Khafra (also read as
Khafre,
Khefren and
Chephren) was an
ancient Egyptian king (
pharaoh) of
4th dynasty during the
Old Kingdom. He was the son of
Khufu and the throne successor of
Djedefre. According to the ancient
historian Manetho Khafra was followed by king
Bikheris, but according to
archaeological evidences he was rather followed by king
Menkaure. Khafra was the builder of the second largest
pyramid of
Giza. Some of the Egyptologists also credit him with the building of the
Great Sphinx, but this is highly disputed. There is not much known about Khafra, except the historical reports of
Herodotus, who describes him as a cruel and
heretic ruler, who kept the Egyptian temples closed after Khufu had sealed them.