The Greatest Female Pharaoh | Hatshepsut | Ancient Egypt Documentary

Summary

This video explores the remarkable reign of Pharaoh Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s most successful rulers. Despite challenges due to her gender, Hatshepsut declared herself pharaoh after acting as Queen Regent for her young stepson. She expanded Egypt’s trade routes, notably through the expedition to the Land of Punt, and oversaw numerous monumental building projects, including her mortuary temple, Djeser-Djeseru. Though her successors tried to erase her legacy, Hatshepsut's contributions to Egypt’s prosperity and her groundbreaking role as a female leader endure in history.

Takeaways

• 👑 Pharaoh Ahmose I expelled the Hyksos invaders, starting Egypt's New Kingdom and its third golden age.
• 👸 Hatshepsut, Ahmose's great-granddaughter, became one of Egypt's most successful pharaohs despite being female.
• 🏛️ Hatshepsut expanded Egypt's trade routes and constructed some of the nation's most impressive architectural wonders.
• 💍 Hatshepsut married her half-brother, Thutmose II, at the age of 12 to legitimize his reign, later serving as Queen Regent after his death.
• ⚔️ Hatshepsut claimed divine birth through the god Amun, using propaganda to justify her rule and depicted herself as male in art.
• 🌍 Hatshepsut led a successful trade expedition to the Land of Punt, bringing wealth, exotic animals, and valuable resources back to Egypt.
• 🌳 She was the first recorded person to transplant foreign trees and introduced charred frankincense as eyeliner.
• 🏗️ Hatshepsut initiated numerous building projects, including massive obelisks and her famous mortuary temple, Djeser-Djeseru.
• 🕵️ Thutmose III attempted to erase Hatshepsut's legacy, possibly due to political reasons or patriarchal concerns, but was largely unsuccessful.
• ⚰️ Hatshepsut ruled for over 20 years and was buried in the Valley of the Kings, her cause of death potentially linked to bone cancer from toxic ointments.

Q & A

Who was Pharaoh Ahmose I and what role did he play in ancient Egypt's history?

Pharaoh Ahmose I was the founder of the New Kingdom period in ancient Egypt. He drove out the Hyksos invaders and initiated Egypt's third and final golden age.

How did Hatshepsut contribute to Egypt's prosperity during her reign?

Hatshepsut expanded Egypt's trade routes, most notably through a successful expedition to the Land of Punt, and commissioned numerous large-scale architectural projects, including her famous mortuary temple at Djeser-Djeseru.

What challenges did Hatshepsut face as a female pharaoh, and how did she legitimize her rule?

As a woman, it was difficult for Hatshepsut to be accepted as a pharaoh. To legitimize her rule, she claimed divine birth, stating that the god Amun had chosen her to rule, and depicted herself with male attributes like a false beard in official sculptures.

What was the significance of the expedition to the Land of Punt during Hatshepsut’s reign?

The expedition to the Land of Punt was highly successful, bringing back wealth in the form of gold, ivory, frankincense, and myrrh. It boosted Egypt’s economy and enhanced Hatshepsut’s reputation as a capable ruler.

How did Hatshepsut’s building projects contribute to her legacy?

Hatshepsut commissioned hundreds of building projects, including monumental works at the Karnak Temple Complex and her mortuary temple at Djeser-Djeseru. These projects displayed her wealth, piety, and power, solidifying her legacy as one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs.

What was the significance of the obelisks Hatshepsut constructed at Karnak?

Hatshepsut's twin obelisks at the entrance of the Karnak Temple were symbols of her devotion to the god Amun. One of these obelisks remains the tallest surviving obelisk in Egypt today.

Why did Thutmose III attempt to erase Hatshepsut from historical records?

The reasons are debated, but some Egyptologists believe that Thutmose III may have wanted to downplay the success of a female pharaoh to protect the patriarchal system or to strengthen his successor’s claim to the throne. Others suggest that her role was erased to avoid encouraging other women to rule.

How did Hatshepsut claim divine legitimacy for her rule?

Hatshepsut claimed that the god Amun had taken over her father’s body on the night of her conception, making her a divine child chosen to rule Egypt. This narrative helped her gain support despite her gender.

What innovative methods did Hatshepsut use in trade and agriculture during her reign?

