The The Egyptian History Podcast, episode 21, The Excited Child.

Welcome back to the Egyptian history podcast.

Last time we followed the career of Winnie the Elder,

an official of the early sixth Dynasty whose services to King and Country

earned him prestige and fame in posterity. This week the Sixth Dynasty reaches

the reign of its longest serving monarch.

Pepi the second.

Pepi the second came to the throne at the age of six,

following the death of Merene Ray who was either the father or half brother of

Pepi depending on the source you read. For Vivian Gay calendar an eminent

Australian Egyptologist who has specialized in the study of the royal

family, Mereen Ray was the half-brother of Pepi, both of whom being sons of Pepi the 1st.

For Aldran Lebrus, a French scholar considering the same questions,

Pepi the 1st was the father of Mereenre, and Merene-Rae the father of Pepenrey and Marenrey the father of Pepi II.

I have suggested in the previous episode that Maren Ray ruled for approximately 11 years,

a date to which I still generally hold.

Again, depending on the source you follow, he may have ruled between 6 and 11 years,

with no easy solution to the question.

So for the sake of argument, I can only say that Pepi II was related somehow to Mereenre.

Either his half-brother from Pepi I first, in which case Marion Ray only ruled for

approximately six years. Alternatively, he was Marion Ray's son, in which case, Marion Ray

can rule as long as your evidence allows.

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