Koskon of Thafon

Koskon was a recorded monarch of Thafon for around 30 years, between approximately 1560 and 1530 BCE. In terms of contemporaneous sources, Koskon is the best-sourced Pre-Patriarchy Period monarch of Thafon, his exploits being detailed within the Ngnotos papyrus by a trader who witnessed the end of his rule and the very beginning of his son, Koton's, rule. His father, Koskos, was the eponymous founder of the Thafonological Koskosid Dynasty, and ruled at some point before Koskon ascended to the throne.

Family

Koskon was the son of Koskos, though his lineage is not given much detail beyond that. The author of the Ngnotos papyrus mentions that Koskos was a monarch of Thafon prior to Koskon's own ascension, but that is the only contemporaneous document given regarding his father. It was left unclear whether Koskon ascended to the throne immediately after his father's death or whether there were other monarchs in between, but it is generally accepted that Koskon ascended to the throne in 1560 BCE, so Koskos would have to have ruled at some point before then. The Ngnotos papyrus details that Koskon had many wives, but two in particular are mentioned - Gezai, who fathered his 'chiefest' son Koton, and Pektai, who mainly tended to Koskon's needs in his dying days.

With his father and son, the three kings comprise what Thafonologists term the Koskosid Dynasty. This is merely a tool to assist Thafonologists in maintaining king lists and ascertaining monarch affiliations, and there is no evidence that Koskon particularly maintained his family as any kind of political presence in Thafon.

Events of reign

Some prior events of Koskon's reign are assumed understood by the author of the Ngnotos papyrus, hinting at potential other papyri from the same author that were lost, but it is mentioned that Koskon had been ruling for 30 years by the point of the Ngnotos papyrus' initial authorship.

The papyrus mentions that Koskon oversaw the stockpiling of food in Thafon just prior to the eruption of a mountain the author terms 'Bidamos'. The author notes that this event was three years in the past, but that Thafon had not yet recovered. The author writes the papyrus as if regular trade was not most common to Thafon, instead being an irregular and often special event. Various dating methods place an eruption, likely of mount ($MOUNTAIN), at around 1535 BCE, which fits in with other records of the time, and which places the authorship of the papyrus at 1530 BCE and acts as an anchor point for the rest of the Koskosid Dynasty.

Around 1530 BCE, Koskon allows some traders into his home to agree some details of a trade deal with Thafon, to increase trade in exchange for food. This is the main occurrence within the Ngnotos papyrus, and notes that the King is unwell and being cared for by his wife Pektai. However, before the trade deal was completed, Koskon died in his home.

Death and aftermath

Koskon's death from his disease was not unforseen by the traders who visited him, but the Ngnotos papyrus details that his death put an effective stopper on the potential of increasing trade with Thafon. Koton allowed them to remain in the city to witness his funerary rites, which gave a look into pre-Patriarchy Thafonic customs that remains relatively unique. Once those had concluded, Koton swiftly refused their offers of increased trade, and the traders departed.