Year 10

When Pharaoh Thutmose II died, he left an heir far too young to rule Egypt. His widow Hatshepsut stepped up to take his place. For at least the next 20 years, Hatshepsut ruled as Pharaoh King of Egypt in an era of prosperous growth and peace. When she died, her nephew Thutmose III attempted to smear her good name and wipe her memory from history. However, despite his efforts, his aunt Hatshepsut holds the title of most famous native Egyptian woman to ever rule as pharaoh; she also retains a legacy as one of the most successful female leaders in early history.

The female pharaoh Hatshepsut reigned for nearly twenty years during Egypt's early New Kingdom in the fifteenth century B.C. First acting as regent for her young nephew/​stepson Thutmose III, she in time assumed the title of king and exercised the full powers of the throne as senior co-ruler. In accordance with Egyptian tradition, Hatshepsut was often depicted as a male king. After her death, however, monuments bearing her image were ruthlessly defaced, and her name was erased from historical accounts. Hatshepsut's rise to power and the nature of her kingship have long been debated by scholars.

Hatshepsut was arguably the most powerful female to rule as pharaoh during its long and storied history in the wealthy Egypt of the New Kingdom. Her rule was highly unconventional, yet she had the support of the power brokers at the time. Somehow, during her long reign as pharaoh with her stepson, she managed to maintain positive relationships with the right constituency, as well as her co-ruler.

From Alexander the Great to Queen Victoria... their names fire the imagination with epic triumphs and influential reigns. The lives of their people forged and defined modern civilization. Writings and art left behind from their eras still inspire today. In this series, readers are introduced to these rulers and their times in an innovative approach to history.

Queen - or, as she would prefer to be remembered King - Hatchepsut was an astonishing woman. Brilliantly defying tradition she became the female embodiment of a male role, dressing in men's clothes and even wearing a false beard. Forgotten until Egptologists deciphered hieroglyphics in the 1820's, she has since been subject to intense speculation about her actions and motivations. Combining archaeological and historical evidence from a wide range of sources, Joyce Tyldesley's dazzling piece of detection strips away the myths and misconceptions and finally restores the female pharaoh to her rightful place.

Hatshepsut, the daughter of a general who took Egypt's throne without status as a king's son and a mother with ties to the previous dynasty, was born into a privileged position of the royal household. Married to her brother, she was expected to bear the sons who would legitimize the reign of her father's family. Her failure to produce a male heir was ultimately the twist of fate that paved the way for her inconceivable rule as a cross-dressing king. At just twenty, Hatshepsut ascended to the rank of king in an elaborate coronation ceremony that set the tone for her spectacular twenty-two year reign as co-regent with Thutmose III, the infant king whose mother Hatshepsut out-maneuvered for a seat on the throne. Hatshepsut was a master strategist, cloaking her political power plays with the veil of piety and sexual expression. Just as women today face obstacles from a society that equates authority with masculinity, Hatshepsut had to shrewdly operate the levers of a patriarchal system to emerge as Egypt's second female pharaoh.

Hatshepsut was the first woman ruler known to history, and this book tells the story of how she strengthened the Egyptian empire. Because her brother was too young to rule, Hatshepsut was appointed co-ruler, and eventually emerged as the real force behind the throne. But in later years Egyptian officials destroyed many of her statues and tried to conceal the fact that she was a woman.

Explores the lives of six remarkable female pharaohs, from Hatshepsut to Cleopatra, women who ruled with real power. What was so special about ancient Egypt that provided women this kind of access to the highest political office? What was it about these women that allowed them to transcend patriarchal obstacles? What did Egypt gain from its liberal reliance on female leadership, and could today's world learn from its example?

Combining grand narrative sweep with detailed knowledge of hieroglyphs and the iconography of power, Toby Wilkinson reveals Ancient Egypt in all its complexity.

A vivid view of life in ancient Egypt. More than 5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians founded one of the worlds oldest civilizations. We know of its pyramids, art, and pharaohs. But what was life really like then? Ordinary citizens in ancient Egypt lived and worked in much the same ways as the average European of the eighteenth century, but ate better, had more practical clothing and lived more comfortably, in houses with patios, latrines, and cooling systems. Through deep investigative research, the authors explore the social and material existence in ancient Egypt-from what people ate and drank to how they worked, lived, played, and prayed. Features color and black-and-white images throughout, along with maps.

This is not for issue, but there are 7 copies of the book, set aside for your use.
This book contains primary and secondary sources. Use the Contents page to locate relevant information.
Part B Ancient Societies: Chapter 2 New Kingdom Egypt society - contains information about a broad range of topics.
Part C Personalities in their Times, Chapter 5 Egypt - Hatshepsut, includes information about many aspects of Hatshepsut's rule.

This is not for issue, but there are 15 copies of the book set aside for your use.
The book discusses major aspects and changes in the social and religious life of the ancient Egyptians and attempts to give a more well rounded view of life within different historical periods. It includes primary and secondary sources.