Figure 1.--Although Tutankhamun was only a minor pharaoh, the golden image of that Harold Carter found in his tomb is perhaps the single best known piece of pharonic art. It is a masterpiece of realistic portrature.
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Figure 1.--Although Tutankhamun was only a minor pharaoh, the golden image of that Harold Carter found in his tomb is perhaps the single best known piece of pharonic art. It is a masterpiece of realistic portrature. |
The Dynasty 18 pharaohs or Tuthmosides not only freed Egypt from foreign rule, but created one of the largest empires in Egyptian history. The dynasty was noted for both its military prowess, despite the inclusion and organizational ability. Thebian Prince Ahmose I founded Dynasty XVIII about 1580 BC. His reign is considered the beginning of the New Kingdom. It was the first of the Diospolite dynasties, named after Diopolis (the city of god). Under Pharaohs Menhotep and Thutmose Egypt became an imperial power, controlling territry streaching from Nubia in the south east to Euphrates River. There were collosal archetectural achievements, most notably the temple at Deir el-Bahri near Thebes. Cities were constructed at Luxor and Karnack, two of the great Egyptian cities of antiquity. It was during this period that Amenhotep/Amenophis IV changed his name to Akhenaten, supressed the traditional religon and attempted to replace it with a kind of solar monotheism. Some Egyptologistd believe he advoacted a kind of universal brotherhood of man under a single god. [Aldred, p. 67.] The resistance at Thebes to the new religion caused Akhenaten to move his court to Akhet-Aten. Akhenaten also advocated a realistic depiction in art. The depictions of him and his Queen Nefertriti which survive are some of the most realistic in Egyptian art. Even more interesting, the depictions of his family of six daughters provide a rare realisic glimse ino the life of an Egyptian royal family. [Aldred, pp. 67-68.] Akhenaten tendency toward pacifism greatly weakened Egypt's international position and control over the aclient states of Syria and Palestine. The old priesthood reexerted heir influence and were able to restore the old religion after the brief reign of Amenhotep's successor, the boy king Tutankhamun. (It was his unspoiled tomb that was discovered by Harold Carter in the Valley of the Kings during 1922, perhaps the most famous discovery in all of archeology.) Tutankhamun became pharaoh when he was a boy of about 9 years of age. He is believed to be Akhenaten's younger half brother. He married his older half sister Ankhes-en-Amun. Normally little is known about minor pharaohs like Tutankhamun, but the fact that his tomb wss never disturbed makes him one of the best known pharaohs. Many of Egypt's imperial possessions were lost as a result of the disorders associated with the reign of Amenhotep IV and Tutankhamun.
Thebian Prince Ahmose I freed Egypt from foreign domination and founded Dynasty XVIII about 1580 BC. His reign is considered the beginning of the New Kingdom. It was the first of the Diospolite dynasties, named after Diopolis (the city of god).
Under Pharaohs Menhotep and Thutmose Egypt became an imperial power, controlling territry streaching from Nubia in the south east to Euphrates River. There were collosal archetectural achievements, most notably the temple at Deir el-Bahri near Thebes. Cities were constructed at Luxor and Karnack, two of the great Egyptian cities of antiquity. Memphis was the chief administrative center. Thebes is the cult center of the god Amun-Re and home of the royal family remained important as a religious and cultural center.
Almost all Egyptian rulers are men. There were, however, a few women pharoahs. Hatshepsut was the most powerful female ruler in Egyptian history. She built a unique funerary temple in western Thebes. She was the chief wife or queen of Thutmose II, but apparently not the mother of Thutmose III. [Aldred, p. 39.] He of course was one of the most important pharaohs in Egyptian history. Apparently he came to dislike the idea that his father's wife ruled as pharaoh. About 20 years after her death, Thutmose III ordered that her name and image be obliterated on temples and public places throughout Egypt.
