Queen Hatshepsut

Biography

Hatshepsut was the fifth pharaoh of Egypt's 18th Dynasty and one of the most successful and remarkable women in ancient history. She initially served as queen to her half-brother and husband, Pharaoh Thutmose II. After his death, his son Thutmose III (by another wife) was too young to rule, so Hatshepsut acted as regent. Eventually, she took on full powers as pharaoh, ruling Egypt for about two decades (c. 1479–1458 BCE). To legitimize her rule in a patriarchal society, Hatshepsut portrayed herself as a male king in statues and carvings, often shown with a false beard and wearing traditional male pharaonic attire. Despite this symbolic transformation, she ruled wisely and effectively. Hatshepsut's reign was marked by peace, prosperity, and ambitious construction projects. She commissioned many magnificent buildings, the most famous being her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari near Luxor—an architectural masterpiece. She also revitalized trade routes, most notably launching a major expedition to the land of Punt (possibly modern-day Eritrea or Somalia), bringing back wealth and exotic goods like incense, ivory, and animals. After her death, her stepson Thutmose III took full control and later attempted to erase her legacy by defacing her monuments and removing her name from king lists—possibly to reassert traditional male authority or due to political motives. Despite these efforts, Hatshepsut's legacy survived, and she is now recognized as one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs and a symbol of female leadership.