By: Mary Ankrah
There have been an impressive series of queens, queen regents and queen mothers in the history of Egypt. Hatshepsut is one of the best known female rulers of Egypt in the 18th dynasty. She was the daughter of Thuthmose I and Ahmes.
Customarily, “to become a pharaoh, the man had to marry a female from a royal blood often a sister or half-sister or near relative”[1] and so Hatshepsut married her half-brother, Thuthmose II who succeeded the throne after her father died.
It was believed that Thuthmose II also died not long after becoming the pharaoh. Hence, Hatshepsut ruled with her step-son Thuthmose III as his regent for a couple of years and later declared herself as pharaoh and ruled for about twenty years.
According to history, she organized a trading expedition reaching the land of Punt (now Somalia), constructed several obelisks and built the temple of Phaket at Beni Hasan.
Another great woman leader of ancient Egypt was Queen Tiye. Although she was not of royal blood she became the Great Royal Wife of Amenhotep III and mother of the Amenhotep IV (Akenhaton).
History had it that, Tiye was held in high esteem by her husband who showed his love by building temples and statues where she is displayed with him. Her husband also “devoted a number of shrines to her and constructed a temple dedicated to her in Sedeinga in Nubia where she was worshipped as the goddess Hathor- Tefnut”[2] and built a monumental artificial lake for her.
During her husband’s reign, it was believed that she used her political influence and intelligence to maintain Egypt’s authority.
In addition, the Black queen Candaces of Nubia, Queen Amanirenas and Queen Shanakdaheto also played a significant role as great women leaders.
According to history, in the time when Egypt was under the control of Rome, Amanirenas designed a battle plan and led her armies into battle and defeated the three Roman cohorts.
Shanakdaheto also ruled as a fully independent ruler and reinstated the relics of building projects which she commissioned.
[1] Caroline, Seawright. Hatshepsut, Female Pharaoh of Egypt. (Online) Available http://www.touregypt.net/historicalessays/hatshepsut.htm , 6/May/ 2011.
[2] Wikipedia. Tiye. (Online) Available http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiye, 6/ May/ 2011.
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