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When we think of female pharaohs from ancient Egypt, there is one name that usually springs to mind: Cleopatra. It is true that men ruled for centuries, but the history of this ancient civilization was also shaped by women besides Cleopatra.
Click through the following gallery and learn more about the women who ruled ancient Egypt.
Neithhotep dates back to the Early Dynastic Period (3150 to 2613 BCE). Though there isn't a lot of information available about her, it's believed that she was the wife of pharaoh Narmer or of one of his successors.
Either way, her husband died, so Neithhotep reigned as regent until their young heir was of age to rule Egypt.
There is no evidence that she ruled alone, but Neithhotep's name was found in inscriptions traditionally meant only for kings, so she must have been pretty important!
Having lived during the First Dynasty, not only was Merneith the wife of a pharaoh, but she was also the mother of one.
Merneith took charge after her husband, Djet, died. It's possible that Merneith was the first female pharaoh, and, according to historical records, the earliest queen regnant.
Sobekneferu became the last ruler of the 12th Dynasty, in around 1760 BCE, just at the end of the Middle Kingdom (2055–1786 BCE). Following the death of her father and brother, and in the absence of a male heir, Sobekneferu stepped into power and ruled for an estimated four years.
Unlike other female pharaohs, Sobekneferu always took pride in her identity as a woman, instead of depicting herself as a man.
For her coronation, she had to make up a "female Horus." This is because during these ceremonies, kings were linked to male gods and she didn't have any equivalent female goddess title she could be referred and linked to.
The mother of Ahmose I, who was a pharaoh and founder of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, Ahhotep I was a powerful and fearless woman who ruled the country in the absence of her son.
One of her famous moves was to instruct the military to eliminate the threat of a rebellion, while her son was out of the country. Ahhotep I also served as a high priestess, as the God's Wife of Amun.
Twosret stepped into power following the death of pharaoh Siptah, with whom she might have co-ruled.
It's unknown whether her reign came to an end due to her natural death. Twosret was allocated a tomb in the Valley of the Kings, making her one of the few women in the royal funerary complex. Pictured: her goblet.
Ramesses II' queen, Neferati, is depicted in a number of monuments, paintings, and so on of the time. Her burial site in the Valley of the Queens was looted shortly after her death, so there's still a lot of information we don't know about her.
Following Nefertari's death, Ramesses II built two temples in Abu Simbel, one being dedicated to her.
Because she doesn't appear in Egyptian texts, there is still debate on whether Nitocris actually existed. Her existence had been attributed to the imagination of ancient Greek historian Herodotus.
Though her name does appear on a list of known kings in the 'Turin Papyrus.'
There is a dark revenge tale (or true story?) associated to Nitocris. Following the assassination of her brother, Nitocris is said to have built a chamber and invited the murderers to a feast. She then took revenge by flooding the chamber with water from the Nile, killing them all.
Unlike Nitocris, Queen Tiye's existence is well documented in the 'Amarna Letters' (a collection of clay tablets). The records show she was a powerful and influential woman, known for corresponding directly with foreign rulers.
The wife of Amenhotep III and mother of the pharaoh Akhenaten, she was depicted in many statues and other works of art, attesting to her importance in ancient Egypt.
Hatshepsut was married to her half-brother, Thutmose II, who died and left a young heir (who was not her son), though Hatshepsut acted as regent.
Her reign reportedly lasted 21 years, and some statues and inscriptions actually depict her as a male king.
Possibly the most famous image of a former female ruler of ancient Egypt was uncovered in 1913 in the ruins of Amarna. But who was this woman?
The wife of pharaoh Akhenaten, who wanted the whole kingdom to become monotheist and worship the sun god, Aten, is depicted by her husband's side and alone in many sources. Whether she ruled without her husband is still up for debate.
The iconic queen of ancient Egypt used all the tricks in the book to gain power, including, of course, killing lots of people.
The last ruler of Egypt was indeed an influential woman who went down in history as one of the most important leaders ever.
Sources: (Grunge)
See also: Amazing facts about Cleopatra
The women who ruled ancient Egypt
In 30 BCE, Cleopatra took her own life
LIFESTYLE History
When we think of female pharaohs from ancient Egypt, there is one name that usually springs to mind: Cleopatra. It is true that men ruled for centuries, but the history of this ancient civilization was also shaped by women besides Cleopatra.
Click through the following gallery and learn more about the women who ruled ancient Egypt.