The Intermediate Period I begins with the death of Pepi II. Scientists are not completely positive but somewhere either directly after or shortly before he died, a climatic change occurred which caused crops to fail and led to hunger across Egypt. As a result, there was famine, poverty, social upheaval and anarchy. Local governors tried to maintain control by placing the needs of their people above that of the neighbors, but it was difficult to say how widespread the famine and social upheaval was. It is certain that it engulfed Memphis which was the capital at that time.
After more than 20 years there appears to have been a line of kings which made up the 9th and 10th Dynasties. These kings resided at Herakleopolis and managed to stabilize their power over their neighboring regions and then they took control of Delta.
Their attempt to take control of Upper Egypt failed when they encountered resistance from the princes of Upper Egypt somewhere around Thebes. Thebes became "the door of the South." Later on Thebes would start a rebellion against Herakleopolis and managed to set-up their own independent kingdom. This is likely to have extended down to the first cataract and up to just south of Abydos. Later, there was another war between Herakleopolis and Thebes which was over the control of Egypt. Thebes, which was led by Nebhetepre Mentuhotep I, conquered Herakleopolis after a period of a few years. This marked the beginning of the Middle Kingdom in Egypt.
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