Taharqa succeeded his cousin Shebitku on the throne. Early in his reign, he supported Palestine's resistance against King Sennacherib of Assyria. In 671, however, Taharqa's army was defeated by Sennacherib's son Esarhaddon, who captured Memphis, together with its royal harem, and took a great amount of spoils; he set up a new Assyrian administration, entrusting the government and collection of tribute to the native chiefs. On Esarhaddon's withdrawal from Egypt, Taharqa returned from his refuge in Upper Egypt and massacred the Assyrian garrisons. He held control over Egypt until he was completely routed by Esarhaddon's son Ashurbanipal, after which he fled south to Nubia, where he died and was buried in a large pyramid at Nuri.