"King Hatshepsut"

"King Hatshepsut"

1     By the standards of other civilizations from the same time, ancient Egyptian women enjoyed a high status. Like men, women were able to own property and also had legal rights. Even so, for a woman to become pharaoh (the name given to rulers in ancient Egypt) was extraordinary. Despite their relatively high status, it was considered unacceptable for women to achieve that level of power.

2     Born into a royal family known for intrigue and power struggles, Hatshepsut (1467–1445 BCE or 1479–1458 BCE) used her influence to become pharaoh. She became what most historians regard as the first great female ruler in history. She is particularly remembered for her role in supporting great building projects in one of the greatest Egyptian dynasties. (A dynasty is a family that rules for a significant period of time.)

3     Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I, who was pharaoh. After the death of her father, Hatshepsut became queen to Thutmose II, her half-brother. After the death of Thutmose II (modern scientists have evidence to suggest that he died of heart disease), power passed to her stepson, Thutmose III, but he was too young to be king. Hatshepsut became co-regent, meaning she ruled alongside others on behalf of her stepson until he was capable of becoming king. This was commonly done when male heirs were too young to assume power. However, Hatshepsut’s next move was decidedly uncommon. She declared herself pharaoh. She was the third woman to be pharaoh in three thousand years, and she is believed to be the first to declare herself pharaoh; the other two may have ruled in their own right.

4     Initially, the people of ancient Egypt did not accept Hatshepsut, a woman, as pharaoh. To persuade her people, Hatshepsut stressed her royal ancestry. She emphasized that in her role as her father’s—the pharaoh’s—daughter, she learned about many royal duties. In addition, Hatshepsut, as queen to her husband, sought to learn about the administration of power in her kingdom.

5     By the time Hatshepsut became king of Egypt, Thutmose III was old enough to become pharaoh. Instead, he became second-in-command and was responsible for the kingdom’s army. Hatshepsut believed that her father had intended for her to be his rightful successor. However, Thutmose III was, in fact, the true heir to the throne. But when his father’s untimely death complicated the succession, Hatshepsut used her influence to become the most powerful woman in the royal court. She proceeded to rule for more than twenty years.

6     Many buildings were built or remodeled during Hatshepsut’s rule to remind the kingdom of her importance. In some temples, she ordered wall inscriptions to be written that reinforced the idea that her father had intended her to become pharaoh. Additionally, in images she was portrayed as a man, with a male body and even a false beard.

Paragraph 6 (continued)

Many modern historians interpret Hatshepsut’s preoccupation with such propaganda as an attempt to persuade doubters that she was the rightful successor.

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of paragraph 6?

• It provides evidence of Hatshepsut’s claim to the throne.

• It describes the style of art and architecture Hatshepsut favored.

• It provides readers with a modern interpretation of Hatshepsut’s actions.

• It shows that Thutmose III refused to acknowledge Hatshepsut’s contributions.

7     Even though she took these measures, Hatshepsut was still concerned about her position. She was concerned because Thutmose III, the rightful pharaoh by birthright, led the kingdom’s army. Hatshepsut was wise to worry. If she ordered the army into battle and lost, the loss would be perceived as her fault. Her power would be diminished. If the army won, however, Thutmose III would gain power because he could claim credit for the victory.

8     Instead, Hatshepsut ordered the army on a trading expedition to Punt, a land believed to have been on the northeast coast of Africa. It was an enormous success. Ancient Egyptians highly valued incense, and it was scarce in Egypt. Punt was an important source of this item. Other valuable goods the army found and returned with were ostrich eggs, ivory, and exotic animal skins. After the success of the Punt expedition, Egyptians began to recognize Hatshepsut’s achievements. She became known for providing the kingdom with valuable goods from a distant area.

9     After reigning for more than twenty years, Hatshepsut died, and her stepson, Thutmose III, went on to fulfill his destiny as one of the great pharaohs in Egyptian history. In the latter part of his reign, Thutmose III decided to erase his stepmother, the king, from history. That was the price Hatshepsut paid for making her stepson wait twenty-two years to reign. In a massive operation, he ordered that her name and image be removed from every part of Egypt.

10     He was so successful that Hatshepsut was totally erased from Egyptian history until the British archaeologist Howard Carter found her tomb in 1903. Her story was rediscovered in 2007 when her remains were finally identified. Today her mummy rests in one of the two Royal Mummy Rooms at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt.

Multiple Choice

Which statement best characterizes Hatshepsut's decision to send the army on a trading expedition to Punt?

• Hatshepsut had observed her father make a similar decision.

• Male leaders had not been brave enough to send armies on expeditions to foreign lands.

• Hatshepsut understood that providing for her people could persuade them to consider her a strong leader.

• Thutmose III was wiser and more respected than Hatshepsut.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best represents the central idea of the article?

• “She became what most historians regard as the first great female ruler in history.”

• “She proceeded to rule for more than twenty years.”

• “She was the third woman to be pharaoh in three thousand years.”

• “After more than twenty years of reign, Hatshepsut died, and her stepson, Thutmose III, went on to fulfill his destiny as one of the great pharaohs in Egyptian history.”

Open Ended

Write an objective summary of the passage, "King Hatshepsut."

Requirements: 5-8 complete sentences