing other lives. First, we must encircle the town.’

  The Egyptian forces were deployed out of range of the Hyksos archers. Tents were pitched, and Neshi ensured that the men were fed. On Ahhotep’s orders, the elite regiments commanded by the Afghan and Moustache were posted to the north of the town to prevent any reinforcements from breaking the siege.

  As soon as the sun went down, Ahmes and ten volunteers climbed up to the place where their comrades had fallen. They succeeded in bringing back the bodies and also three seriously wounded men, whom She-Cat treated before they were sent back to Thebes by boat.

  ‘The walls look very solid,’ observed Emheb. ‘An effective siege will take a long time.’

  ‘I am going to my cabin,’ said Kamose.

  Despite the threat posed by the Theban army, Tita had decided to go ahead with the banquet organized in his honour, and was presiding over it with his wife.

  ‘At least pretend to be enjoying yourself, Anat.’

  ‘Have you forgotten that we’re under siege?’

  The bear sank his teeth into a leg of goose. ‘That band of rebels won’t threaten us for long.’

  ‘Are you sure about that?’

  ‘Hyksos reinforcements will destroy them first thing tomorrow morning—they’ll take those fools by surprise. I’ll send any survivors to Avaris, where they will be tortured to entertain the emperor. In return, Apophis will grant me new privileges. In fact, the arrival of these madmen is a stroke of luck: I shall benefit richly from it.’

  A troupe of flute- and oboe-players was apathetically playing a droning melody which irritated him. ‘Get out, you idiots,’ he bellowed.

  The musicians fled.

  ‘Have you taken all the necessary measures?’ asked Anat anxiously.

  ‘My archers are patrolling the battlements, and no one can get near. Don’t worry, my sweet. We aren’t in any danger.’

  ‘Are you really sure that the Hyksos are invincible?’

  ‘They are. You can be sure of that.’

  Kamose was pacing up and down in his cabin like a
caged animal. Unsure which plan to adopt, he repeatedly weighed the lives of his soldiers against the need to conquer Nefrusy. Eventually, still unable to decide, he went out on deck, where Ahhotep was enjoying the last rays of the setting sun.

  ‘Have you made up your mind?’ she asked. ‘I can’t. A long siege would destroy our impetus, and a badly planned attack would incur unacceptably heavy losses.’

  ‘Your conclusions are the same as mine.’

  ‘Then what do you suggest?’

  ‘Tonight I shall consult the moon-god, the interpreter of the skies. He will send us a sign to guide us. Go and rest, my son.’

  The Afghan and Moustache, with ten experienced soldiers, were travelling warily down the Nile aboard a light boat. They went very slowly, all their senses alert.

  ‘There they are,’ whispered Moustache. ‘We were right.’

  Two Hyksos war-ships lay moored to the bank. The sailors had pitched camp ashore, and the sentries looked very relaxed. Clearly, the reinforcements for Nefrusy believed that in conquered territory they had nothing to fear.

  A member of the raiding-party went back to alert the two elite regiments posted not far away. Less than two hours later, they were ready to begin work.

  ‘First we must seize the ships,’ said the Afghan. Our best swimmers will approach from the stern and climb aboard. The sailors on guard will be killed quickly and silently. When that is done, one man only is to return to us. The others will prepare to cast off.’

  If the operation failed, the Hyksos would immediately search the surrounding area. A pitched battle would be inevitable. The minutes seemed to last for ever.

  Then a head emerged from the water, and the swimmer reported, ‘The enemy sailors are all dead. The ships are ours.’

  ‘We shall divide into three groups,’ said Moustache. ‘As soon as the Hyksos are asleep, we shall attack.’

  Kamose could not sleep. Ever since his coronation, he had managed only one or two hours’ sleep a night, though his energy had not been affected. He thought constantly of his father, and sometimes felt sharp pains in the parts of his body where Seqen had been wounded.

  There was a knock at his cabin door.

  ‘There are two Hyksos ships coming,’ said Emheb.

  Kamose rushed to the prow of the flagship, but it was almost too late to take action. How could he have foreseen that warships would risk travelling in the middle of the night? Waking with a start, the Egyptian sailors ran to their posts.

  ‘Look at the top of the leading mast!’ shouted one of them. ‘It’s Moustache!’

  The tension relaxed. The two ships glided gently to their moorings, and their crews gave shouts of victory.

  ‘Majesty,’ declared the Afghan, Our fleet now has two more boats. As for the reinforcements Tita was expecting, they’ll never reach him.’

  ‘That’s excellent work.’

  ‘We surprised the Hyksos while they were asleep. On our side, there are three dead and fifteen wounded.’

  ‘See that the wounded are cared for, and then go and rest.’

  ‘If you are planning to attack at dawn, Majesty, we have just enough time for a quick bite to eat.’

  The king did not reply.

  As the first glimmers of light pierced the darkness, Queen Ahhotep came towards him. Despite a sleepless night, she was surprisingly fresh-faced.

  ‘Mother, did the moon-god speak to you?’

  A falcon with multicoloured plumage soared up from the east and flew across the sky. Its wings looked immense, as if they had taken possession of the entire space.

  ‘He has just spoken,’ said the pharaoh, ‘and I have heard him.’

  43

  Like a falcon, Pharaoh Kamose swooped down on Nefrusy at the head of his army. Hampered by the light of the rising sun in their eyes, the Hyksos archers fired wide; Ahmes and the Theban archers did not.

