Dressed Like A Woman But Crowned Like A King
How Did Hatshepsut Become One of the Most Successful and Influential Pharaohs of The New Kingdom?
Hatshepsut, the daughter of Pharaoh Thutmose I and his Great Royal Wife Ahmose, was the controversial fifth pharaoh of the New Kingdom period. Egypt was under her rule for 21 years and 9 months during the beginning of the 18th dynasty, estimated to be between 1479 and 1458 BC.
Hatshepsut was the daughter of Pharaoh Thutmose I, who came to the throne as a successful middle-aged military commander – the previous pharaoh Amenhotep I had failed to produce a rightful male heir.
Thutmose I staged many military campaigns that established Egypt’s 18th dynasty, pushing the borders of Egypt further than ever before. He was also the first pharaoh to construct a tomb for
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It is unlikely that Hatshepsut had much contact with her mother or father during the early years of her life. Around the time of Hatshepsut’s birth her Father, Thutmose l, was spending much time away from Egypt, on campaigns in Syria, Palestine and Nubia. Her Mother, Ahmose, was too busy trying to conceive a male heir to the throne.
Hatshepsut’s wet nurse Sitre looked after her the majority of the time. Being a royal nurse was a great privilege and the role was considered prestigious. A statue of Sitre and Hatshepsut was found in the Valley of the Kings reinforcing the importance of her position.
As the heiress princess, Hatshepsut would have been aware of her exalted position from an early age. Girls of this period would learn to spin and weave linen cloth, or to create beautiful ornate wigs. Hatshepsut however, from the age of four or five learned to hold a scribe’s brush and ink palette in her lap while sitting cross-legged. She learnt the difference between formal cursive hieroglyphics and memorized the phonetic equivalents and symbolic
Therefore, Hatshepsut was summoned to rule on behalf of her stepson. Thutmose was crowned king but until the day Hatshepsut was deceased, the king had to compete with his stepmother-aunt. At first she acted as an advisor to the king, but being Hatshepsut was close to the throne all of her life, felt that “she had the most royal power as well as the purest royal blood in her veins.” After a few years passed, Hatshepsut presumed the Double crown and made herself king. Hatshepsut had a strong and vibrant personality and intended to overshadow her half brother as well as her husband. Thutmose III was still known as co ruler, but he remained in the background. There were many difficulties regarding her gender when she first came into rule, but it did not hinder her greatness. The inscription cutters often made mistakes as all the royal titles were in male form. She had to legitimize herself as female ruler, as she often did through art and statues.
A woman becoming Pharaoh had been almost unheard of in ancient Egypt until Hatshepsut was born. Hatshepsut was the second daughter of the pharaoh, Thothmes I. After her sister, Neferu-khebit, died, Hatshepsut was the next heir to the throne unless a male married her and became Pharaoh. After Thothmes passed away, Hatshepsut fearfully, yet confidently, claimed the throne and commenced one of the most successful She-Pharaoh reigns ever recorded. Pauline Gedge’s Child of the Morning explained the social, political, economic, and cultural aspects of ancient Egypt’s society during Hatshepsut’s reign as Queen and Pharaoh.
Hatshepsut was born around 15th century B.C., she is the daughter of Tuthmose the first and his wife, Aahmes. When king Tuthmose I died, queen Aahmes married her half-brother, King Tuthmose II. King Tuthmose II died after a short rule and the throne was supposed to be passed down to his son Tuthmose III but he was considered far too young to rule so Hatshepsut ruled in his stead as a regent. Information about Hatshepsut varied a bit, some articles speculated Hatshepsut was the 4th female pharaoh while others say she was the 6th. But without a doubt she was considered one of the greatest pharaohs of all time, even amongst the male counterparts. As a pharaoh, Hatshepsut did things like reestablishing trade routes that has been long lost due to past invaders. By doing this, Hatshepsut was able to turn the economy around and lead Egypt into a period of wealth and prosperous trade. Her allowing an expedition to the land of Punt also wielded excellent results. In total she sent 5 ships accommodating 210 sailors and 30 rowers most likely slaves. They bought back 31 live myrrh tree roots and were the first recorded attempt to plant foreign
Throughout history, there is absolutely no doubt that women, (whether they be royalty, revolutionaries, or regular citizens,) tend to be erased by the men that were recording at that time. The gender was, and still continues to be, suppressed and discriminated against. Therefore, when a powerful woman happened to be in the position where she could make a difference, she might adapt masculine tendencies and presentation. This is the case of the ancient Egyptian queen Hatshepsut, who was the second historically confirmed female pharaoh of Egypt, and the first to rule with full authority, according to The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby Wilkinson. In this paper I will explain how Hatshepsut presented herself as a pharaoh by blending
Akhenaten, a pharaoh of ancient Egypt, had big shoes to fill when he stepped up to the throne. His father, Amenhotep III, had helped restore their country to its former glory by being a diplomat. Amenhotep negotiated with bordering nations to provide stable political alliances, and trade routes. Egypt,
The female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, is arguably one of the most influential people of ancient Egypt. For thousands of years, the workings of Hatshepsut have been subject to multiple interpretations, from both her time and the modern day. An evaluation of the effectiveness of her reign can be resolved from the reliability and validity of evidence presented today, both primary and secondary.
