They refused to put respect on his name, so he did this.

How the world's most powerful empire was overcome.

This is two-minute black history, what you didn't learn in school.

His people lived in the shadow of the powerful Egyptian empire.

Stripped of their culture, many Nubians adopted Egypt as the center of their identities, but not him.

He knew his history, and what he did next would change it forever.

Nubia is one of the world's oldest civilizations, but the more powerful Egyptian empire often overshadowed it.

The two kingdoms frequently engaged in war with Egypt plundering Nubia.

But that's not the end of Nubia's story.

One battle changed history.

Led by King Payee, a Nubian army of only 700 warriors marched north to Egypt's spiritual center.

There the Nubians confronted their conquerors, but this time Payee had something else in mind.

Payee knew his Nubian history.

He understood that many Egyptians considered Nubia's spiritual center the birthplace of Amon, the revered Egyptian god.

So here's what he did.

King Payee defeated three smaller armies around the capital of Memphis, then overtook Memphis itself.

But instead of staying in Egypt, he went back to Nubia and declared his kingdom was under Amon's blessing.

Then something extraordinary happened.

An earthquake destroyed many of Egypt's pyramids as if Amon appreciated Payee's act of loyal defiance.

What's more, the Egyptians accepted their defeat in Memphis by the Nubians.

Because he knew his history and culture, King Payee was able to rule Egyptians in Nubia for many years.

We must always strive to learn and honor our authentic histories because like Payee, we can draw power from the traditions that have sustained us for millennia.

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