the Queens of Ancient Egypt: The Legacies of beautiful , Power and Influence.
Ancient Egypt, with its rich history spanning over three millennia, was home to numerous powerful and influential Queens of Ancient Egypt who left an indelible mark on the land of the pharaohs. From the Old Kingdom to the New Kingdom, these queens held significant roles in Egyptian society, wielding authority and influence alongside their royal counterparts. This article explores the lives, accomplishments, and legacies of some of the most notable queens of ancient Egypt.
Queen Nefertiti (1370 – 1330 BCE) Known as one of Egypt’s most beautiful rulers, still inspiring cosmetics to this day, Queen Nefertiti was as beautiful as she was mysterious; no one even knows for certain where she came from. She was wife to Pharaoh Akhenaten and bore him six daughters, and was a key part of his cult of Aten, which worshipped the sun as a divine being and shunned all other gods. Nefertiti was hailed for her beauty, with some scholars believing she may have been revered as a fertility goddess.
Queen Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BCE) ruled with all the power and authority of a male pharaoh, ruling Egypt for 21 years and having the longest reign of any female ruler in Egypt. During the 7th year of her reign, Hatshepsut went even further and asked to be depicted as a man, wearing a false beard and ordering to be referred to not as a queen, but as a king. Her reign was peaceful, a time when many monuments were erected, however after her death her successor, possibly even her own stepson Thutmose III, attempted to erase all records of her, an effort that proved ultimately futile, for Hatshepsut is still remembered to this day, having defied the tradition that Egypt would have no female Pharaoh.
Queen Cleopatra (69 – 30 BCE) So much already has been written about Cleopatra, one of the most famous Egyptian figures and indeed, one of the most famous historical persons of all time. Countless books, paintings, plays (including one by Shakespeare) and movies have been made depicting her life as ruler and her tragic love affair with Roman politician Mark Antony.
Born in 69 BCE, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator was bred to be a ruler, having come from a long line of royalty. Outlasting her two older sisters to succeed her father as ruler of Egypt’s Ptolemaic Empire, Cleopatra’s reign was marked by intrigue and tragedy, ultimately cumulating in her iconic suicide at just 39 years old.