Thutmose II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thutmose II |
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| Thutmosis II Chebron, Chebros |
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Relief of Thutmose II in the Karnak temple complex
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | Either 13 or 2/3 regnal years: 1493–1480 BC (Low Chronology) 1513–1500 BC (High Chronology) 1513–1499 BC (Helck) 1493–1479 (Grimal) 1482–1480 BC (Cooney) 1482–1479 BC (Nadig) (18th Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Thutmose I |
| Successor | Thutmose III |
| Consort | Hatshepsut, Iset |
| Children | Thutmose III, Neferure |
| Father | Thutmose I |
| Mother | Mutnofret |
| Born | c. 1492 BC (or 1502 BC) |
| Died | c. 1479 BC (aged approx. 13–23) |
| Burial | Wadi C-4, Western Wadis; Mummy found in the Deir el-Bahari royal cache (Theban Necropolis) |
Thutmose II was an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh from the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled for about 13 years, from 1493 to 1479 BC, or possibly for a shorter time, around 3 years. Not much is known about his reign. He is often overshadowed by his powerful family members. These include his father Thutmose I, his half-sister and wife Hatshepsut, and his son Thutmose III.
Thutmose II died before he was 30 years old. His body, believed to be his, was found in a secret hiding place for mummies. This place is called the Deir el-Bahari Cache. His tomb was discovered in 2022 in the Western Wadis. It was officially confirmed as his in 2025. The tomb was built in a spot prone to flooding, which damaged it over time. His mummy was moved long ago to protect it.
Family and Early Life
The name Thutmose II can also be spelled Thutmosis or Tuthmosis II. In ancient Egyptian, it means "Thoth is born." Thoth was an important Egyptian god of wisdom.
Thutmose II was the son of Thutmose I and a lesser wife named Mutnofret. Mutnofret was likely a daughter of Ahmose I. Because his mother was not the main queen, Thutmose II was not the primary heir. To make sure he became king, he married his royal half-sister, Hatshepsut. She was the daughter of Thutmose I and his chief wife.
It is thought that Thutmose II was quite young when he became pharaoh. He may have been in his early teens. During his rule, his generals led military campaigns. They stopped rebellions in Nubia and the Levant. They also defeated a group of nomadic Bedouins. This suggests that Thutmose II might have been too young to lead these battles himself.
Thutmose II had two known children. He had a daughter named Neferure with Hatshepsut. He also had a son, Thutmose III, with another wife named Iset.
Some experts believe Hatshepsut was very powerful during Thutmose II's reign. This is because their policies were similar. Also, Hatshepsut later claimed she was her father's chosen heir. She is shown with Thutmose II in carvings from his time. Later, she became pharaoh herself, ruling alongside her young stepson, Thutmose III.
Reign of Thutmose II
Historians are not sure exactly how long Thutmose II ruled. Some ancient records suggest he ruled for 13 years. However, other evidence points to a much shorter reign of only 2 or 3 years. This is a big debate among experts.
Evidence for a Short Reign
One reason for thinking Thutmose II had a short reign is the lack of monuments. There are very few buildings or carvings that clearly belong to his time. Many of his monuments were later claimed by Hatshepsut. Then, Thutmose III also changed some of them. This makes it hard to count his achievements.
Also, a man named Ineni, who worked for the pharaohs, lived through Thutmose II's entire rule. Ineni's writings suggest Thutmose II's reign was brief. Another clue comes from small beetle-shaped seals called scarabs. These scarabs were like good luck charms or official stamps. Far fewer scarabs have been found for Thutmose II compared to his father and Hatshepsut. This suggests he ruled for a shorter time.
Some scholars, like Kara Cooney, believe his reign was no longer than 3 years. She notes the lack of temples and major campaigns under his direct leadership. She also points out that his children were very young when he died. This suggests he died unexpectedly early.
Evidence for a Longer Reign
Despite the arguments for a short reign, some experts still believe Thutmose II ruled for 13 or 14 years. One reason is that he was called a "hawk in the nest" when he became king. This means he was likely a child. Since he lived long enough to have two children, Neferure and Thutmose III, he must have reached adulthood. This would require a longer reign.
