Internal Functioning of the Bureaucracy in the Old Kingdom Period According to the Autobiography of Weni, Governor of Upper Egypt

Yıl 2024, Sayı: 73, 125 - 134, 15.12.2024

Ercüment Yıldırım

https://doi.org/10.55590/literatureandhumanities.1475497

Öz

Weni, who was a rapidly rising civil servant within the Ancient Egyptian bureaucracy between approximately 2350-2288 BC, covering the periods of Egyptian kings Teti I, Pepi I and Merenre, tried to announce to the gods that he served the kings under his command properly through his autobiography engraved on the walls of his tomb. Throughout his life, Weni held civil, religious and military positions within the Ancient Egyptian monarchical system. Even though this understanding is unusual for today, it is normal for the Ancient Egyptian bureaucracy system. Weni, who started his career as a granary manager during the reign of Teti I, was promoted to the position of overseer of the dressing room during the reign of Pepi I. This new position gave Weni direct contact with the king. Weni, who proved his reliability and loyalty over time, assumed a religious position with wide powers, such as being the senior guard of God Nekhen. Weni, who was assigned to investigate a crime committed in the royal harem by King Pepi I, once again proved his reliability with his success. This success brought Weni the commander-in-chief of the expeditions against the Sand-dwellers. According to his autobiography, Weni proved his success in the civil service as well as in the military field, and King Pepi I, rewarded him by having one of the best tombs in Egypt. During Merenre’s reign, Weni was appointed governor of Upper Egypt. In this high civil servant position, he was responsible for the census, control of collected taxes, trips to quarries, and canal and ship construction. Weni’s autobiography basically explains what an ideal bureaucrat in Ancient Egypt should do. This study aims to explain the inner workings of the bureaucratic system during the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, which had the most developed bureaucracy class among the ancient kingdoms, through Weni’s autobiography.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Weni, Bureaucracy, Merenre, Pepi I, Merenre, Teti I

Yukarı Mısır Valisi Weni’nin Otobiyografisine Göre Eski Krallık Döneminde Bürokrasinin İç İşleyişi

Öz

Mısır kralları I. Teti, I. Pepi ve Merenre dönemlerini kapsayan yaklaşık MÖ 2350-2288 yılları arasında Eski Mısır bürokrasi sınıfı içerisinde hızla yükselen bir memur olan Weni, mezarının duvarlarına kazınmış otobiyografisi vasıtasıyla emri altındaki krallara hakkıyla hizmet ettiğini tanrılara duyurmaya çalışmıştır. Weni, hayatı boyunca Eski Mısır monarşik sistemi içerisinde sivil, dini ve askeri görevlerde bulunmuştur. Bu anlayış günümüz için alışılmadık olsa dahi Eski Mısır bürokrasi sistemi için olağan bir durumdur. Kariyerine I. Teti döneminde tahıl ambarı sorumlusu olarak başlayan Weni, I. Pepi’nin saltanatında, giyinme odasının gözetmeni pozisyonuna terfi ettirilmiştir. Bu yeni görev Weni’ye kralla doğrudan temas imkanı sağlamıştır. Zamanla güvenirliğini ispatlayan ve sadakatini gösteren Weni, Tanrı Nekhen’in kıdemli muhafızlığı gibi geniş yetkilere sahip dini bir görevi üstenmiştir. Kral I. Pepi tarafından kraliyet hareminde işlenen bir suçu araştırmakla görevlendirilen Weni, başarısı ile güvenirliliğini bir kez daha ispatlamıştır. Bu başarı, Weni’ye Çöl Halkı’na karşı düzenlenecek seferlerin başkomutanlığını getirmiştir. Otobiyografisine göre Weni, sivil memurluğundaki başarısını askeri sahada da ispatlamış ve Kral I. Pepi onu Mısır’ın en iyi mezarlardan birine sahip olmasını sağlayarak ödüllendirmiştir. Merenre’nin hükümdarlığı sırasında Weni, Yukarı Mısır valisi olarak atanmıştır. Bu yüksek memurluk görevinde nüfus sayımından, toplanan vergilerin kontrolüne, taş ocaklarına yapılan gezilerden, kanal ve gemi inşalarından sorumlu olmuştur. Weni’nin otobiyografisi temelde Eski Mısır’daki ideal bir bürokratın yapması gerekenleri açıklamaktadır. Bu çalışma, Eski Çağ krallıkları arasında en gelişmiş bürokrasi sınıfına sahip olan Mısır’ın Eski Krallık döneminde bürokratik sistemin işleyişini Weni’nin otobiyografisi üzerinden açıklamayı amaçlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Weni, Bürokrasi, I. Pepi, Merenre, I. Teti.

Kaynakça

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