During the First Intermediate Period, rival nomarchs from around Egypt fought for control of the whole country. The kings of the 8th dynasty were from Memphis, and the 9th and 10th dynasties were based in Herakleopolis.

Mentuhotep I was one of the pharaohs of dynasty 11, which ruled from Thebes in Upper Egypt. By the 39th year of his reign, Mentuhotep I had managed to crush all resistance from all parts of Upper and Lower Egypt. He certainly lived up to his name: "Mentuhotep" means "Montu (the god of war) is satisfied." Like Narmer did thousands of years ago, Mentuhotep I conquered and united all of Egypt under a single rule. This significant event marked the end of the First Intermediate Period and ushered in the age of the Middle Kingdom.

The remainder of Mentuhotep I's reign was a time of peace and prosperity for Egypt. The lack of fighting left time to build monuments all around Egypt and a grand temple-tomb for himself at Deir el-Bahari.