Neferkare VI Pepiseneb (died 2171 BC) was an ancient Egyptian king of the Eighth Dynasty during the early First Intermediate Period (2181–2055 BC). According to the Egyptologists Kim Ryholt, Jürgen Beckerath, and Darrell Baker, he was the twelfth king of the Eighth Dynasty.Darrell D. Baker: The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I - Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300–1069 BC, Stacey International, , 2008, p. 268-269Jürgen von Beckerath: Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen, Münchner ägyptologische Studien, Heft 49, Mainz : P. von Zabern, 1999, , available online
Attestations The name Neferkare VI Pepiseneb is attested on the Abydos King List (number 51), but not elsewhere. However, Jürgen Beckerath has proposed that Neferkare Pepiseneb is to be identified with a "Neferkare Khered Seneb" appearing on the Turin canon.Jürgen von Beckerath: The Date of the End of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, JNES 21 (1962) pp. 144-145 As such, Neferkare Pepiseneb would be the first king of the Eighth Dynasty, following Ntyiqrt (who might be Neitiqerty Siptah) whose name appears on the Turin canon, a large lacuna in the document affecting the intervening kings of the dynasty. Both of these sources are dated to long after the eighth dynasty, to the 19th dynasty and later and there are no contemporary attestations of this period.
Epithet The epithet Khered given to Neferkare Pepiseneb in the Turin canon means "child" or "young". Consequently, "Neferkare Khered Seneb" is translated as Neferkare The Child is Healthy.
Several hypotheses have been put forth by Egyptologists concerning this epithet. Hratch Papazian proposes that the fact that the king was called Khered on the Turin canon hints at his youthful age upon ascending to the throne. In reality, however, the epithet Khered always indicates that he had the same name as his father, making him most likely the son of a previous king named Neferkare. It is unknown which one, however, and as the 7th and 8th dynasty kings had very short reigns, it could even have been Pepi II Neferkare.
Reign According to Ryholt's latest reading of the Turin canon, Neferkare VI Pepiseneb reigned at least one year.Kim Ryholt: "The Late Old Kingdom in the Turin King-list and kingsIdentity of Nitocris", Zeitschrift für ägyptische, 127, 2000, p. 91 As all kings from Menkare until Neferkahor all had very short reigns (all within the year 2181 BC) and Neferkare VI Pepiseneb died around 2171 BC, he must have reigned 10 years (2181-2171 BC).
References
Smith, W. Stevenson. The Old Kingdom in Egypt and the Beginning of the First Intermediate Period, in The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. I, part 2, ed. Edwards, I.E.S, et al. p. 197. Cambridge University Press, New York, 1971.