Queen Hatshepsut

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Queen Hatshepsut


During the 18th Dynasty the third Queen of regent came to power, her name was Ma’at-ka-Ra Hatshepsut. Ma’at-ka-Ra means ‘Truth/Order/Balance is the Spirit/Double of Ra’, and Hatshepsut meaning ‘Foremost of Noble Women’. She wasn’t the only female ruler of Egypt, but is one of the best known. When her father, Thutmosis I, died, the throne was past down to his son, Thutmosis II, who was very sickly during his time of reign. Thutmosis II married his half-sister (they had different mothers), Hatshepsut. When he died, his son, from a wife other than Hatshepsut, held control of throne. Thutmosis III was just a child, so Hatshepsut became his regent (“one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign”). Then during his second year as ruler(around 1490 BC), Hatshepsut took over all authority, and was now King, which was almost unheard of for women to be a Pharaoh. Her justification, besides the fact that she was conducting all Thutmosis III’s affairs, because he was just a child, she also claimed that the god Amon-Ra had visited her mother while she was pregnet with her, thus making her a divine child. Hatshepsut did not wait for Tuthmosis III to become old enough to be Pharaoh. She kept her power for a long time, raging from 15 to 22 years, which is not definite, considering she was a woman and her stepson was becoming impatient. It was tough for her to keep her power. We also know that she had a daughter, Neferura, said to be the daughter of Thutmosis II, but may have been fathered by Semnut, which is unclear. Hatshepsut governed for 22 years. She was believed to be between 35-40 years old when she died.

Queen Hatshepsut concentrated on arts of peace rather than arts of war, as in earlier Pharaohs. She had many great accomplishments during her reign. She had the support from a group of powerful men, chiefs and priests. She had the wisdom to surrou...