Hatshepsut

Outline Introduction Part I. Her reign a. Accession to the throne b. First female pharaoh c. Senmut Part II. Her building projects a. The obelisks b. The temple Conclusion References

Introduction

Although not the only female ruler of Egypt, Hatshepsut (18th Dynasty) is one of the best known (next to Cleopatra)

Fifth ruler (1473-1458 B.C.) of the 18th Dynasty, daughter of Thutmose I

The women in Egypt carried the royal blood, not the males

To become Pharaoh, the man had to marry a female of royal blood, often a sister, half sister or other near relative

Part I. Her reign

a. Accession to the throne

Married her half-brother, Thutmose II, who had a son, Thutmose III, by a minor wife

Thuthmose II died soon after becoming Pharaoh, leaving the widow Hatshepsut, a daughter Neferura and a son by another wife, Thuthmose III

Hatshepsut regent due to the boy's young age. They ruled jointly until 1473 (declared herself pharaoh)

Disappeared in 1458 B.C. when Thutmose III, wishing to reclaim the throne, led a revolt. Thutmose had her shrines and statues mutilated

b. First female pharaoh

Hatshepsut administered affairs of the nation, with the full support of the high priest of Amun

Campaign in Nubia. She sent Thuthmose III out with the army, on various campaigns

One inscription even says that Hatshepsut herself led one of her Nubian campaigns

She had to prove herself as a warrior Pharaoh to her people

c. Senmut

When Neferura was still a child, Senmut was her tutor

Senmut, one of the strongest supporters of Hatshepsut, one of her top advisers

40 titles, including chief architect Disappeared some time before the end of

Hatshepsut's reign Perhaps, he was her lover

Part II. Her building projects

a. Obelisks

Two obelisks, cut at Aswan and transported to Karnak

The work of cutting the monoliths out of the quarry required seven months of labor

Later ordered three more to be cut (one of which cracked before it was carved from the rock, remains at Aswan)

These were to celebrate her 16th year as Pharaoh

Obelisks

b. Temple at Deir el Bahari

At Karnak, she carried out many repairs to the temples, assuring herself the favors of the priests

A queen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings, never completed

After the Valley of the Kings tomb was abandoned, work at Deir el-Bahari  in Thebes was started (mortuary temple)

The most beautiful temple in Egypt, designed by Senmut

Deir el Bahari

Conclusion

Hatshepsut has left a legacy of architectural and statuary elegance. Her temple built in the area of Thebes, at modern Deir el-Bahari, stands as a beautiful monument to her reign

Great pharaoh, great ruler, builder and warrior (expedition to the land of Punt)

But her name was erased because she was a female

References

http://touregypt.net/18dyn05.htm http://touregypt.net/historicalessays/

hatshepsut.htm http://www.touregypt.net/bahari.htm http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/bahri.htm http://www.thebanmappingproject.com http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/

blhatshepsut.htm