The First Female Pharaoh: Hatshepsut Research Assignment (Essay Sample)

THE FIRST FEMALE PHARAOH: HATSHEPSUT
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Hatshepsut was the first female pharaoh of the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt from the XVIII dynasty. Before accession, she has carried the same name Hatshepsut that meant ‘Foremost of Noble Ladies’. This name was not changed with the accession to the throne though sources call her throne name Maatkara - Maat-Ka-Ra . She also has the title The Great King's wife and Wife of Amun. Queen Hatshepsut was the daughter of the third pharaoh XVIII dynasty of Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose. Thus, she was the granddaughter of Pharaoh Ahmose who was the founder of the New Kingdom. During the life of her father, Hatshepsut became Wife of God, the high priestess of the Theban god Amun.
Hatshepsut had only one sister Nefrubiti, as well as three (or four) younger half-brothers Uadzhmos, Amenmos, Thutmose II and, possibly, Ramos, who were the sons of her father Tuthmosis I and Queen Mutnofret. Uadzhmos, Amenmos and two younger brothers of Hatshepsut died in infancy. Therefore, after the death of Thutmose I, she married her half-brother Thutmose II (son of Thutmose I and a secondary queen Mutnofret), ill and weak ruler, who ruled 4 years. Thus, the continuity of the royal dynasty was preserved as Hatshepsut was of pure royal blood. This paper will examine the history of reign of Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh and her main achievments.
Hatshepsut, the First Female Pharaoh
Some researchers believe that Hatshepsut concentrated the real power in her hands even during the reign of her husband. After the death of Thutmose II, a twelve-year Thutmose III was proclaimed the sole Pharaoh, meanwhile Hatshepsut became a regent. However, after 18 months, young Pharaoh was removed from the throne by Legitimist party led by the Theban priesthood of Amun, which has enthroned Hatshepsut. During the ceremony in the temple of the supreme god Amun of Thebes priests who were carrying heavy barge with a statue of the god, knelt it down right next to the queen, which was seen as a blessing of Theban oracle of Amun to the new ruler of Egypt. As result of the coup, Thutmose III was sent to the temple. By these actions, it was planned to remove him from the Egyptian throne, at least, for the regency of Hatshepsut. The main forces supporting Hatshepsut were the Egyptian priesthood and the aristocracy, as well as of the outstanding commanders.
The fact, that later Hatshepsut became a Pharaoh is explained by the relatively high status of women in ancient Egyptian society, as well as the fact that the throne of Egypt passed through the female line. In addition, generally, it considered that such a strong personality as Hatshepsut has reached a significant impact during the life of his father and a husband, and could actually rule instead of Thutmose II. The period of the reign of Hatshepsut was marked by an unprecedented prosperity and the rise of Egypt. She ruled successfully. Great progress and the prosperity of her kingdom can be witnessed by the restoration of ancient temples and impressive monumental buildings, carried out at the time, many of which have survived to the present day.
Appearance of Female Pharaoh
According to the beliefs of the Egyptians, Pharaoh was the incarnation of the god Horus, and, thus, could not have feminine traits. The fact that Hatshepsut became a king is an incredible event, and it was not in harmony with the legend of the origin of Pharaoh. In ancient Egypt, there was not even the expression to denote a female ruling. In written texts, Hatshepsut made no secret of her sex, a lot of female endings could be found there . In the pictures, she tried to combine the images of the queen and king. Hatshepsut propagated visuals of the female pharaoh as if accustoming the Egyptians to this paradox. Receiving titerature of Pharaohs, Hatshepsut started to being portrayed in a headdress with uraeus huts and with a cover beard. First, the appearance of Pharaoh was characterized by a combination of male and female canons. Initially, statues and images of Hatshepsut presented her with a female figure, but in men's clothes, and later, analogs of her image were finally transformed into a male. Therefore, in the official ceremonies, Hatshepsut often wore men's clothing, and an artificial beard, but it was not mandatory. Also, Pharaoh began to demand to be portrayed in the guise of men: in a headdress of Pharaoh, Pharaoh's loincloth, with the royal false beard with no female traits. However, the inscriptions on the walls of the temple of Queen, she continued to call herself the most beautiful of women and gave up one of the royal titles - Mighty Bull.
