The New Kingdom of Egypt

The New Kingdom of Egypt had many great pharaohs. Those pharaohs saw Egypt through many changes such as expansion of its territory, changes in capital cities, and the popularization of Egyptian art. Although there were many great pharaohs, three of the most significant were Amenhotep I, Hatshepsut, and Tutankhamen.

Amenhotep I, whose name means, "Amen is satisfied," was the child of Ahmose I and Nefretiri. He ruled from 1526-1506 BC during the 18th dynasty, and he made Thebes his capital and Merytamun his main queen. In order to obtain the throne, Amenhotep I had to outlive his two older brothers, Ahmose Sapair and Ahmose-ankh. He is best known for his military expansion in Nubia and Syria. Amenhotep I was the first to seperate his tomb, located in the Valley of The Kings sectionKV39, and his burial complex.

Hatshepsut, the daughter of Thuthmose I and Aahmus and sister to Tuthmose II, was the first successful female pharaoh to take the throne. While the rightful heir, Tuthmose III was very young and uneducated, she was educated in imperial administration, so she claimed herself to be the pharaoh of Egypt. One reason Hatshepsut was so successful was because no one saw the pharaoh much in those times, so no one knew she was a woman. To help with this, she would dress as a man. A major downfall of being a female pharaoh was that she couldn't go to war, because if they were to win, she would get no credit and the Egyptians would think that they don't need a pharaoh. However, if they lost, she would be blamed for losing. Hatshepsut married her half-brother, Thuthmose II, and was not able to produce a male heir to the throne.

Tutankhamen, meaning, Living Image of The Aten, is popularly known as King Tut. During his reign, he made his capital in Akehenateten, which means Horizon of the Aten, and his main wife was Ankhesenpaaten. Tutankhamen ruled ruled from 1333-1325 BC. He died when he was 19 in mid-January, and his X-ray's show that he may have been murdered. Tut was found in 1922 by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon who was a rich archaeologist who owned the right to dig in the Valley of the Kings where King Tut was buried. Carter and Carnarvon were the first to arrive at his tomb, and they discovered it in almost perfect condition. The artifacts from King Tut's tomb have traveled the world and have been viewed by several million people. The artifacts are still on tour to this day.

There were many great pharaohs in Ancient in Egypt with colorful histories and backgorounds, but Amenhotep I, Hatshepsut, and Tutankhamen were some of the most famous. They are each famous for different reasons, but they all were great in their own way. One of the most interesting things about the pharaohs is that they started their reigns early and died young. Although they were prepared their entire lives to rule over Egypt, the pressure that they endured and the responsibilities they were given were far greater than their years.

Bunson, Margaret. "Amenhotep I." Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2002. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE49&iPin=EEGY0112&SingleRecord=True

Bunson, Margaret. "Hatshepsut." Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2002. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE49&iPin=EEGY0637&SingleRecord=True