The most powerful person in ancient Egypt was the pharaoh. The pharaoh was the political and religious leader of the Egyptian people, holding the titles: 'Lord of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple'. He owned all of the land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended Egypt against foreigners. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom used their wealth to build massive temples to the gods. The city of Thebes continued to be the cultural center of the empire. The Temple of Luxor was built at Thebes and grand additions were made to the Temple of Karnak. The unity and strength which characterized the 18th and 19th Dynasties steadily was lost during the 20th. The New Kingdom ended when the priests of Amun grew strong enough to assert their power at Thebes and divide the country between their rule and the pharaoh's at the city of Per-Ramesses.
<em>I apoligize for the long answer, i hope this helped out some~ <3</em>
