The Woman Who Would Be King: The Rise and Fall of Pharaoh Hatshepsut
Introduction In the long history of Ancient Egypt, there were very few female rulers. While many queens held power as "Great Royal Wives," only a handful dared to declare themselves Pharaoh. The most successful, powerful, and controversial of them all was Hatshepsut. Ruling during the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom), she presided over a golden age of peace and prosperity, only to have her name viciously erased from history after her death.
Regent Turned King Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I and the wife of her half-brother, Thutmose II. When her husband died young, the heir to the throne, Thutmose III, was just a toddler (born to a secondary wife). Hatshepsut stepped in as Regent to rule on the boy’s behalf.
Normally, a regent steps down when the King comes of age. Hatshepsut did not. Roughly seven years into her regency, she took an unprecedented step: she declared herself Pharaoh. She adopted the full royal titulary and began depicting herself in art not as a woman, but as a man. In statues, she is shown with the broad shoulders of a male, wearing the male kilt, and even wearing the "Divine Beard" we saw on
The Divine Birth To justify her rule, Hatshepsut launched a massive propaganda campaign. On the walls of her temple, she inscribed the story of her "Divine Birth." She claimed that the god Amun-Ra had taken the form of her earthly father, Thutmose I, and impregnated her mother, Queen Ahmose. Amun speaks in the text: "Khnemet-Amun-Hatshepsut shall be the name of this my daughter... She shall exercise the excellent kingship in this whole land." By claiming Amun was her true father, she bypassed the normal rules of succession.
The Expedition to Punt Hatshepsut’s reign was not defined by war, but by trade. Her greatest achievement was the famous expedition to the Land of Punt (likely modern-day Somalia or Eritrea). She sent a fleet of massive ships down the Red Sea to trade for exotic goods. The reliefs at her temple show the ships returning laden with gold, ivory, leopard skins, baboons, and most importantly, Myrrh trees. She planted these incense trees in the courtyard of her temple to create a garden for Amun. This was the first recorded attempt in history to transplant foreign trees.
The Temple of Deir el-Bahari
Hatshepsut built one of the most stunning architectural wonders in the world: her Mortuary Temple at Deir el-Bahari.
Located across the river from
The Great Erasure For over 20 years, Hatshepsut ruled alongside her stepson, Thutmose III. When she died, she was buried in the Valley of the Kings (KV20). Thutmose III went on to become the "Napoleon of Egypt," the greatest conqueror the country had ever seen. However, towards the end of his reign (about 20 years after Hatshepsut died), a systematic attempt was made to erase her from history.
Her statues were smashed and thrown into pits.
Her name was chiseled off the walls of Karnak and Deir el-Bahari.
Her image was replaced with the names of her father or husband.
Historians used to think Thutmose III did this out of hatred. Modern scholars believe it was political. He wanted to ensure the succession of his own son, Amenhotep II, and prevent Hatshepsut’s relatives from claiming the throne. By erasing her, he reset the timeline to show a direct line of male kings.
Conclusion The attempt to erase Hatshepsut failed. In the 19th century, archaeologists deciphered the hieroglyphs and pieced together the smashed statues. Today, she is recognized not just as a great woman, but as one of the most effective and successful Pharaohs in Egyptian history—the King who chose trade over war and beauty over bloodshed.
Now you can visit and discover all artifacts at the Grand Egyptian Museum
You can book your tickets directly from the official website and also you can book a tour guided
0 Comments