The Fourth Dynasty of ancient egypt (notated Dynasty IV) is characterized as a “golden age” of the old kingdom of Egypt. Dynasty IV lasted from c. 2613 to 2494 BC. It was a time of peace and prosperity as well as one during which trade with other countries is documented.

The Fourth Dynasty heralded the height of the pyramid-building age. The relative peace of the Third Dynasty allowed the Dynasty IV rulers the leisure to explore more artistic and cultural pursuits. King snefru’s building experiments led to the evolution from the mastaba-styled step pyramids to the smooth sided “true” pyramids, such as those on the giza plateau. No other period in Egypt’s history equaled Dynasty IV’s architectural accomplishments. Each of the rulers of this dynasty (except for shepseskaf, the last) commissioned at least one pyramid to serve as a tomb or cenotaph.

The Fourth Dynasty was the second of four dynasties that made up the “Old Kingdom”. King Sneferu, the first king of the Fourth Dynasty, held territory from ancient Libya in the west to the sinai peninsula in the east, to Nubia in the south. It was a successful period and this era is known for its advancement and concentrated government, as seen in the organized building of pyramids and other monuments.

Knowledge of the Old Kingdom comes mainly from these structures and objects discovered in the desert cemeteries of Giza.

Rulers of the fourth dynasty of egypt

Initial Fourth Dynasty Royalty

Names of Kings	Horus (throne) name		Dates	Pyramid	Names of Wives
sneferu	Nebma’at		2613–2589 BC	Red pyramid Bent pyramid Pyramid at Meidum	Hetepheres
khufu “Cheops”	Medjedu		2589–2566 BC	Great pyramid of Giza	Meritites I Henutsen
Djedefre	Kheper		2566–2558 BC ?	pyramid of Djedefre	Hetepheres II Khentetka
Khafre	Userib		2558–2532 BC	pyramid of Khafre	Meresankh III Khamerernebty I Hekenuhedjet persenet
Bikheris (Possibly Baka or Baufra)			c. 2532 BC?	unfinished northeren pyramid of Zawyet El Aryan?
Menkaure	Kakhet		2532–2503 BC ?	pyramid of Menkaure	Khamerernebty II
Shepseskaf	Shepsesket		2503–2496 BC ?	Mastabat al-Fir’aun	Bunefer Khentkaus I ?
Djedefptah (Existence disputed)			2496-2494 BC?		Khentkaus I ?