Semerkhet was the successor of Enezib and the only funerary monument that surely can be attributed to him is his tomb in Abydos. He erased his predecessor's name from monuments replacing it with his own, which indicate social disturbance. His name is omitted from the Sakkara king list, and theories have been put forward that he was an usurper without legal right to the crown. Manetho tells that a "great calamity" occurred during his reign, but doesn't tell what sort. According to the Palermo Stone his reign was close to 9 years, but Manetho gives him 18.

(Semerkhet main text)