WOMEN WHO SHAPED THE NILE
You might have heard about some of the famous kings (or pharaohs) who came from ancient Egypt. But there were also many famous women too, and some of them even ruled as queens in their own right!
Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut was the daughter of the king of Egypt. As an Egyptian
princess, she was destined for a royal life. She was married to her half-brother, Tuthmosis II, who became king after their father died. However, Tuthmosis II didn’t reign for long and died at the age of around 30.
After her husband died, Hatshepsut began to rule as regent for her stepson, who was only two years old. A few years later, however, Hatshepsut took up the position of full pharaoh. In art, she depicted herself as masculine and dressed in male clothing. She even wore a false beard. However, when we read the hieroglyphs accompanying the art, we can see that she is referred to as female.
As pharaoh, Hatshepsut kept Egypt peaceful and made the country prosperous. She expanded trade and brought many luxuries into Egypt, including myrrh trees from a southern land called Punt. She built a lot of temples across Egypt, and restored ones that had been destroyed. Her mortuary temple was built into the hills at Deir el-Bahri. The temple was extremely impressive, with a ramp going up the middle, and tamarisk and sycamore trees planted beside the ramp. These trees were brought back from foreign lands.
Hatshepsut reigned for at least 20 years. Her stepson, Tuthmosis III, tried to erase her legacy after she died. But today, she has been recognized as one of the most powerful rulers of her time.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra was another famous queen of the ancient world. She was also the last pharaoh of Egypt. Her first language was Greek, but she also learned Egyptian, philosophy, and public speaking.
Cleopatra came to the throne when she was 18 years old and ruled alongside her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII. During her rule, Egypt’s economy improved. She wanted to make Egypt the powerful empire it had once been. She constructed many temples and helped to beautify the city of Alexandria.
Her time as queen, however, would not be easy. Her brother’s advisors plotted against her, and she had to flee. Cleopatra was a skilled politician and aligned herself with powerful Roman rulers. She turned to Julius Caesar, a Roman politician and military leader, for help. They later had a son together, called Caesarion (which means “Little Caesar”). Cleopatra hoped that her son would become the future heir to Rome, as well as the pharaoh of Egypt. When Julius Caesar was murdered, she returned to Egypt. She later formed a relationship with Mark Antony, one of the three members of the Triumvirate, the rulers of Rome. She and Mark Antony eventually had three children together. Both Cleopatra and Mark Anthony died the year after they were defeated in the naval battle of Actium. This powerful queen had ruled for nearly 30 years. After Cleopatra’s death, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire.
Nefertiti
Yet another fascinating and powerful queen of Egypt was Nefertiti. Her name means “The Beautiful One Has Come.” She was the wife of a
pharaoh called Akhenaten, who made a lot of religious changes. He
preferred to worship one god, called Aten, instead of multiple Egyptian gods. Unlike many kings who came before him, Akhenaten made sure his wife’s image was depicted extremely prominently on some structures and tombs. One of Akhenaten’s temples in Thebes, the Mansion of the Benben, was dedicated to Nefertiti.
Some Egyptologists believe that Nefertiti was an equal ruler alongside her
husband. Her name disappears from historical records, and many people think the name “Neferferuaten” refers to Nefertiti as pharaoh.
One of the most famous objects from ancient Egypt is the bust of Nefertiti. This object is now on display in the Neues Museum in Berlin, Germany. Queen Nefertiti is arguably the most recognizable woman from ancient Egypt.