Shoshenq I was the first king of the Twenty-second Dynasty and ruled for twenty-one years. His name first appeared in a long inscription found at Abydos while he was the 'great chief of the Meshwesh, prince of princes.' His father was Nemrat, who was the son of the lady Mehetemwaskhe, died and Shoshenq asked the king at that time to allow a funerary cult to be built at Abydos in his honor.