When female pharaoh Hatshepsut ascended the throne, to approve the legitimacy of her authority, a legend of Power Queen was invented, which was based primarily on the priesthood of Amun. It was the legend about teogamy, or divine marriage, during which the Amon god himself allegedly descended from heaven to earth to queen Ahmose, taking the form of Thutmose I, beget his daughter Hatshepsut. In addition, the ceremonial inscriptions claimed that the queen was elected to the Egyptian throne during the life of her father that was not true. Subsequently, in the official propaganda, the legend of the divine origin of Hatshepsut constantly used to justify her staying on the throne.
Architectures
Of all the areas of her state activity, Hatshepsut manifested herself primarily as a pharaoh builder. The queen has restored a lot of the monuments destroyed by invaders, the Hyksos. In addition, she was actively engaged in the construction of the temples. Karnak was erected, the so-called Red sanctuary of Hatshepsut for the ceremonial boat of the god Amon. Relief images on the walls of the sanctuary are dedicated to the reign of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, as well as ones legitimizing her personal power. Here, at Karnak, on the order of the queen, giant granite obelisks were installed; VIII pylons in the temple of Amun was erected; the sanctuary of Amun-Kamuefa built; the Temple wife of Amon Mut was significantly expanded . The two obelisks of Hatshepsut (height 29.56 m) near the pylon of the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak were the highest of all ever built in Egypt before they were hidden by masonry on the order of Thutmose III. During the reign of Hatshepsut, the largest unfinished obelisk was hewn, which was also planned for Karnak. Its height should be 41.8 meters and weight about 1,200 tons, which exceeds the largest obelisk ever erected in Egypt for one-third m.
Still, the most famous monument of architecture of the time Hatshepsut is a beautiful temple at Deir el-Bahri in the remote western part of Thebes, which bored the ancient name Jesser Jeseru ‘Sacred of the sacred’. It has been building for 9 years - from 7th to the 16th year of the reign of Queen. At that time, the temple was unique in many ways, demonstrating impeccable harmony of the architectural complex, 1000 years before the construction of the Parthenon in Athens.
The Economic Status of the Society during Reign of Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut finished restoration in Egypt and has built numerous monuments throughout Egypt. These major constructions would have been impossible without the economic recovery of Egypt. During the reign of Hatshepsut, in Egypt, time of great prosperity began. Trading developed very rapidly during the reign of the female pharaoh. A trade agreement concluded between the Egyptian queen Hatshepsut and Punt the king of the state (now, it is Somalia) is known. This momentous event occurred on the 9 year reign of Thutmose III or, in fact, on the second year of the reign of Hatshepsut as Pharaoh, that is, at a time when the temple was built in Deir el-Bahri. The history of this trade expedition is embodied in a series of relief scenes in the so-called portico of Punta in the Deir el-Bahri. This is the main source that tells about the journey to Punt under Hatshepsut. Although Egyptian have visited this country in the past, in the era of the Old and Middle Kingdoms, the expedition sent by Hatshepsut, was much bigger, and it was the first since the beginning of the New Kingdom, after a long break in relations with Punt. Also, it is known that the king of Punta met the guests from Egypt very well. The merchants could exchange the bronze tools, wine, and weapons to such amount of gold, which does not fit entirely on the ships. First of all, it was a diplomatic victory of Hatshepsut. In addition, during the time that Thutmose was absent, she has strengthened her authority further. Moreover, the expedition to Punt was beneficial for purely economic reasons.
Hatshepsut managed not only to achieve absolute power but also to make every effort for the prosperity of Egyptians. The queen drew attention to agriculture coming to a complete standstill. The arable land was becoming less, desert conquered new spaces, grain crops and dates contracted. Farmers considered agricultural labor extremely disadvantageous and went to the army. Hatshepsut was not afraid to send huge amounts of money for ...