General Notes

Antef I (Sehertawy) was the founder of dynasty 11 and ruled from Thebes where he was the son of the local chief called Montuhotep. Some modern lists make him the founder of the dynasty, though he never claimed to be king. Antef's cartouche (picture left) makes his throne name by the four lower signs.
The country was divided and Antef began fighting the dynasties 9-10 ruling northern Egypt from Herakleopolis.
He took the title "king of the two countries" right from the beginning, though he never succeeded to fulfil its meaning.
The civil war that should last long after his death and he was buried in Western Thebes in a so called "row tomb" of a brand new design, cut in to the mountain rock. His two successors and namesakes made similar monuments.

The earliest known leader from Thebes before this dynasty was formed was a curtain "Antef - son of Ikui". He must have lived around 2200 B.C. and is mentioned from the hall of ancestors by Thothmes III in dynasty 18 with the title: "Count and Herditary Prince." A stela from Drab Abu Neggah calls him: "the Hereditary Price, Count of the Great Lord of the Theban Nome .... Inyotefi (Antef)." A stela from Denderah says: "The Great Prince of the South, Antef." Perhaps he was related to the old royal family, but to whom we don't know. Nor can we tell if the coming rulers were descendents of his.