vent h , ▁fought ▁for ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁country . ▁The ▁The ban ▁Ele vent h ▁D ynast y ▁only ▁ruled ▁southern ▁Egypt ▁from ▁the ▁First ▁Cat ar act ▁to ▁the ▁T enth ▁N ome ▁of ▁Upper ▁Egypt . ▁To ▁the ▁north , ▁Lower ▁Egypt ▁was ▁ruled ▁by ▁the ▁rival ▁T enth ▁D ynast y ▁from ▁Her ak le opol is . ▁The ▁struggle ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁concluded ▁by ▁M ent uh ote p ▁II , ▁who ▁asc ended ▁the ▁The ban ▁throne ▁in ▁ 2 0 5 5 ▁BC . ▁During ▁M ent uh ote p ▁II ' s ▁four teenth ▁reg nal ▁year , ▁he ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁a ▁revol t ▁in ▁the ▁Th in ite ▁N ome ▁to ▁launch ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁Her ak le opol is , ▁which ▁met ▁little ▁resistance . ▁After ▁to pp ling ▁the ▁last ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁the ▁T enth ▁D ynast y , ▁M ent uh ote p ▁began ▁cons olid ating ▁his ▁power ▁over ▁all ▁of ▁Egypt , ▁a ▁process ▁which ▁he ▁finished ▁by ▁his ▁ 3 9 th ▁reg nal ▁year . ▁For ▁this ▁reason , ▁M ent uh ote p ▁II ▁is ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁founder ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁M ent uh ote p ▁II ▁commanded ▁pet ty ▁campaign s ▁south ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁the ▁Second ▁Cat ar act ▁in ▁N ub ia , ▁which ▁had ▁gained ▁its ▁independence ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁Inter mediate ▁Period . ▁He ▁also ▁restored ▁Egypt ian ▁h eg em ony ▁over