Shepseskare 2426 - 2419 B.C

Shepseskare Quick Facts

Chronology
Dynasty: 5th
Predecessor: Neferirkare
Successor: Neferefre

Shepseskare is a very poorly attested king of the 5th Dynasty.

Biography of Shepseskare

Little to nothing is known about Shepseskare, except that he may have ruled between Neferirkare and Neferefre, or between Neferefre and Niuserre. It is sometimes assumed that he may have been a son of Sahure, who was sidelined when his father died and his uncle, Neferirkare, came to the throne. He may then have tried his luck again either when Neferirkare or Neferefre died. There is, however, little evidence to support this affiliation.
According to the Turin King-list, he ruled for 7 years. There do not appear to be any documents that refer to cattle counts.Some seal impressions dated to his reign have been found at Abusir, and these are about the only witnesses of Shepseskare's reign, suggesting a very brief reign. The fact that some of these seal impressions were found in the earliest stage of Neferefre's funerary monument, may be an indication that Shepseskare was Neferefre's successor rather than his predecessor.
It is not known whether he built a pyramid or a solar-temple, although the unfinished pyramid located at Abusir between the pyramid of Sahure and the Solar Temple of Userkaf, has, by some, been credited to him. If this is correct, then the unfinished state of the pyramid confirms that Shepseskare's reign lasted a couple of months at best, and perhaps even a mere couple of weeks.

Titulary of Shepseskare

Horus Name

1. Hr sxm xawHorus, the appearing power

Prenomen

2. Spss kA ra
   Shepseskare

Nomen

3. wsr nTrUsernetjer

Kinglists

4. Spss kA ra
   Shepseskare

Manetho
Africanus: Sisirês
Eusebius: Eusebius does not mention this king.
Alternative names in modern-day literature
Schepseskare, Chepseskare

Unfinished Pyramid at Abusir

To the northwest of the pyramid of Sahure, about halfway to the Solar Temple of Userkaf at Abusir, an unfinished platform for a pyramid has been discovered. If finished, it would have had a base lenght of approximately 100 by 100 metres, making it one of the larger pyramids at Abusir. It is impossible to estimate the height it would have had, since the building activity stopped probably a few weeks after it had been started.
The excavation of the pit that was to house the burial chamber, and perhaps also an antechamber, had already started as well. This unfinished monument is tentatively credited to Shepseskare, an ephemeral king who may have ruled either before Neferefre or between Neferefre and his brother, Niuserre. This tentative identification is based on the assumption that the unfinished pyramid belonged a king of the 5th Dynasty, which leaves Shepseskare and Menkauhor. That it must be a 5th Dynasty pyramid is clear not only from where it was located, but also from the way the works, however incomplete, were done. 
Recent research, however, has shown that it is more likely that the tomb of Menkauhor needs to be located in Saqqara rather than Abusir, so Shepseskare remains the only possible king to whom this unfinished pyramid can be credited.
If this is correct, then Shepseskare may not have ruled much longer than a couple of months, if not perhaps even as briefly as a couple of weeks.