Khakaure
Senusret III (also written as
Senwosret III or the
hellenised form
Sesostris III) was a
pharaoh of
Egypt. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC during a time of great power and prosperity, and was the fifth monarch of the
Twelfth Dynasty of the
Middle Kingdom. Among his achievements was the building of the
Canal of the Pharaohs. He was a great pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty and is considered to be perhaps the most powerful Egyptian ruler of the dynasty. Consequently, he is regarded as one of the sources for the legend about
Sesostris. His military campaigns gave rise to an era of peace and economic prosperity that reduced the power of regional rulers and led to a revival in craftwork, trade and urban development. Senusret III was one of the few kings who were deified and honored with a cult during their own lifetime.