Pharaohs of Egypt

Menes 3150 BCE

Legendary Pharaoh who united upper and lower Egypt.

Djoser 2600 BCE1st Pharaoh to build a pyramid.

He undertook the construction of the earliest important stone building in Egypt. His reign, which probably lasted 19 years, was marked by great technological innovation in the use of stone architecture. His minister, Imhotep, a talented architect and physician, was himself deified in later periods. Imhotep is the person who is credited for the original design of the egyptian pyramid.

Pharaohs of the Giza Pyramids

Kufu 2600-2550 BCE Built the Great Pyramid of Giza. Some people believe he was a cruel leader but that is not confirmed. Of course, whether or not he was a cruel ruler, he did command a tremendous ability to organize and mobilize worker. There was an extremely large amount of manpower necessary to build the Great pyramid and its surrounding complex and tombs.

Khafre 2560-2530 BCE Built the Sphinx It is clearly evident from the fine mastaba tombs of the nobles in his court that Egypt was prosperous while Khafre held the throne. Carved on the walls of the tomb of Prince Nekure, a "king's son", was a will to his heirs. It is the only one of its kind known from this period, and in it he leaves 14 towns to his heirs, of which at least eleven are named after his father, Khafre. Though his legacy was divided up among his five heirs, 12 of the towns were earmarked to endow the prince's mortuary cult.We do know that Khafre participated in some foreign trade, or at least diplomacy, for objects dating from his reign have been found at Byblos, north of Beirut, as well as at Tell Mardikh (Ebla) in Syria. He apparently also had diorite quarried at Tashka in Nubia and probably sent expeditions into the Sinai.Though there are few inscriptions left for us to completely understand the era of Khafre's rule, he did leave behind some of the most important treasures ancient Egypt has to offer. Besides his pyramid complex at Giza, most Egyptologists believe he also built the Great Sphinx and that it is his face that adorns this huge statue, which sits just beside his valley temple. In addition, the life size diorite statue of Khafre found in his valley temple and now located in the Egyptian Antiquities Museum is one of the most magnificent artifacts ever discovered.

Herodotus the famous greek historian wrote about Khafre

Read more: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/khafre.htm#ixzz3pmdvsnRP

Menkaura 2530-2500

Herodotus said "...of all the kings who ruled Egypt,...the greatest reputation for justice... and for this the Egyptians give him higher praise than any other monarch."

Menkaura tried to combat the 150 year curse that the Egyptian believed their gods had put on them. He reopened temples that had been closed.

He built the last pyramid in Giza.

Hatshepsut 1470-1450 BCE

One of the 3 women Pharaohs of Egypt

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/hatshepsut

Amenhotep IV 1380-1350 BCEMost controversial Pharaoh in Egypt.

He broke with his father's tradition and promoted Monotheism and promoted the worship of Aten the Sun God.

Married the famous Nefertiti and the famous bust of Nefertiti was created under his rule.

His temples and buildings looked different than all the pharaohs before him. He built temples in Amarna which were open roofed, light and airy.

After he died there was as systematic attempt to erase him from the history of Egypt. His monuments were demolished, his name erased, his statues smashed. While a rock-cut tomb was carved in a valley in Amarna, it was never used. No tomb in Thebes contains his name and we do not know where he was buried

Amarna Today

Nefertiti

Hailed as being the most beautiful woman in Egyptian history. historians believed she reigned with her husband because her image is engraved 2x as much as her husband. She was not royalty but the daughter of an army general. She had 6 daughters. Towards the end of her husband's reign Nefertiti disappeared from Egyptian records. Egyptologists today are still trying to discover where she might be buried. She is one of the greatests mysteries of Egypt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVtZNo-Xg-c

King Tut 1341 BCEProbably the most famous Egyptian pharaoh and known as the boy king.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pKOcOITUHo

Rameses the Great! 1279-1213 BCEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axttkV4Gs8c

Built Abu Simbel

Great military leader known as one of the greatest Pharaohs in Egyptian history.

Some historians think he was Pharaoh during the exodus of the Jews but others disagree.

Cleopatra 30 BCECleopatra VII Philopator, known to history simply as Cleopatra, was the last active pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt, shortly survived as pharaoh by her son Caesarion. After her reign, Egypt became a province of the then-recently established Roman Empire.

Cleopatra's family ruled Egypt for more than 100 years before she was born around 69 B.C. The stories and myths surrounding Cleopatra's tragic life inspired a number of books, movies and plays, including Antony and Cleopatra by Shakespeare. Cleopatra has become one of the most well known ancient Egyptians.

http://www.biography.com/people/cleopatra-vii-9250984