(c. 2040–1795 BC)
The term used by Egyptologists for the period from the reunion of Egypt by Mentuhotep II of Dynasty 11, which terminated the First Intermediate Period, until the end of Dynasty 12, although some academics continue the period until the middle or end of Dynasty 13. The Middle Kingdom witnessed Egyptian expansion into Nubia and increased influence in the Middle East, the establishment of a new capital at Lisht under Dynasty 12, increased agricultural development in the Fayum region, and the development of Egyptian classical literature. Political instability and pressure from Asiatic neighbors brought about its collapse and the beginning of the Second Intermediate Period.
See also New Kingdom; Old Kingdom.
Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier
Ancient Egypt. A Reference Guide. EdwART. 2011.