Hatshepsut facts for kids
Hatshepsut (born around 1507 BC, died 1458 BC) was a powerful female Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Her name means Foremost of Noble Ladies. She was the fifth ruler of the 18th dynasty. Hatshepsut ruled Egypt longer than any other woman from an Egyptian family.
Her father was Thutmose I. Her husband and half-brother was Thutmose II. After Thutmose II died, his young son, Thutmose III, became the next pharaoh. Thutmose III was Hatshepsut's nephew and stepson. He was too young to rule, so Hatshepsut became the main ruler. She was later named pharaoh herself.
Most historians agree that Hatshepsut ruled as pharaoh for about 22 years. An ancient historian named Manetho said she ruled for 21 years and nine months. She died in 1458 BC, meaning she became pharaoh around 1479 BC.
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Early Life and Family
Hatshepsut married her half-brother, Thutmose II, when she was about 14 or 15 years old. They were close in age.
Hatshepsut had one daughter, named Neferure. She did not have any sons. When her husband, Thutmose II, died around 1479 BC, the throne went to his son, Thutmose III. This son was born to a different, less important wife. Since Thutmose III was only three years old, Hatshepsut became the real ruler of Egypt.
What Were Hatshepsut's Main Achievements?
Hatshepsut helped Egypt restart its trade networks. These networks had been stopped when a group called the Hyksos took over parts of Egypt.
Many experts on ancient Egypt believe Hatshepsut's rule was mostly peaceful. However, there is proof that she led successful military campaigns. These campaigns were in places like Nubia, the Levant, and Syria early in her reign. The lands she conquered were taxed and their goods were taken. This made Egypt very rich.
Hatshepsut's Building Projects
Hatshepsut was one of the greatest builders in ancient Egypt. She ordered hundreds of new buildings and monuments. These projects were built all over Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. They were bigger and more numerous than those built by earlier pharaohs. Some later pharaohs even tried to say they built her projects!
She hired a famous architect named Ineni. He had also worked for her father and husband. During her time as pharaoh, so many statues were made that almost every major museum in the world has some of Hatshepsut's statues. For example, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has a special room just for her statues.
Like many pharaohs, Hatshepsut built monuments at the Temple of Karnak. At Karnak, she also fixed the old area of Mut, an ancient Egyptian goddess. This area had been damaged by the Hyksos. She put up two very tall obelisks at the temple entrance. At the time, they were the tallest in the world. One of them still stands today as the tallest ancient obelisk on Earth. The other one has broken and fallen.
Hatshepsut's most famous building project was her mortuary temple. This was a temple built for her spirit after she died. She built it at a place called Deir el-Bahri. Her architect, Senemut, designed and built it on the West Bank of the Nile River. This area is now known as the Valley of the Kings. The most important part of the temple was the Djeser-Djeseru. This means "the Sublime of Sublimes." It was a building of perfect balance and beauty. It was built almost a thousand years before the famous Parthenon in Greece.
The Djeser-Djeseru sits on a series of terraces. These terraces once had beautiful gardens. The temple is built into a steep cliff face behind it. The Djeser-Djeseru and Hatshepsut's other buildings at Deir el-Bahri were very important steps forward in architecture. Another one of her great achievements is the Hatshepsut needle, which is a large granite obelisk.
How Did Amun Support Hatshepsut?
The Oracle of Amun, a powerful god, announced that it was Amun's wish for Hatshepsut to be pharaoh. This made her position much stronger. She showed Amun's support by having his words carved on her monuments. These carvings said:
- "Welcome my sweet daughter, my favorite, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the Pharaoh, taking possession of the Two Lands."
Hatshepsut's Status as a Female Pharaoh
Women had a high position in ancient Egypt. They had legal rights to own, inherit, and give away property. However, it was very rare for a woman to become pharaoh. Before Hatshepsut, only a few women like Khentkaues, Sobekneferu, and Neferneferuaten were known to rule by themselves. Twosret, another female ruler, may have been the only woman to rule Egypt after Hatshepsut.
Hatshepsut was very well trained for her duties. As the daughter of a pharaoh, she held the important job of God's Wife. By the time she became pharaoh, she had a lot of experience managing the kingdom. No one tried to challenge her leadership.
In official pictures and statues, Hatshepsut wore all the special clothes and symbols of a pharaoh. Many statues show her in typical female clothing. Others show her in the royal ceremonial clothes.
Even after she started wearing the pharaoh's symbols, Hatshepsut still described herself as a beautiful woman. She often said she was the most beautiful of women. Hatshepsut also connected herself with the lioness image of Sekhmet. Sekhmet was a major goddess of war in the Egyptian pantheon.
Modern experts believe that by using the usual symbols of a pharaoh, Hatshepsut was clearly stating her right to be the ruler. She was not just a "King's Great Wife" or queen.
How Did Hatshepsut Die?
Hatshepsut died in her 22nd year as pharaoh. This was recorded on a stone tablet found at Armant, dated January 16, 1458 BC. She was about 50 years old when she died. The exact cause of her death is not known. Some theories suggest she might have died from cancer. Others wonder if her stepson might have had her murdered.
It is thought that she was buried in a tomb with her father. However, her mummy was not in its coffin when her tomb was explored in the 1920s. Her body was not identified for a long time.
Her stepson and nephew, Thutmose III, who was the head of the army, became the next pharaoh after her.
Images for kids
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A jar with Hatshepsut's royal name (cartouche) on it.
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A tree in front of Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple. It is believed to be from the land of Punt, brought back by Hatshepsut's journey.
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A copper or bronze sheet with Hatshepsut's name on it.
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The Hawk of the Pharaoh, Hatshepsut, at the Temple of Luxor.
See Also
In Spanish: Hatshepsut para niños
