Ramesses XI vs Sajah bint al-Harith

A period of severe famine and social unrest occurred during Ramesses XI's reign, recorded in the Turin Papyrus as 'The Year of the Hyenas.' The scarcity of food led to widespread suffering and contributed to the breakdown of central authority in Egypt.

The priest Wenamun was sent to Byblos to procure cedar wood for the temple of Amun. The account of his journey, recorded in the Papyrus Moscow 120, describes the weakened state of Egyptian influence in the Levant, where Wenamun was treated with disrespect by local rulers.

Ramesses XI's death marked the end of the New Kingdom and the beginning of the Third Intermediate Period. During his reign, the power of the pharaoh declined significantly, with the High Priest of Amun at Thebes and the Viceroy of Kush exercising de facto control over Upper Egypt.

After her forces were weakened, Sajah allied with Musaylimah, the false prophet of Yamama. The alliance was short-lived; she eventually returned to her tribe and later converted to Islam.

Following the defeat of the Ridda rebellions, Sajah converted to Islam. She later lived quietly in Basra, with no further political or military activity recorded.

Sajah bint al-Harith declared herself a prophetess, gaining followers among the Banu Tamim tribe. She led a rebellion against the caliphate during the Ridda Wars, becoming the only known female false prophet of the period.