When Thutmose II died Thutmose III was too young to rule, queen Hatshepsut became his regent, and ultimately her rise in power was complete when she became pharaoh. She never denied kingship to young Thutmose III, they rather seem to have been on very friendly terms. She was only the second queen to have ruled Egypt with certainty – the first in some 300 years. Josephus mentions that Amessis was a woman, but Manetho via Africanus fail to mention that Amensis was female, and Eusebius omitted this pharaoh entirely.
For unknown reasons, Hatshepsut was erased from official monuments twenty years after her death, during the later part of Tuthmose III's reign. Strangely enough, only the more visible and accessible images of her were erased or defaced. She was not included in the Ramesside king lists of Seti I and Ramesses II.
| Precedessor Successor | |
|---|---|
| Reign of Hatshepsut | |
| AE Chronology | 1479–1458 |
| v. Beckerath | 1479–1458 |
| Shaw | 1473–1458 |
| Dodson | 1472–1457 |
| Arnold | 1473–1458 |
| Malek | 1479–1457 |
| Grimal | 1478–1458 |
| Redford | 1502–1482 |
| Manetho (Josephus) | 21y 9m |
| Manetho (Africanus) | 22 years |
| Highest attestation | Year 20 |
The Royal Titulary
From the hieroglyphic records
Horus Useret kau The Dual King Maat ka Ra Son of Ra Khnemet Amun Hat shepsut
Horus name
The oldest form of the name of a pharaoh, a falcon representing Horus is perched on the palace facade.
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, III, 22-24
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:H
Nebty names
The “Two Ladies”, the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet, representing Upper and Lower Egypt respectively.
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, III, 22
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:N
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, III, 24
Golden Horus names
Horus perched on Gold, which was associated with eternity, but its meaning is disputed.
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, III, 22
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:G1
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:G2
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, III, 24
Throne names
Announced at the coronation and always written in a cartouche. The “official” name of the pharaoh. Also known as the Prenomen.
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, III, 22-23
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:T1
Urkunden des Ägyptische Alterthums , IV, 381
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:T2
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 48.105.52
Birth names
Personal name given at birth. Also known as the Nomen.
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, III, 22-23
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:E2
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:E3
Beckerath, “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, 2nd ed. MÄS 49 (1999). 134-135, 5:E1
The sources of antiquity
From the writings of the historians and scholars of antiquity
| Author | Greek | Transcription | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africanus xviii, 4 | Αμενσις | Amensis | 22 years |
| Josephus 95 | Aμεσσης | Amesses ♀ | 21 years, 9 months |
Bibliography
- Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 18 (1912): 236–252
- Beckerath, J., 1999. “Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen”, Second edition, MÄS 49: 134–135
- Leprohon, R. J., 2013. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary. Atlanta: 98
- Baker. D. D., 2008. The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I. London: 104–110
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