Ay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ay |
|
|---|---|
| Aya, Aye | |
Portrait study thought to be of Ay, part of the Ägyptisches Museum collection in Berlin
|
|
| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 1324–1320 BC or 1327–1323 BC (18th Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Tutankhamun |
| Successor | Horemheb |
| Consort | Tey and Ankhesenamun |
| Died | 1320 BC or 1323 BC |
| Burial | WV23 |
| Monuments | Amarna Tomb |
Ay was an important pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. He was the second to last ruler of the 18th Dynasty. Ay ruled for a short time, about four years, from around 1324 to 1320 BC.
Before becoming pharaoh, Ay was a trusted advisor. He served several pharaohs, including Tutankhamun. During Tutankhamun's rule, Ay was very powerful. He helped bring back the worship of Egypt's traditional gods. This happened after a time when Pharaoh Akhenaten tried to focus on worshipping only one god.
Not many records or monuments from Ay's reign exist. This is partly because his rule was short. Also, his successor, Horemheb, tried to erase Ay's name from history. This was a practice called damnatio memoriae.
Contents
Who Was Pharaoh Ay?
Ay is thought to have been born in Akhmim, Egypt. During his time as pharaoh, he built a special chapel there. It was dedicated to the local god, Min. Some historians believe Ay might have been the son of Yuya and Tjuyu. Yuya was an important nobleman during the reign of Amenhotep III. If this is true, Ay would have been the brother or half-brother of Queen Tiye. She was the chief queen of Amenhotep III and mother of Akhenaten. This connection would explain Ay's high status in the royal court.
Ay's Rise to Power in Amarna
Ay was not born into royalty. However, he became very important during the time of Pharaoh Akhenaten. This period is known as the Amarna period. Akhenaten tried to change Egypt's religion to focus on one god. Ay seemed to support this change.
Historians have different ideas about Ay's family. One idea is that Ay and his wife Tey were the parents of Nefertiti. Nefertiti was Akhenaten's chief wife. Another idea is that Ay was the son of Yuya. Yuya was a high-ranking military officer. If Ay was Yuya's son, he might have followed in his father's footsteps.
What we know for sure is that Ay gained important titles. By the time he built his tomb in Akhetaten, he was "Overseer of All the Horses of His Majesty." This was a very high military rank. It was just below the rank of a general.
Ay's Important Titles
In his tomb at Amarna, Ay had many titles. These included:
- Companion
- Head of the Companions of the King
- Father of the Divinity
- Fan-bearer on the Right Side of the King
- Acting Scribe of the King, beloved by him
- Overseer of All the Horses of His Majesty
The title "Fan-bearer on the Right Side of the King" was very important. It meant he was a close advisor to the pharaoh. He had the pharaoh's trust and could speak directly to him.
Ay's Influence on Tutankhamun
Ay played a key role during the reign of Tutankhamun. Tutankhamun became pharaoh when he was only nine or ten years old. At this time, Egypt was dealing with big religious changes. The country was moving away from Akhenaten's new religion.
Tutankhamun was helped by two main advisors. These were Grand Vizier Ay and General Horemheb. Tutankhamun's rule lasted nine years. During this time, largely guided by Ay, Egypt slowly returned to worshipping its old gods. This also brought back the power of the Amun priesthood. They had lost influence under Akhenaten.
How Did Tutankhamun Die?
The death of Tutankhamun has been a mystery for a long time. Some early studies of his mummy in 1968 found bone fragments in his skull. This led some people, like Egyptologist Bob Brier, to suggest he might have been murdered.
However, more detailed CT-scans were done in 2005. These scans suggested a different story. They showed that Tutankhamun likely did not die from a blow to the head. Instead, he might have died from an infection. This infection could have been caused by a badly broken leg. Tutankhamun often used a cane because he had spina bifida. This condition was common in his family.
Many scientists accepted the findings of the CT-scans. But some still believe the mystery is not fully solved. They continue to explore other ideas, like poisoning.
Ay Becomes Pharaoh
Tutankhamun died young, at 18 or 19 years old. He also did not have any children who could become pharaoh. This created a power gap. Ay quickly stepped in to fill it. He was shown performing the funeral rites for Tutankhamun. This showed he was taking on the role of the new ruler.
It's not completely clear how Ay became pharaoh. Horemheb, the army commander, was expected to be the next king. But Ay managed to become pharaoh instead. He married Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun's widow. This marriage helped make his claim to the throne seem more proper.
Ay was already an old man when he became pharaoh. He ruled Egypt for only four years. During his reign, he continued to bring back the old religious ways. He also built a special temple for himself at Medinet Habu. A stone carving from his reign shows that Nakhtmin was his chosen successor. Nakhtmin was a military officer who served both Tutankhamun and Ay.
What Happened After Ay's Rule?
After Ay's death, Horemheb became pharaoh. Horemheb worked to remove all traces of the Amarna period. This included erasing the names of pharaohs like Ay from history.
Horemheb damaged Ay's tomb in the Valley of the Kings (WV23). He had most of Ay's royal names removed from the tomb paintings. Ay's stone coffin, called a sarcophagus, was also broken into many pieces. However, in 1972, the lid of the sarcophagus was found. It still had Ay's name on it. It had been buried under rubble in the tomb.
Horemheb also took over Ay's temple at Medinet Habu. An archaeologist named Uvo Hölscher studied this temple. He found that Ay's name had been replaced with Horemheb's name almost everywhere. This shows how Horemheb tried to make it seem like he had built the temple himself.
See also
In Spanish: Ay (desambiguación) para niños
