Piye, also known as Piankhi or Piy, was a Nubian king who founded the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty of Egypt and ruled from about 744 BCE to 714 BCE. He was the son of King Kashta and the brother of King Shabaka. Piye was a powerful and successful ruler who expanded the Nubian kingdom and conquered much of Egypt, including Memphis and Thebes. He is sometimes referred to as "Piye the Great" due to his significant accomplishments.
Piye was a devout follower of the god Amun and saw himself as a religious leader as well as a political one. He made a pilgrimage to Thebes early in his reign, during which he was declared a god and received the support of the powerful priesthood. Piye's conquest of Egypt was not a brutal one, and he was able to secure the support of many of the local rulers and priests.
During his reign, Piye undertook significant building projects and expanded trade with other parts of Africa and the Mediterranean world. He also established a system of administration in Egypt that drew on the Nubian and Egyptian traditions. Piye was succeeded by his son Taharqa, who continued his father's legacy and expanded the Nubian kingdom even further.