Instruction of Amenemhat
The Teaching of King Amenemhat I for his son Senusret I
Trust no one, not even a brother or a friend raised up by your own hand, because betrayal comes from those closest to the throne.
- a murdered king's posthumous political testament
- distrust of intimates as a survival lesson for kings
- royal assassination shaping succession propaganda
- a widely copied New Kingdom school text
Framed as the murdered king Amenemhat I speaking from beyond death to instruct his son and co-regent Senusret I, the poem warns that a palace conspiracy, likely reflecting the historical harem plot that killed Amenemhat I, proves loyalty cannot be assumed even from intimates. Composed to legitimate the succession and to justify Senusret I's later severity toward rivals, it was copied for centuries afterward as a standard school text for training scribes.
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