Thutmose III was the greatest in a series of warrior kings who established a new Egyptian empire. The priests of Amen played a major role in Thutmose III's seccesion to the throne, even though he was not one of his father's children by his chief wife Hatshepsut. [Aldred, p. 39.] This is a striking indication of the power of the priestly class. Thutmose III was the on of Thutmose II, but not by his chief wife Hatshepsut. Some historians refer to him as the Napoleon of the New Kingdom and the dynasty itself is often called the Tuthmososides, largely in his honor. He greatly expanded Egypt's influence in western Asia, including the Levant (Palestine and Syria) up to the borders of the Hittite empire. He led Egyptian armies into Mesopotamia, crossing the Euphrates, defeating all before him. [Stewart, p. 82.] Egypt also restablished dominance to the south in Nubia to the fourth cataract. As a result of these military campaigns, trade, diplomacy, and tribute, Egypt attained a level of wealth and power unknown since the heighth of the Old Kingdom. Thutmose constructed the great temples at Karnak. The wealth helped generate the third great flowering of Egyptian culture. Egypt began a series of monumental constructions unknown since the Great Pyramids of the Old Kingdom. It was not just monumental art that florish, but many types of non-royal art, including sculpture, relief work, painting, and various other minor crafts.
Amenhotep II while the son of Thutmose III had no great military achievements to report.
Thutmose IV was the son of Amenhotep II. We know that he was not the eldest son and therefore heir to the throne. A stela known as the "Dream Stela" recounts the story of how Thutmose as a young prince was promised the throne of Egypt if he would uncover the Sphinx (already an an ancient treasure) from the desert sand that had buried it. Of course if Thutmose was the eldest son, the throne would have been his birthright and such a divine intervention would have been unnecessary.
Amenhotep III, son of Thutmose IV, came to the throne at a very early age, although precisely what age is unknown as is who served as regent for the young pharaoh. Yuya, father of Amenhotep III's chief wife and an important military leader seems, to have played an important role in the young pharaoh's court. Amenhotep III is one of the longest ruling pharaohs of ancient Egypt. He is believed to have ruled for nearly 40 years during one of the greatest and most prosperous times in Egyptian history. There were only limited military actions under Amenhotep III. We are not sure why Egyptian expansion stalled under his reign. Perhaps it was in part because his grandfather Thutmose III had so greatly expanded the Egyptian empire. He did extend Egypt's control over Nubia to the fifth cataract. While there were few military schievements, the cultural and artistic achievements were extrodinary. He had a harem of both family members and foreigners obtained through diplomatic contacts. His oldest son Thutmose apperas to have died leaving the succession to Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten one of the most enigmatic pahraohs in Egyptian history.
Amenhotep/Amenophis IV changed his name to Akhenaten, supressed the traditional religon and attempted to replace it with a kind of solar monotheism. Amenhotep overturned oiver a milenia of tradition when he renounced the numerous gods worshipped by the Egyptians and abolished the priesthood of Amun. He established a new order based on the worship the sun god Aten and changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning "servant of the Aten." Some Egyptologistd believe he advoacted a kind of universal brotherhood of man under a single god. [Aldred, p. 67.] The main temples of Amun were located at Thebes modern Luxor). The resistance there to the new religion caused Akhenaten to move his court to Akhet-Aten, whivch meant, "Horizon of the Aten." It was located some distance north of Thebes. Akhenaten also advocated a realistic depiction in art. The depictions of him and his Queen Nefertriti which survive are some of the most realistic in Egyptian art. Even more interesting, the depictions of his family of six daughters provide a rare realisic glimse ino the life of an Egyptian royal family. [Aldred, pp. 67-68.] Akhenaten tendency toward pacifism greatly weakened Egypt's international position and control over the various client states in what is now Syria and Palestine.
