Even whilst confusing the growing hostile activity throughout the neighboring Phoenician region as guesswork between Minoan, Philistine, Semitic, or a new tribesfolk, the Empire of the Nile would not sit quietly. The rise of piracy instituted a culture of mercenary versus pirate with Egypt maintaining these independent units via payment of her own treasury, which led to frequent deadly confrontations.
Despite the growing tensions brought by the great movements of people during the 15th century, the Egyptian pharaohs did not place blame for these incursions upon a single nation. Thutmose IV warmly regarded Crete and any gifts from the West as tribute, interpreting such gestures as being honored for his own prestige. He kept his forces away from Crete's shores even as the Minoans opened trade with the Phoenicians, particularly the princes of Syria.
Amenhotep III also chose not to escalate military engagement with the Sea Peoples but, unlike his predecessor, made attempts to properly identify the indistinguishable cultures, to middling results. Customs, culture-wear, language, and racial characteristics were still commonly confused amongst the maritime foreigners flooding into the region.
It wasn't for roughly two hundred more years (1194 BC) that the first Egyptian pharaoh (Ramses III) directly engaged these sea-tribes. In a series of violent clashes, the Egyptian military fought against free Vikings, rival Aegeans, and other freefolk amongst the Phoenician states. Mainly the fight for control of the Mediterranean coasts was of a prime interest to the Egyptian king, and at the height of this war led to Ramses' massively successful defeat of the Sea Peoples' migrant army deep within the Serbonian Bog.
On the side of Egypt was their lone ally the Tursha and the opposing side, the barbarian hordes encompassing bits and pieces of all the mixed cultures who represented a culmination of Egypt's centuries-long disdain. With this migrant army thoroughly destroyed on the Nile's marshland, Egypt stated her objective to defend her borders, along with the nearby coasts of the Near East, though this strong posture would ultimately arrive too late.
Mass migration is always tough. It is an issue met with resistance whether the host nation's leader tasked with dealing with it intends to act or not act. But the reality is that there is only a short window of opportunity, early on, that requires hardline action before things get too hot. This is primarily due to it being a far easier task in defending borders against foreign invaders than to later expel countless semi-assimilated migrants from within, after the fact, when the possibilities for damaging scenarios to the host country or kingdom are limitless.
[RAMSES III - Defender of the realm]
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