During her reign, Hatshepsut had started trading expeditions from Punt (present-day Eritrea) that brought ivory, ebony, gold, leopard skins and incense into Egypt. When Hatshepsut was trading with Punt, she utilized trade as a technique to give herself a chance to expand the economy of her country. In order for trading to be accomplished, Hatshepsut had established vital trade routes to aid in implementing exchange with other countries. As a result, Hatshepsut became the first monarch in the New Kingdom to trade with Punt. Through her action of expanding trades with trade routes, she demonstrated that she is an influential leader because she was not afraid to try new ways of making her country better and more prosperous. Along with trading with Punt, Hatshepsut had also traded with countries in west Asia which are in east of Egypt through her vital trade routes. Thus allowing boats filled with goods to be imported back to Egypt. In addition to expanding trade to help her country prosper, Hatshepsut had also built many great monuments such as the Palace of Ma’at, Gebel el Silsila, Chapelle Rouge, and the Deir el Bahri that exhibits the immense growth of her country. These tremendous monuments displayed that Egypt under Hatshepsut’s rule had prospered because it proves that the economy of that time was great since Hatshepsut was able to afford
The Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut is a magnificent piece of art located in the Egyptian section next to many other statues of the great pharaoh Hatshepsut. Out of all the statues of Hatshepsut, the Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut was kept in the best shape and caught a lot of attention from the people in the room. Its great size is something truly remarkable, considering it was built in the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. More importantly, this statue is the first structure in art that depicts a woman leader. Not only is it a truly unique piece of work, but also it is a piece that is revolutionary for its time. The massive size of this statue leaves one wondering if women have always been just as powerful as men, if not more.
Hatshepsut’s building programs played a major role in her reign as is shown through the praise they still receive from the future generations. Hatshepsut main focus seemed to be her building programs as she constantly refers to them. Once she acquired the role of pharaoh she started repairing buildings that were neglected during the Hyksos occupation such as the temple of Hathor at Cusae, a temple for Min and the temple of Thoth at Hermopolis. Her building programs consisted of completing Thutmose II due to his short reign and constructing new buildings. Her new building programs consisted of her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri; the Red Chapel, obelisks and pylon at Karnak; the barque sanctuary at Luxor and the cliff temple dedicated to the lion goddess, Pakhet at Beni Hassan. Her building programs were important to further enhance her relationship with the Amun- Re cult. Through her buildings she reinforced her relationship with Amun, using it as propaganda to prove that she has the right to claim the throne.
Let’s start with Pharaoh Hatshepsut. This amazing pharaoh was the first girl pharaoh. This pioneer ruled during the new kingdom, otherwise known as the Golden age. She ruled from about 1473 B.C.E to about 1458 B.C.E. This pharaoh encouraged trade in Egypt and in other civilizations. She made her government stronger by filling her government with royal advisers. She also wanted the same respect that people gave to rulers that are men. Some fun facts about her is that sometimes she wore a fake beard and she shared her rule with male
Senenmut, an excellent architect within Ancient Egypt who came from a large educated family, was appointed by Hatshepsut to oversee any royal works, as well as overseeing slaves, fields, and gardens. It is said by some Egyptologists that he initiated a very personal relationship with her—he was even a tutor for Hatshepsut’s daughter. This suggests that Hatshepsut befriended Senenmut for her own advantage, in order for her building plans to be carried out as she pleased. Not only did she effectively choose a skilled architect, but she kept high standards for the location for her memorial tomb. This was at a natural bay near the Theban Mountains, facing the entrance to the Amen-Re Temple at Karnak. This location was especially chosen because it was the existing tomb of her father, and had great importance as it was previously a cult center for Hathor (goddess of ruling kings). A new entrance was created with a staircase leading to a new burial hall carved out of rock. Although her choice called for those extensive alterations of the existing tomb, Hatshepsut wanted to be remembered as a highly regarded leader and appointed Senemut to carry out with those building plans. Hatshepsut’s choice resulted in one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt, known as Djeser Djeseru, meaning holiest of the holy. This specific project displayed Hatshepsut’s creativity
Queen Hatshepsut ruled Egypt from 1473 B.C.E. to 1458 B.C.E. She is known for her search of myrrh, and when she died, her name was removed from all the recorded in opposition to a woman ruler.
Hatshepsut, also known as the first female pharaoh to obtain full power and one of the most successful rulers of ancient Egypt. Hatshepsut accomplished many things during her reign. She successfully re-established trade routes and construction projects. She also had a successful military career and claims she fought alongside soldiers in battle. Thus making Hatshepsut one of the most successful rulers in ancient Egyptian history.
The reign of Amenophis III was the beginning of a political era of diplomatic relations and an economic upturn in Egypt. Amenophis III was original with the choice of his ‘Great Royal Wife’, Tiye, who was not born into a family of monarchs.
Within the society of ancient Egypt, having a good Pharaoh was considered to be absolutely vital for the functioning of the country; and it was for this reason that Egypt had been ruled by these supposedly half gods half humans for over three thousand years. The position of the Pharaoh was auspiciously passed down through the royal family and traditionally to the eldest son when his father died. Hatshepsut was a significant individual who thwarted this convention by depicting herself as a male so that after her husband/brother Thutmosis II died suddenly she could become Pharaoh instead of the rightful successor, who was Thutmosis III. Because of the male-governed society of which she had lived in, Hatshepsut had to indeed subvert the