Also, new archaeological discoveries support a longer reign. For example, some experts think KV20, a tomb usually linked to Hatshepsut, was originally for Thutmose II. Building such a tomb would take many years. French archaeologists have also found evidence of a large gateway and a festival court built by Thutmose II at Karnak. These projects suggest a more significant reign than just 3 years.
Military Campaigns
Nubian Rebellion
Early in Thutmose II's reign, a rebellion broke out in Nubia. Nubia was a region south of Egypt. It often rebelled when a new pharaoh took the throne. Because Thutmose II was young, he sent his army to deal with the revolt. His father's experienced generals led the troops. They easily crushed the rebellion.
Shasu Rebellion
Thutmose II also fought against the Shasu Bedouin people in the Sinai. This was a smaller military action. Some records suggest this campaign might have been on the way to Syria. There is a mention of a campaign in Upper Retenu (Syria), reaching a place called Niy. This is where Thutmose I had hunted elephants.
Important Discoveries
There are not many monuments that clearly show Thutmose II's name. This is partly because Hatshepsut and Thutmose III later put their names on his buildings.
Aswan Stela
At Aswan, a stone slab called the "Aswan Stela" was found. It is dated to Thutmose II's first year as pharaoh. This stela records the rebellion in Upper Nubia.
Karnak Gateway
Thutmose II began building a large limestone gateway at the Karnak Temple. This gateway was in front of the Fourth Pylon. However, it was not finished during his reign. His son, Thutmose III, completed it. Later, another pharaoh, Amenhotep III, took it apart. Its blocks were used in the foundation of the Third Pylon.
Deir el-Bahari Stone Chest
In March 2020, archaeologists found a treasure chest and a wooden box at Deir el-Bahari. These items are about 3,500 years old. The stone chest was hidden and looked like an ordinary stone block. Inside, they found bundles of flax. One bundle held a goose skeleton, likely for a religious offering. Another had goose eggs. A third bundle contained an ibis egg, which was important in ancient Egyptian beliefs. A small wooden box inside one bundle is believed to have the name of Pharaoh Thutmose II.
Death and Burial
Burial Site
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For a long time, the exact location of Thutmose II's tomb was unknown. Some thought it might be KV42, but it seemed empty. In 2020, a team found a chest with Thutmose II's cartouche (royal name) near the Temple of Thutmose III and Temple of Hatshepsut. This suggested his tomb was nearby.
In 2022, a joint team of archaeologists found a new tomb in the Western Wadis. This area is near the Valley of the Kings. The tomb, named Wadi C-4, was filled with rubble from floods. In 2025, it was confirmed to be the tomb of Thutmose II.
The tomb had features typical for a king's burial. It had a blue ceiling with yellow stars and drawings from the Amduat (an ancient Egyptian funerary text). Fragments of alabaster jars with the names of Thutmose II and Hatshepsut were also found. This helped confirm it was his tomb. This was the first royal tomb found in the Valley of the Kings area since Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.
The tomb was built in a poor location, under two waterfalls. This caused frequent flooding. Because of the damage, Thutmose II's body was moved to a safer place only a few years after his burial.
Mummy
Thutmose II's mummy was discovered in 1881 in the Deir el-Bahari cache. This was a secret hiding place for many royal mummies. Other pharaohs found there included Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, and Thutmose III. A label on his mummy showed it had been re-wrapped in the Twenty-first Dynasty.
The mummy was unwrapped in 1886. It looks very similar to the mummy of Thutmose I, who was likely his father. Thutmose II's body was badly damaged by ancient tomb robbers. X-ray studies of his mummy show features common in Nubian people.
In April 2021, his mummy was moved to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. This was part of a grand event called the Pharaohs' Golden Parade. However, some experts still question if this mummy is truly Thutmose II. The re-wrapping label might have been changed from Thutmose I.
See also
In Spanish: Tutmosis II para niños
- History of Ancient Egypt
- Family tree of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt
