8 Hatshepsut Facts for Kids

Hatsheput was the longest reigning female Pharaoh in Egypt. She is also considered one of the best Pharaohs in Egypt. Her reign was peaceful, she had many monuments and temples constructed during her reign. After her death the effort was made to literally erase her from history under the order of the new ruling faction.

Her name was scraped away from many of the monuments that she had erected in an effort to wipe out her legacy in Egypt.

Her History

1. She was born the only child to king Thutmose I and his principal wife Ahmose. Her father died when she was twelve and she married her half-brother that was born to one of the King’s other wives. This was a very common practice in Egypt to preserve the blood line.

2. It was always expected that she would be Queen someday. Thutmose II became King and she acted as his principal wife until his death when she took over rule but she did not take over ruling in a manner which you would expect.

3. Thutmose II had only one son that was born to a concubine Thutmose III was only an infant when his father died and clearly too young to rule. She stepped in as his regent. As time passed she took a more formal role as ruler until she was eventually lifted to the title of Pharaoh.

4. She co-ruled with Thutmose III until her death but most all historians agree that she was THE ruler.

Oddities

5. There are some indications (actually quite a bit of proof) that Hatsheput would have paintings and sculptures made of herself dressed as a man with fake beard and manly robes. It was actually not to trick people into thinking she was a man but instead it was done because there was no point of reference for a ruling female.

6. She utilized her “connections” to powerful men to transition from ruler to Pharaoh. Her simple act of going from a ruler to a Pharaoh in and of itself was pretty amazing because women simply were not able to reach such lofty goals.

Her Reign

7. She was a very active leader when it came to building monuments. She spent her lifetime overseeing the building of structures for worship and on building monuments to the Gods. During her rule Egypt prospered. There were no wars.

8. She died in Egypt in 1458 and was 50 years old which was older than most people died at the time.