The old priesthood exerted their influence and were able to restore the old religion after the brief reign of Amenhotep's successor, the boy king Tutankhamun. (It was his unspoiled tomb that was discovered by Harold Carter in the Valley of the Kings during 1922, perhaps the most famous discovery in all of archeology.) Tutankhamun became pharaoh when he was a boy of about 9 years of age. He is believed to be Akhenaten's younger half brother. He married his older half sister Ankhes-en-Amun. Normally little is known about minor pharaohs like Tutankhamun, but the fact that his tomb wss never disturbed makes him one of the best known pharaohs. Many of Egypt's imperial possessions were lost as a result of the disorders associated with the reign of Amenhotep IV and Tutankhamun.
The identity of Ay is a subject of great debate among Egyptoligists. He was an important military official and priest in Ankhenaten's court. That importance may have been based on more than military and religiou offices. Many Egyptologists believe that there were blood ties with the royal family. [Aldred, p. 88-89.] In adiition, Ay is often described as the husband of Nefertiti's nurse. Many believe, however, that he was actually Nefertiti's father. [Aldred, p. 90.] This may explain Ay's increasing importance on the death of Ankhenaten's death. He was apparently one of the great survivors in history, rather like an ancient Tallyrand. Even after the death of Nefertiti, he again survived as he had become Tutenkhamen's principal advisor. As the pharoh was so young, Ay became the virtual ruler of Europe, a Vizier. It was during the reign of Tutankhamun, despite Ay's connections with Ankhenaten, Ay appears to have organized the return to the old Atum cult. This was undoubtedly a factor in his survival. As part of the return to orthodoxy, Ay returned the pharaoh's court to Thebes. Ay was an aging man by the time of Tutenkhamun's death. Even so he married Ankhesenamun, probably his granddaughter, and became pharaoh. This marriage further confirms the suposition that Ay was related to the royal family. This marriage is not accepted by all scholars, but seems the only way Ay could have obtained the throne byond overt usurptation. [Aldred, pp. 95-96.] The care he took with Tutankhamun's funerl suggests that it was a legitimate transition. This is the last we here of Ankhesenamun. [Aldred, p. 68.] Ay reigned for 4 years. A general Nakht-min may have been a son of Ay, but died before his father. [Aldred, p. 92.]
Horemheb sometimes spelled Haremhab rose to great prominance during the reign of Tutankhamun who appointed him Deputy Pharaoh. With control of the army and support of the Atum priesthood, he seized power on the death of Ay and was crowned in Thebes. [Aldred, p. 86.] He married Mut-nodjme, pehaps a sister of Nefertiti. [Aldred, p. 92.] Horemmheb began a massive campaign to destroy any evidence of the reigns of Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, and Ay. This suggests not only a rejection of the Aten cult, but the fact that he was not related to the royal family. Horemheb promoted a restoration of the temples to the old gods. [Aldred, p. 86.] His name was substituted for their names when possible on monuments throughout Egypt. In that regard he would have had the strong support of the Amun cult priesthood which despised Akhenaten and the two subsequent pharaohs related to him and Neferiti. Horemheb despite his military background devoted great attention to public administration. Haremhab's campaign against the Aten cult is known as the Vengence of Haremhab. The demolition of Akhet-Atn destroyed temples with their carvings and paintings, stellas, and official buildings as well as references to the Aten cult and his predecessors has severely resticted our knowledge of Akhenaten and his religious heresy. He criticised state officials for abuse of the public trust and set about to cend these abuses. [Aldred, p. 86.] It is difficult to assess his charges as to whether they actually occurred or were made to justify his reign. One aspect may have been local and regional officials retaining more of the tax revenue which weakened the pharaoh's national finances. Horemheb's administrative reforms undoubtedly addressed this problem. He ruled for at least 27 years.
Aldred, Cyril. Akhenaten: Pharaoh of Egypt--A New Study (McGraw-Hill: New York, 1968), 272p.
Stewart, Doug. "Eternal Egypt," Smithsonian, date missing, pp. 74-84.
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