Hatshepsut: Meet the Female Pharaoh Who Ruled Egypt as a Man
One of ancient Egypt’s most prosperous rulers, profitable traders, and prolific builders was also the first (and arguably only) Pharaoh to rule Egypt as a King rather than a Queen. Hatshepsut reigned peacefully for over twenty years in the 15th century BC, ushering in a renaissance that marked the beginning of the New Kingdom period in ancient Egyptian history.
If you’ve never heard of her, there’s a reason for that. Twenty years after her nephew Thutmose III assumed the throne, most of Hatshepsut’s inscriptions and iconography were defaced or destroyed, her name and title removed, and monuments in her image vandalized: ostensibly part of a concentrated political effort by Thutmose to erase his predecessor in order to ensure the legitimacy of his son’s ascension to the throne. The full impact of this on Hatshepsut’s legacy was felt for over three thousand years, as she was effectively forgotten by history until 20th century archaeologists began uncovering the truth about her reign.
What made Hatshepsut so threatening to the existing royal order, even decades after she ruled? Her gender, mainly (okay, mostly). Although women in Egypt had more rights and greater status than those in many other ancient societies, a female Pharaoh was totally unheard of… until Hatshepsut made the daring power play of promoting herself from Queen Regent for her young nephew to King in her own right as the firstborn heir of Thutmose I. Hatshepsut claimed that her father had named her as his rightful successor, saying on his death bed, “This daughter of mine, Hatshepsut, I have appointed as my successor upon my throne… she shall direct the people in every sphere of the palace; it is she indeed who shall lead you. Obey her words; unite yourselves at her command.” True or not, it was a pretty good story — and one that ensured her divine right to the throne.
At first, Hatshepsut felt the need to downplay her unconventional position by combining male and female iconography in her statues and reliefs: in many early depictions of her, she is shown with the body of a woman but the traditionally male headdress of a Pharaoh, or dressed in an ankle-length gown but with her legs wide apart in the pose of a man. Later, however, Hatshepsut fully asserted her authority by presenting herself as a male King — no apologies! — complete with a beard and muscles.
Though she died around 1458 BC, when she was in her mid-forties, her long reign (which lasted without any military conflict) left the kingdom richer and more impressive than it had been in centuries. Hatshepsut in power brought Egypt vast riches from new trading expeditions that she channeled into her many ambitious building projects, including one of the most architecturally awe-inspiring buildings surviving from ancient Egypt: her massive mortuary temple in the Valley of the Kings.
An inscription on one of her obelisks at Karnak shows us how much value Hatshepsut placed on her reputation and her legacy: “Now my heart turns this way and that as I think of what the people will say. Those who see my monuments in years to come, and who shall speak of what I have done.” It may have taken several millennia for her to be given full credit for her audacity, her innovation, and her refusal to accept anything less than greatness despite the societal limitations of her gender — but today, no one can deny Hatshepsut’s impact on history.
Who are your favorite under-appreciated lady leaders? Let us know in the comments below!
—
Featured Image Credit: Deviant Art
