History Of Queen Hatshepsut – The Forgotten And Longest Female Pharoah In The History Of Egypt

Queen Hatshepsut will forever be remembered as the longest female Pharoah in the Egyptian history.

She was the 5th pharaoh of the
18th Dynasty of Egypt and the 2nd official female Pharaoh in history.

She was born in 1508 BC, as the only issue from Egyptian King Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose.

Upon the death of her father at 12 years of age, Hatshepsut married her half-brother Thutmose II that took over his father’s throne around 1492 BC, and assumed the role of a Queen and wife.
They had a daughter together, Neferuru before he died around 1479 BC.

After the death of King Thutmose II, his infant son, Thutmose III, whom he had with his secondary wife, became the crowned Pharoah while Hatshepsut acted as his regent which eventually assumed the throne.

As weird as it was, Hatshepsut neglected the decree of the Egyptian gods that states no woman could ever fulfill the king’s role on her own. She changed her name from Hatshepsut ‘Best among noblewomen’ to Hatshepsu ‘Best among noblemen’ and had herself crowned the Pharoah of Egypt.

 

 

During her reign, she instructed to be seen as a male Pharoah – wearing the king’s kilt and crown. Had a muscular body and with beards.

She had the disrupted trade routes re-established during the second intermediate period of the Hyksos occupation.
During her regime, the Egypt’s economy was stable thus building the wealth of the 18th Dynasty
Hatshepsut re-established the trade networks that had been disrupted during the Hyksos occupation of Egypt during the Second Intermediate period.

She took in charge of the preparations and funding for a mission to the Land of Punt. Setting out in her name with five ships of about 70 feet long.

Many goods were bought in Punt, notably frankincense and myrrh. Upon arrival of the delegates the came back with Frankincense which she grinds the charred ones into eyeliners, 31 live myrrh trees, the roots of which were kept in baskets during their voyage.
She had these trees planted in the courts of her mortuary temple.
She rebuilt and constructed buildings, memorials, and temples.

Among her greatest achievements was the mortuary complex at Deir el-Bahri, close to the West bank of the Nile River.

22 years after her reign, she died around 1458 BC in her late 40s. She was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the kings, behind the Deir el-Bahri. She had her father’s sarcophagi brought close to her tomb with the believe that they would lie together in death.

After her death, her stepson, Thutmose III, assumed the throne and demanded all evidence relating to Hatshepsut be wiped off, including her image as Pharoah to be removed from the temples and statues, so there won’t be an evidence that Egypt once had a strong female ruler.