The history of pharaohs and Hatshepsut

History Of Pharaoh Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut was a name used in the 1508-1458 BC by the fifth pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt, which meant "Foremost of Noble Ladies." Hatshepsut is widely recognized by Egyptologists to be one of the most successful pharaohs who reigned for a longer period as compared to any other woman from indigenous Egyptian dynasty. Even though Neferusobek/Sobekneferu, a middle kingdom female pharaoh, had already descended on power prior to the coming of Hatshepsut, it was hard for a woman to rule, as a result Hatshepsut had to dress like a man. She managed to rule as a pharaoh for about 15-20 years, however, the dating is vague since according to Josephus, quoting Manetho (the father of Egyptian history "her reign lasted for about 22 years.

Family Background

The father of Hatshepsut was Pharaoh Thuthmosis Akheperkare (Thuthmosis I) and had a great wife called Queen Ahmose. Her only complete sibling Akhbetneferu died in her infancy. Her mother's co-wife called Mutnofret had four sons Thuthmosis Akheperenre (Thuthmosis II), Amenose, Wadjmose, and Ramose. Unfortunately Amenose and Wadjmose died before making to adulthood.

After the death of her father, since she had no real brother her half brother, Thuthmosis Akheperenre was named to be pharaoh and Hatshepsut became his great wife. By Thuthmosis marrying Hatshepsut who was a daughter of the king gave him the right to rule despite the fact that his mother was not the great royal wife. It is approximated that Thuthmosis II ruled for about 3 or 13 years (records are unclear), (Clayton, Peter, 1994). Apart from having a son named Thuthmosis Menkheperre (Thuthmosis III) afterwards by a member of his harem named Isis, they had a daughter who was named Neferure. She was depicted wearing the royal false beard as well as the side lock of the youths

After the death of Thuthmosis II, his son was still very young to ascend to power, hence Hatshepsut became his regent and her daughter Neferure went on to manage the Queen's role in religious and civil rituals. In order to get the full right of the rule Thutmose III married Neferure since his mother was not from noble blood.

How she moved Queen to Pharaoh

Just like most of the Queens had acted to be regent to their infant sons (Queen Ahmose Nefertari and Queen Ahhotep) so was Hatshepsut. This role confirmed the protection which Horus was given by her mother Isis after Osiris was murdered and such became clearly acceptable by the gods. During the middle kingdom, co-regencies were common since they avoided difficulties in successions as well as they paved the way for training junior pharaoh into their roles, (Dennis C. Forbes, 2005). As can be noted through a passage in the tomb of Ineni "….Hatshepsut settled the affairs of the Two Lands by reasons of her plans. Egypt was made to labor with bowed head for her, the excellent seed of the god, which came forth from him."

It is approximated that before or during Hatshepsut's seventh year of rule is when she progressed from role of co-regent to pharaoh, as was evidenced from the discovered pottery jars with labels to that year in the tomb of Senenmut's parents after she was named "The Good Goddess Maatkare" which was the name she took as pharaoh.

After Hatshepsut took the rule as pharaoh she assumed the entire symbols that a ruler was entitled to including the Nemes headdress, the khat (a head scarf with a uraeus), the traditional false beard and the shendyt kilt. Sometimes she amended her name to "Hatshepsu" omitting the feminine ending. At the same time Hatshepsut could be depicted in feminine clothing and went on to identify herself as a woman. As she continued with the rule she was time and again portrayed as a traditional male pharaoh. Afterwards Hatshepsut stopped to use Queen as a title, especially "God's Wife of Amun." She supported her assertion that identified her as her father's designated successor evidenced from inscriptions from her mortuary temple's wall: Then his majesty said to them: "This daughter of mine, Khnumetamun Hatshepsut -- may she live! -- I have appointed as my successor upon my throne she shall direct the people in every sphere of the palace; it is she indeed. Obey her words, unite yourselves at her command."

Hatshepsut was commonly described as fairly conventional pharaoh in every other aspect. Majority recognized her as a peace loving pharaoh partly following her gender. Even though there were a number of military expeditions, they turned out to be dissent from Egypt's neighbors, (Tyldesley, Joyce, 1996). Hatshepsut managed to expand the temple complex at Karnak, expanded Egypt's trade and built her mortuary temple at Deir el Bahari.

Major Accomplishments

She successfully established the trade networks that had formerly been disrupted at the times of Hyksos occupation of Egypt within the second Intermediate period; as a result she built the wealth of the eighteenth dynasty. She took the role of overseeing the preparations and funding for a mission within the Land of Punt. The five ships started the expedition in her name, and every ship was 70 feet (21m) long harboring many sails and accommodated 210 men that included 30 rowers and sailors. Bulk of trade goods were bought within Punt, particularly myrrh.

The most significance of the voyage was Egyptians returning bearing thirty-one live myrrh trees. Their roots were kept carefully in baskets for the duration of the voyage, and this became the first attempt to transplant foreign trees. These trees are reported to have been planted within the courts of Hatshepsut Deir el Bahri mortuary temple complex. The voyage also came back with living Puntites (people of the Punt).

Hatshepsut organized commemoration of the expedition in relief at Deir el-Bahri, which is as well-known for its realistic representation of the Queen of the Land of Punt, Queen Iti, who was somehow having a genetic trait known as steatopygia. She successfully sent raiding expeditions to Sinai and Byblos just after the Punt expedition. Earlier in her career she successfully led military campaigns in Nubia, the Levant, and Syria. However, it is claimed that her foreign policy was commonly peaceful.