{{Infobox Egyptian dignitary |image = GD-EG-Alex-MuséeNat065.JPG |caption = Head of Shepenupet II from Alexandria National Museum, Egypt |style = Divine Adoratrice of Amun<br>God's Wife of Amun |tenure = {{circa}} 700–650 BC |predecessor = Amenirdis I |successor = Amenirdis II (as Divine Adoratrice)<br>Nitocris I (as God's Wife) | Egyptian_name = {{Ancient Egyptian royal titulary case |nomen= <hiero><-N37:p*Z9-n:F13-p:Z9-></hiero><br>''Shepenupet<br>šp-(n)-Wpt''<ref name=beck/> | prenomen= <hiero><-G14-D4:N5-W10:t-nfr-nfr-nfr-></hiero><br>''Henutneferumut Irietre<br>ẖnwt-nfrw-Mwt Jrt-Rˁ''<ref name=beck>{{cite book|last=von Beckerath|first=Jürgen|author-link=Jürgen von Beckerath|year=1999|title=Handbuch der Ägyptischen Königsnamen|publisher=Mainz am Rhein, Von Zabern|isbn= 3-8053-2591-6|lang=de}} pp.&nbsp;210-11.</ref>}} |burial = Medinet Habu |father = Piye |dynasty = 25th Dynasty }}

'''Shepenupet II''' (alt. '''Shepenwepet II''', prenomen: ''Henutneferumut Irietre'') was an ancient Egyptian princess of the 25th Dynasty who served as the high priestess, the Divine Adoratrice of Amun, from around 700 BC to 650 BC. She was the daughter of the first Kushite pharaoh Piye<ref>John Boardman ed., ''The Cambridge Ancient History'' Vol.III, Cambridge University Press (1982), {{ISBN|0-521-24289-4}}, p. 136.</ref> and sister of Piye's successors, Shabaka and Taharqa.

==Biography== [[File:Berlín Shepenupet II.JPG|thumb|250px|Granite sphinx of Shepenupet II in the Neues Museum of Berlin]] Shepenupet II was adopted by her predecessor in office, Amenirdis I, a sister of Piye. Shepenupet was God's Wife of Amun from the beginning of Taharqa's reign until Year 9 of Pharaoh Psamtik I. While in office she had to come to a power sharing arrangement with the mayor of Thebes, Mentuemhat.<ref name="Michael Rice 2001, p.189">Rice, Michael; ''Who's Who in Ancient Egypt'', Routledge (2001), p. 189.</ref>

Her niece, Amenirdis, the daughter of Taharqa, was appointed as her heiress.<ref name="Michael Rice 2001, p.189"/> Shepenupet was compelled to adopt Nitocris, daughter of pharaoh Psamtik I, who reunited Egypt after the Assyrian conquest. This is evidenced by the so-called Adoption Stela of Nitocris. In 656 BC, in Year 9 of the reign of Psamtik I, she received Nitocris at Thebes.<ref>Breasted, J. H.; ''Ancient Records of Egypt'', Part Four: "The Adoption Stela of Nitocris" §§ 945.</ref><ref>Donadoni, Sergio; ''The Egyptians'', University of Chicago Press (1997), {{ISBN|0-226-15556-0}} p. 141.</ref>

Her tomb is located in the grounds of Medinet Habu<ref>Dobson, p. 240.</ref> on the west bank of the Nile at Thebes. She was succeeded as Divine Adoratrice by Amenirdis II, who was succeeded by Nitocris I.

==Images== <gallery perrow=3> File:Bas-relief at the mortuary temple of Ramesses III 1.jpg|Shepenupet II at Medinet Habu File:Bas-relief at the mortuary temple of Ramesses III 2.jpg|Shepenupet II and Amenirdis II at Medinet Habu File:Ch Chep II Med Habou 082005.jpg|Chapel of Shepenupet at Medinet Habu File:Genies of Nile flood E27208 mg 8657.jpg|Shepenupet's cartouche File:Egypte louvre 068 coffret.jpg|Box with name of Shepenupet File:Karnak Chepenoupet II Amenirdis II.jpg|Shepenupet and Amenirdis II </gallery>

==References== {{Commons category|Shepenupet II}} {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{Succession box|before=Amenirdis I|title=Divine Adoratrice of Amun|years=around 700&ndash;650 BCE|after=Amenirdis II}} {{succession box |before = Amenirdis I |title = God's Wife of Amun |years = |after = Nitocris I }} {{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepenupet 02}} Category:God's Wives of Amun Category:Princesses of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt Category:8th-century BC Egyptian people Category:7th-century BC Egyptian people Category:8th-century BC Egyptian women Category:7th-century BC Egyptian women Category:8th-century BC clergy Category:7th-century BC clergy