Vizier (Ancient Egypt)

The vizier was the highest official in ancient Egypt to serve the pharaoh (king) during the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms.

[2] The Instruction of Rekhmire (Installation of the Vizier), a New Kingdom text, defines many of the duties of the tjaty, and lays down codes of behavior.

The vizier's paramount duty was to supervise the running of the country, much like a prime minister.

At any time, the pharaoh could exert his own control over any aspect of government, overriding the vizier's decisions.

[6] From the Fifth Dynasty onwards, viziers, who by then were the highest civilian bureaucratic official, held supreme responsibility for the administration of the palace and government, including jurisdiction, scribes, state archives, central granaries, treasury, storage of surplus products and their redistribution, and supervision of building projects such as the royal pyramid.

drawing of a Vizier based on old kingdom tomb paintings
Statue of Hemiunu , vizier and designer of Khufu 's pyramid, at the Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim , Germany. His feet rest on columns of hieroglyphs , painted in yellow, red, brown, and black.