SPOTLIGHT ON…
THE LIVES OF HISTORY’S MOST FAMOUS FIGURES
Hatshepsut’s journey to the top
Hatshepsut is one of only a handful of female pharaohs to have ruled ancient Egypt – but should her legacy be that of a strong, effective ruler, or of a scheming stepmother desperate for power?
husband, Thutmose II. His death in 1479 BC paved the way
for Hatshepsut to rule first as regent, and then as co-ruler
Hatshepsut was born into one of the most famous dynasties to ever rule ancient Egypt: the 18th dynasty. Founded by Ahmose I around 1550 BC, this sprawling family tree would go on to include some of the most well-known pharaohs in history, including the ‘boy king’ Tutankhamun and ‘heretic king’ Akhenaten.
Yet, despite being of royal descent – her father was King Thutmose I – Hatshepsut was never expected to rule Egypt. Before Hatshepsut was born, Thutmose I had sired a son with another wife, Mutnofret, who then acceded the throne as Thutmose II upon his father’s death in around 1492 BC. To protect the dynasty from rival families, Hatshepsut was then married to her half-sibling, and subsequently gave birth to a daughter, Neferure. But in 1479 BC, Thutmose II died, too, leaving his young son from another marriage – Thutmose III – to inherit the throne. As was customary at the time, Hatshepsut became regent on behalf of her stepson, who was around three years old.
Taking the reign
After serving as regent for a few years, Hatshepsut began demanding more political power, and was duly promoted to the position of co-ruler alongside Thutmose III. Despite her title, historians have argued that it was Hatshepsut who dominated political decisions, and that Thutmose III’s involvement in matters of government was minimal. Similarly, experts are also divided as to Hatshepsut’s motive for taking control of the throne: while some have argued that she was driven by a thirst for power, more recent scholarship suggests that she did so to protect the throne from a rival branch of the royal family.
“Despite her title as co-ruler, historians have argued that it was Hatshepsut who dominated political decisions”
Either way, the reforms she introduced would prove hugely important. Determined to demonstrate her authority as a legitimate pharaoh, Hatshepsut massively expanded Egypt’s economy, launching a trading expedition to the Land of Punt –a wealthy kingdom that is thought to have existed somewhere along the Red Sea coast. The mission, commemorated on the walls of the temple at Deir el-Bahri, saw Egyptian ships return home with masses of gold and ivory and numerous myrrh trees, making it a very fruitful venture indeed.
Similarly, Hatshepsut sought to secure her legacy by embarking on huge architectural projects, constructing new places of worship, and restoring the grand Temple of Karnak, which had originally begun life during the reign of King Senusret I in 1971 BC. At Karnak, she also added a chapel and two obelisks that both measured nearly 100 feet tall.
After many years in power, Hatshepsut died in around 1458 BC, although archaeologists are unsure of the precise date. She was then laid to rest in the Valley of the Kings, and in accordance with her wishes, her father’s sarcophagus was interred with her in the same tomb: a sign of the high regard Hatshepsut held him in.
Deciphering the truth
But Hatshepsut’s story doesn’t end there. Following her demise, Thutmose III became Egypt’s sole pharaoh, embarking on a period of rule that was to last more than 30 years. Eager to carve out his own legacy, he set about erasing evidence of Hatshepsut’s reign.
Again, however, historians are divided as to the ruler’s motives. Whereas it was originally thought that Thutmose was bitter about the power his stepmother had wielded, experts have suggested that his eagerness to expunge her from the record was because he faced usurpation by rival family members. By delegitimising her, he could strengthen his position on the throne and ensure his own heir’s succession.
As a result of Thutmose’s actions, there was very little evidence of Hatshepsut’s rule until the 19th century, when archaeologists began translating the hieroglyphics adorning the walls of Deir el-Bahri. These ultimately revealed her position as a pharaoh, and her remarkable successes as a ruler.
The exact whereabouts of Hatshepsut’s mummy, however, would remain a mystery for several generations. Howard Carter, the British archaeologist who later discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, located the first of Hatshepsut’s sarcophagi (one of three she prepared) in 1903, but it was found to be empty. A year later, two further sarcophagi were tracked down in the Valley of the Kings, but it wasn’t until 2007 that a mummy was finally identified as being the remains of Hatshepsut. Although some experts have since cast doubt on this identification, one thing is undisputed: Hatshepsut’s legacy as a trailblazing female ruler is now secure.
