Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut was an ancient Egyptian queen of the Eighteenth Dynasty who ruled as pharaoh for about 21 years, roughly 1479–1458 BCE. She is one of the most prominent figures in ancient Egyptian history and one of the few women documented as a reigning monarch in her own right.

She was the daughter of Thutmose I and Ahmose and married to her half-brother Thutmose II. After Thutmose II’s death, her stepson Thutmose III was still a child, and Hatshepsut initially served as regent. She eventually assumed full pharaonic authority, adopting the royal regalia and titles traditionally held by a king. Her throne name was Maatkare, and she used the full kingly titulary, presenting herself as a sovereign ruler.

Hatshepsut’s reign is noted for a prosperous and stable period after a earlier phase of turmoil. She launched a remarkable building program, the most famous part being the mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri, known as Djeser-Djeseru, near Thebes. The temple complex is widely regarded as an architectural masterpiece and a symbol of her legacy. She also continued major state-building efforts and supported trade and religious institutions.

A key achievement of her rule was the expedition to the land of Punt, which brought back valuable goods such as myrrh, incense, ebony, and exotic animals, helping to enrich the Egyptian economy and demonstrate the reach of Egypt’s trade networks.

Hatshepsut died around 1458 BCE. After her death, Thutmose III largely eclipsed her legacy, and some of her monuments were defaced. Her reign, however, has been re-evaluated in modern times as a high point of stability and economic prosperity in the early 18th Dynasty. Her tomb, KV20 in the Valley of the Kings, was later identified and opened by archaeologists.