During Egypt’s golden age, Hatshepsut, a woman of royal lineage, faced the obstacle of being prohibited from ascending the throne due to her gender. The gods of Egypt had supposedly decreed that a woman could never fulfill the role of a king, although they required a queen to reign alongside the pharaoh. However, Hatshepsut refused to accept this limitation and devised a clever strategy to overcome it.
She claimed that she was married to the king of the gods and therefore had as much right to the throne as any previous pharaoh. Her audacious approach worked, and she crowned herself as pharaoh in around 1,473BC. As a symbol of her new role, she changed her name from Hatshepsut, which means “Foremost of the Noble Ladies,” to Hatshepsu, adopting the male version.
As a woman living in Egypt’s golden age, Hatshepsut (pictured) was not destined for kingship. She was prohibited by her gender from ascending the throne even though she was of royal lineage
To solidify her power, Hatshepsut adorned the temples of the gods with portraits of herself wearing the traditional kilt and all the symbols of office, including the black pointed royal beard. It is even speculated that she may have worn men’s clothing while conducting state affairs surrounded by male courtiers.
Although she initially favored tight-fitting gowns that showcased her figure and had a reputation for bedding her cabinet ministers, Hatshepsut’s reign and astonishing rise to power reshaped the early history of Egypt. Nefertiti and Cleopatra would follow in her footsteps as female rulers, but neither would take on the title of pharaoh like Hatshepsut.
By claiming that her father, Pharaoh Thutmosis I, had named her as his official heir, Hatshepsut legitimized her reign. She initially married Thutmosis, her much younger half-brother, as was customary at the time, which made her queen. However, when her husband died, she assumed the role of regent for her stepson.
Within a couple of years, Hatshepsut seized full control of Egypt and ruled from the capital city of Thebes. She demonstrated remarkable political skill and statecraft during her 20-year reign.
Hatshepsut’s reign eventually came to an end, and recent research suggests she passed away around the age of 50 due to cancer. Despite her remarkable accomplishments, her stepson, Thutmosis III, sought to erase her name from history. He defaced her statues and attempted to eliminate any trace of her rule. However, her legacy as the first great woman in history remains intact.
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