Queen Maatkare Hatshepsut, Pharaoh of Egypt during the 18th dynasty, from 1473 BC to 1458 BC, was one of only a handful of female rulers of ancient Egypt. Her story is unique in Egyptian history, and reigned longer than any other female pharaoh. Thutmose I, had many wives, and many children. However, Hatshepsut was the daughter and only child of Thutmose I and his primary wife Ahmose. Hatshepsut, was favored by her parents over her brothers. She was beautiful, smart, and had a charismatic personality. Thus, despite her being a female, she had the makings to become a queen. Her two brothers, died in unknown accidents, and she should have succeeded her father, as king, if she was born a male. Thutmose I, Hatshepsut’s father’s reign was …show more content…
Technically, Hatshepsut did not ‘usurp’ the crown, as Thutmose III was never deposed, and was considered co-ruler throughout her life. Hatshepsut was the principal ruler in power, she began to reign as Queen Regent, using the title “God’s Wife.” Hatshepsut assumed the pharaoh costume, which was intended for males and included a false beard, the shendyt kilt, and the nemes headdress, with its uraeus, and khat headcloth. At her coronation, she adopted the five great names: Horus Powerful of Kas, Two Ladies Flourishing of Years, Female Horus of Fine Gold, Divine of Diadems, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Daughter of Ra, Khenmet-Amen Hatshepsut.
Hatshepsut’s reign was basically a peaceful one. The lack of frantic military activity during her years in power is one of the outstanding and defining characteristics of her rule. She focused more on activities like trade, and construction. She expanded trade with Nubia, Libya, and countries in Asia. She also ordered expeditions to present-day Somalia, which was then called Punt, to acquire special goods like ivory, spices, and gold. Hatshepsut also restored and renovated several old buildings that had been damaged or destroyed by invading armies. One of these was the temple at Ipet-Issut, now known as Karnak. In addition to the renovations, she built the Red Chapel for the holy barge of Amun. Hatshepsut put up two huge obelisks that were covered in gold foil, reflecting the
Hathor Who is placed beside Amun-Re with a frieze of cobras under them, (Roberts, 1995-p.45). The cobra forms the king’s name, mAat-kA-ra; which drives you to the idea that Hatshepsut is the spiritual daughter of Hathor Who and Amun-Re who received the quintessential powers of live-giving from Hathor and the rejuvenation of Amun-Re, (Roberts,1995-p.45; Troy,1986-p.46). She also displayed the royal entities who tried to take advantage of her being a female king in the inscriptions as imagery using ideological overlay, (Troy, 1986-p.142).
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
In one respect, Hatshepsut is viewed as the female pharaoh who had a particularly unsuccessful reign that was devoid of any real achievements. Historians writing in the 1970’s and 1980’s often made sexist and unfounded assumptions about Hatshepsut’s rule, including her apparent scheming to take the throne from the
Hatshepsut became a dominant leader during the New Kingdom when she attained legitimate power when she declared herself as Pharaoh. After her husband, Thutmose II died prematurely; he had left a son named Thutmose III that was born to a lesser wife to his successor of the New Kingdom. As Thutmose III was quite young when he ascended the throne, Hatshepsut had the duty to co-regent with the young pharaoh. Together, they reigned for three years. Soon, political crisis started to arise which made Hatshepsut to take on the role of pharaoh in order to save her kingdom. When she enthroned herself, she started to make statues of herself having a beard, muscles and holding a flock and flail. She depicted herself as a man through these statues. Hatshepsut
Major Achievements: She was the first female pharaoh. Her largest architectural achievement was a temple above the nile that was built into a cliff.
Amun and religion played a large role in Hatshepsut’s reign due to the use of a higher being to consolidate her reign. The limestone bust of Hatshepsut as Osiris, a portrait from her mortuary temple at Deir el Bahari depicts her as the male god Osiris, giving her a sense of power as she is depicted as a powerful god, god of
During the time of Ancient Egypt, having strong Pharaohs was essential to the maintenance and growth of the civilization, as the Pharaohs were believed to be living Gods. Although leadership of Ancient Egypt was often male dominated, there were admirable female Pharaohs who successfully gained power and left behind a positive legacy; one woman to achieve this was Hatshepsut, meaning ‘foremost of female nobles’. Her innovation and determination allowed her to maintain her position of Pharaoh for about twenty years (1479-1458 BCE). Hatshepsut was considered to be a very successful leader because of her confidence and ambition, magnificent building projects, and establishment of a strong trading network.
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 was the fifth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty she was the daughter of Thutmose I and Ahmose. Hatshepsut was known as the first female ruler of ancient Egypt. Hatshepsut was the first female to rule as a male, she ruled from 1479 to 1458 BCE. Hatshepsut became the queen of Egypt in the 18th dynasty when she married her half brother Thutmose II at 12 years old. After Thutmose II died Hatshepsut began acting as a ruler for Thutmose III which was her stepson (who was an infant).
Hatshepsut ruled for about seven years until something changed. It's unknown exactly why she did it, maybe she was being threatened by another part of the royal family who wanted the throne, maybe she wanted the power that would come with being a pharaoh, but she dressed up as a man and declared herself the pharaoh of Egypt. She wasn’t disguising herself as man, everyone knew she was a woman, but they accepted her. Hatshepsut was the 5th pharaoh of the 18th
One of Hatshepsut’s greatest accomplishments was simply becoming pharaoh as a woman. Since her birth, Hatshepsut had always had some power. Her parents were Thutmose I and his main wife, Ahmose, so she was part of the royal family (Ross). Then, she was married to her half brother,
Hatshepsut was said to be born in 1507 BC. Her name means foremost of noble ladies. She was the 5th pharaoh of Egypt and the second historically confirmed female pharaoh. Hatshepsut started ruling Egypt in 1478 BC. Officially, she was just there to help thutmose III who was the heir to the throne at just two years old. She was the only child of thutmose I and his primary wife. Her husband, Thutmose II, was thutmose I's son from a secondary wife who is thought to be the primary wife’s daughter. Some people say that hatshepsut was “the first great woman in history”
Throughout history of Egypt, countless pharaohs have taken their turns wearing the crown. Out of those 170 names, Hatshepsut is always one that catches my eye.