When did Khufu rule Egypt?

Khufu ruled Egypt during the 26th or 25th centuries BC. This powerful pharaoh of the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom is also well known by his Greek name, Cheops.

The exact dates of Khufu's reign are mysterious. Though his place in the order of pharaohs is relatively well established, the exact number of years he reigned is still unknown to historians. Ancient historians pegged his reign at 63 years, but modern Egyptologists estimate it to have lasted for a more modest 23 years. Whatever the duration of his reign, it lasted long enough to build one of the most iconic buildings in the world: the Great Pyramid of Giza.