Pharaohs of Egypt

Pharaohs Pharaohs were the kings of Egypt. The word “Pharaoh” was used by the Greeks and Hebrews. The title “Pharaoh” originated from the Greek language and it is used in the Old Testament. According to Egyptian legend, the first kings of Egypt were later some of the most famous gods.

Responsibility Of Pharaohs Pharaohs ruled with absolute power. Few people challenged them. Despite absolute power the Pharaoh was expected to rule subject to Ma’at. Ma’at was the goddess and symbol of the equilibrium of the universe. The Pharaoh was expected to govern according to the principles of Ma’at. Any King that attempted to radically change society would be seen as destroying the equilibrium that was so important to Egyptian tradition.

Succession To keep the pure line of succession, a Pharaoh passed on the throne to the eldest son born of the Principal Queen or Great Royal Wife. Each king usually was quick to demonstrate to his subjects that he was the “chosen” heir. The Pharaoh owned all of the land, people, and possessions in Egypt. Any personal wealth enjoyed by Egyptians people was considered a result of the king’s generosity.

Major Male Pharaohs There were several Pharaohs of Egypt. However, we will focus on the main male Pharaohs: Menes Tuthmose III Akhenaton Djoser Ramses II Khufu Tutankhamen

Menes Founding King of the 1st Dynasty Ruled between 3100-2850 B.C.E First Pharaoh to unify Upper and Lower Egypt into one Kingdom Ancient Egypt’s form of a civilization began with King Menes. He created the city of Memphis. Because of its good location, it was a good place to defend against any attacks. During his reign he expanded his kingdom and developed commercial trade links.

Menes His chief wife was Queen Berenib, although she wasn’t the mother of his heir: Djer. The mother of Djer was Neithotepe, Menes’ other wife. He died at the age of 63. According to legend he was attacked by wild dogs or Nile crocodiles at Faiyum. He died leaving behind the legacy of a powerful civilization. His tomb lays at Saqqara, the farmed area of Memphis.

Tuthmose III The son of Tuthmose II and Isris When his father died, his stepmother, Hatsheput, took charge. She was Tuthmose III co-regent and for 20 years he was pushed into the background, as she ruled Egypt. When she died, Tuthmose III came to the throne. As an act of revenge or retribution, he destroyed many of Hatsheput’s statues, monuments, and buildings.

Tuthmose III He was remembered for his successful military campaigns. He had numerous victories against Syria, Libya, and Nubia. He married several foreign princesses, apparently for diplomatic reasons. His chief queen was Hatsheput-Merytre. King Tuthmose III established Egypt as a powerful military strength. King Tuthmose III died after reigning for 55 years and he was buried in the Valley of the Kings.

Akhenaton Original name was Amonhotep IV. Reigned 1350-1334 B.C.E He wanted to change the Egyptian supreme god from Amon-Re to Aton. Therefore, he changed his name to Akhenaton which means “he who serves Aton”. This was the first attempt at radically changing the Egyptian religion.

Akhenaton His wife was Nefertiti, who was known for her beauty. Today, Akhenaton is remembered for trying to introduce monotheism to Egypt. Monotheism means the worship of only one god: Aton. It is not sure how Akhenaton died. After his reign Egypt returned back to their old Gods and polytheism.

Djoser Djoser reigned for about 19 years. His right hand man, Imhotep, was famous for his genius. Imhotep came up with the idea of the step pyramid. The pyramids design consisted of six giant steps and contained many chambers and secret tunnels. It is believed that during Djoser’s reign, he extended the Egypt’s southern border all the way to the Nile’s first cataract. He left behind the legacy of the step pyramid, which was the basis for all other pyramids to come.

Ramses II Went to the throne at the age of 20 and reigned for 67 years. This was the second longest reign for any Egyptian King. Ramses is remembered for constructing many architectural marvels. Constructed more colossal statues than any other Egyptian King. Two of his greatest monuments are the two huge temples at Abu Simbel.

Ramses II Ramses also had many military victories. Not long after the reign of Ramses II, Egypt was invaded and eventually fell to the rule of foreigners. Ramses not only excelled in architecture but he also had a great number of wives. By the end of his life, Ramses had over 100 children! After his death, Ramses’ son, Menataph, became the heir to the throne.

Khufu Khufu lived from 2589-2566 B.C.E He reigned for around 24 years. Khufu is most remembered for building the Great Pyramid of Giza. The pyramid originally stood 482 feet tall. Khufu had many sons, but the one chosen to be his successor was Djedefre. Khufu left behind the legacy of the Great Pyramid, and even today, it’s still a mystery as to how it was built.

Tutankhamen King Tutankhamen came to the throne at a very young age. When his father died, believed to be Akhenaton, he became King. King Tutankhamen helped restore Egypt's old beliefs from when his father tried to make Egypt a monotheistic society. He died suddenly at the young age of 18. Since his tomb had not yet been made, he was laid in a tomb of a member of the nobility. He is famous today because his tomb was found by archaeologist, Howard Carter. Some believe it was the most important archaeological find in history.

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