  Abruptly awoken, Tita responded quickly to this unexpected attack. Arming himself with a slingshot, he rushed up to the ramparts, from where he killed a Theban officer marching at the head of his troops.

  ‘Fire! Defend yourselves!’ he ordered.

  The instinct for survival provoked a response from his men, who, despite their fear, unleashed a barrage of missiles to prevent the attackers approaching the walls.

  ‘We need battering-rams,’ said Moustache.

  The masts from the Hyksos ships will serve very well,’ suggested Emheb.

  ‘They’re retreating,’ exclaimed Tita. ‘We’ve driven them back.’

  Although he could hardly believe it, he had won. That is, he had gained the respite he needed in which to escape. The Egyptians would mount a siege and Nefrusy would eventually fall, but he would not be among its victims. He would take with him only a few servants, to carry his most precious possessions. As for his wife, she would be a useless burden—there was no shortage of women in Avaris.

  The Thebans had attacked from the east, so Tita planned to leave by the western gate. But to his horror he found that the enemy had massed troops on the nearby low hills, as well as in the southern and northern plains. Nefrusy was surrounded.

  ‘You weren’t going to run away, were you?’ asked Anat pointedly.

  ‘No, of course not! I was working out how best to strengthen the defences.’

  ‘Don’t you think it would be wiser to surrender?’

  ‘Surrender? That would be madness.’

  ‘One way or another, you will be killed. If you order your men to lay down their arms, you would at least spare the people further suffering.’

  ‘I’ve been their benefactor, haven’t I? They must fight beside me and defend me.’

  ‘You are cruel and cowardly. End your life with one generous deed: open the gates of the city and beg the pharaon’s forgiveness.’

  Tita glared at his wife. ‘You wouldn’t be thinking of betraying me, would you, my beauty? Yes, that’s it. You think I’m already beaten and you’re switching to the Thebans’ side.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Face reality.’

  ‘Go to your bedchamber immediately. Two guards will be posted outside your door. When I’ve finished with the Thebans, I shall deal with you.’

  ‘My lord, they are coming back.’

  Standing high on the ramparts, Tita saw the Theban army attacking again, from all four directions. Protected both by archers and by big, thick shields held by auxiliaries, men carrying battering-rams charged at the gates of Nefrusy.

  He spotted the White Crown as Kamose reached the eastern gate, and hurled a javelin with all his might, but it missed. The battering-ram stove in the great gate; the noise of wood breaking and splintering struck terror into Tita’s troops. A few moments later, the three other gates gave way.

  While the footsoldiers poured into the town, the rammers withdrew and then advanced again to attack the brick walls.

  Tita ran to his palace. His men would not hold out for long, and he must hide somewhere to wait for the pharaon and beg his mercy. After all, he, Tita, was a victim of the Hyksos, too, and the Theban army’s arrival was a real miracle, which he had been hoping for with all his heart. From now on, he would be a loyal servant of Kamose. All that remained was for him to kill his evil genius, the traitor Anat, who was the cause of all Nefrusy’s woes. As proof of his good faith, he had placed her under arrest.

  Some thirty women, whose children Tita had had executed, barred his way to the palace.

  ‘Stand aside!’ he roared.

  ‘You killed my son,’ declared a tall redhead armed with a cauldron.

  ‘You killed my daughter,’ said another, who was clutching a pestle.

  Each of the women solemnly stated her grievance.

  ‘Let me pass, and go and fight alongside the troops.’

  All at once, they threw themselves upon him and beat him to death with their kitchen utensils, while the rams battered down the walls of Nefrusy.

  Kamose had single-handedly killed more than thirty of the enemy, including the head of Tita
’s bodyguard. The man had tried to stab him in the back, but the king, benefiting from his intensive training, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.

  Spurred on by their leader’s almost superhuman bravery, his soldiers had fought valiantly, and the enemy, despite showing the courage born of despair, had inflicted only slight losses before succumbing to force of numbers.

  Believing the lies put out day after day by Tita, and thinking Hyksos reinforcements would arrive at any moment, many citizens had fought alongside the emperor’s men. So by the middle of the afternoon the streets of Nefrusy were strewn with bodies.

  A group of mothers pointed out Tita’s body, which was almost unrecognizable.

  ‘Have it burnt, and then raze the whole town to the ground,’ ordered Kamose.

  In the face of such destruction, Ahhotep’s heart was in her mouth. This was only Nefrusy, a small town compared with Khmun, which was itself insignificant compared with Avaris. How many dead would the monster of darkness devour before the words of the song to the Creator, ‘Awake in peace’, could be sung?

  She-Cat, who had been appointed by Ahhotep to take charge of treating the troops, was remarkably efficient. With her Nubian remedies, she eased the men’s pain, and she gave hope to even the most seriously wounded. Everyone envied Moustache for having such a mistress, who had become one of the heroines of the war.

  After entrusting the White Crown to his mother, Kamose washed thoroughly and changed his clothes. It would take the washermen a long time to cleanse his blood-spattered breastplate.

  The young king was neither exhilarated nor downcast. Solemnly contemplating the next battle already, he was simply fulfilling his mission.

  Supervised by Emheb, the victors took away the survivors, livestock, jars of oil, milk and honey, weapons and anything else useful, before the flames consumed Nefrusy.

  ‘The palace is still standing, Majesty,’ said Emheb, ‘Do you wish to be the first to enter it?’

  Dressed in a white tunic, Kamose stepped through the doorway of a fine, pillared building. The rooms, although quite small, were filled with beautiful furniture. At the end of the private apartments was a door, held shut by a wooden bolt.