Which pharaoh is credited with ending the First Intermediate Period in Egypt?

Mentuhotep II is credited with ending the First Intermediate Period in Egypt and heralding the start of the Middle Kingdom. His reign marked a significant transition in Egyptian history as he unified the country after a time of political fragmentation, instability, and competing regional powers during the Intermediate Period.

Mentuhotep II achieved this unification through military conquests and strategic political alliances, solidifying his power and reinstating centralized governance. His successful campaigns enabled him to reassert control over the Nile Valley and restore the prestige of the pharaonic authority, which had weakened during the previous period. This laid the foundation for the cultural and political renaissance that characterized the Middle Kingdom, which is also noted for significant developments in literature, art, and architecture.

The other choices pertain to different periods in Egyptian history. Ahmose I is known for expelling the Hyksos and founding the New Kingdom, Thutmose III is celebrated for his military campaigns and territorial expansion during the height of the New Kingdom, and Hatshepsut is notable for her reign as a female pharaoh and her remarkable architectural contributions. However, none of these pharaohs played a role in ending the First Intermediate Period as Mentuhotep II did.