Little is known about Hotepsekhemwy's reign. Evidence shows he may have gained the throne after a period of political strife. During this time there were several kings who only ruled for a very short time, such as Horus "Bird" and Sneferka. Sneferka could be a name used by king Qaa for a short time. The tomb of king Qaa was robbed at the end of First dynasty, and was restored during the reign of Hotepsekhemwy. The robbing of the cemetery and the conciliatory meaning of the name Hotepsekhemwy may be clues of a dynastic struggle. The kings Sneferka and Horus “Bird” were left out of later king lists, perhaps because their struggles for the Egyptian throne led to the collapse of the first dynasty.