Under this dynasty Egypt formed her empire in Western Asia, and conquered and occupied the Egyptian Sûdân, probably so far south as the Baḥr al-Ghazâl. The Hyksos were expelled from Egypt by the first kings of the dynasty, and the peoples in the Eastern and Western Deserts were held in check with a firm hand. King after king made frequent raids on a large scale into Syria and the Sûdân, and on each occasion brought back untold spoils, a considerable proportion of which was expended on the building of great temples like those of Karnak, Luxor, and Dêr al-Baḥarî. Trade developed to an unprecedented extent, and riches increased; and the king and his priests and nobles were able to gratify their love of splendid temples, colossal statues, lofty obelisks, large palaces, fine houses and gardens, decorated furniture, elaborate jewellery, costly tombs, etc. Under the patronage of the priesthood and the temple-schools education prospered, literature, art, painting and sculpture flourished, and the vast works which were undertaken by the Government encouraged handicraftsmen of every kind in the production of the best work. Among the kings of this dynasty were the greatest and most powerful sovereigns that ever ruled Egypt, viz., Thothmes III and Ȧmen-ḥetep III. [Sidenote: B.C. 1600.] The first king of the dynasty was =Ȧāḥmes=, or =Amāsis I=, who carried on the war against the Hyksos which Seqenen-Rā had begun. He captured the city of Avaris, the stronghold of the Hyksos, and turned the enemy out of the country, and in the fifth year of his reign he captured the city of Sharuhen (mentioned in Joshua xix, 6), in Syria. He subsequently invaded Nubia and compelled the tribes to pay tribute. Among the monuments of his reign are the massive granite =altar= inscribed with his name (Bay 16, No. =343=); the head of a seated figure of =Nefert-ȧri=, his wife (Bay 12, No. =344=); the =ushabti= figure of the king (Wall-case 84, Second Egyptian Room, No. 129); and the =portrait= of the Queen (Case 1, Third Egyptian Room, No. 3). [Illustration: Statue of Ȧmen-ḥetep I, B.C. 1600, in the form of Osiris, wearing the Crown of the South. [Northern Egyptian Gallery, Bay 3, No. 346.]]