Hatshepsut was the first ruler in recorded history to successfully transplant trees from foreign lands, protecting their roots in baskets during transportation. She also pioneered the use of frankincense as eyeliner, adding to Egypt’s knowledge of exotic goods.

What ultimately caused Hatshepsut’s death, and what medical evidence supports this?

Hatshepsut likely died from bone cancer, possibly exacerbated by regular use of carcinogenic ointments. A CT scan of her mummy revealed evidence of bone cancer during her final years.

Outlines

00:00

👑 Hatshepsut's Rise to Power and Early Life

The paragraph begins with the rise of ancient Egypt's New Kingdom after Pharaoh Ahmose I expelled the Hyksos, marking the start of a prosperous era. Hatshepsut, the great-granddaughter of Ahmose I, played a pivotal role in this period by expanding trade routes and overseeing monumental architectural achievements. Despite being a woman in a male-dominated society, Hatshepsut secured her position as one of Egypt’s most successful rulers. Born to Pharaoh Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose, she married her half-brother Thutmose II to solidify the throne’s legitimacy. After Thutmose II's death, Hatshepsut initially served as Queen Regent for her stepson, Thutmose III, before declaring herself pharaoh. She justified her rule by proclaiming herself a divine daughter of the god Amun. This strategic move, supported by key officials, allowed her to overcome the gender bias of the time.

05:03

🌍 Trade and Diplomatic Successes under Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut decided to focus on trade and diplomacy instead of military conquest, unlike her male predecessors. One of her greatest achievements was the successful expedition to the Land of Punt, a mysterious region believed to be near the Horn of Africa or the southern Red Sea. This mission brought back riches, including gold, ivory, and exotic animals, boosting Egypt’s wealth. Additionally, Hatshepsut pioneered the transplanting of foreign trees, a first in history. The increased prosperity from her trade ventures contributed to her widespread popularity and financial backing for her large-scale building projects.

🏛 Architectural Legacy of Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut’s reign is marked by ambitious architectural endeavors across Egypt. She commissioned hundreds of construction projects, including significant contributions to the Karnak Temple Complex. Notably, she erected twin obelisks of pink granite at the entrance, one of which remains the tallest surviving obelisk in Egypt. Another famous project, the 'Unfinished Obelisk', provides insights into Egyptian stoneworking techniques. However, her most impressive architectural accomplishment is the mortuary temple 'Djeser-Djeseru', which detailed her divine birth and celebrated her successful expeditions. This temple became an inspiration for future rulers’ monuments but was unmatched in grandeur.

🧩 The Mystery of Hatshepsut's Erased Legacy

Though Hatshepsut ruled for over 20 years, her legacy was later attacked. Thutmose III, her stepson, ordered her image and name to be removed from public records and monuments 20 years after her death. While some suggest resentment or fear of a powerful female ruler, others propose that it was an effort to preserve Egypt’s patriarchal tradition or bolster the legitimacy of her step-grandson Amenhotep II, who was not related by blood. Despite attempts to erase her from history, Hatshepsut's accomplishments and influence on ancient Egypt's architecture, trade, and political structure survived through archaeological discoveries.

⚰ The Death and Burial of Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut’s cause of death is thought to be bone cancer, possibly worsened by carcinogenic ointments she applied to her skin. She died in 1458 BC at the age of 50, after a remarkable 20-year reign. Hatshepsut was buried in the Valley of the Kings, a prestigious burial site previously reserved for male pharaohs, marking her exceptional status. Over 60 New Kingdom pharaohs were eventually buried in this location. Through her brilliant political maneuvers and remarkable achievements, Hatshepsut earned her place among the greatest pharaohs in Egypt's history.

Keywords

💡New Kingdom period

The New Kingdom period marks the era in ancient Egypt from the 16th to the 11th century BC, during which Egypt reached the height of its power and wealth. This period began after Pharaoh Ahmose I expelled the Hyksos invaders. It is relevant in the video as the time when Hatshepsut ruled and contributed greatly to Egypt’s prosperity.

💡Pharaoh Hatshepsut

Pharaoh Hatshepsut was one of the few female rulers of ancient Egypt and is celebrated for her significant contributions to Egypt's wealth and architectural achievements. The video focuses on her reign, her rise to power, and how she defied gender norms to become one of the most successful pharaohs in Egyptian history.

💡Divine birth of Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut legitimized her rule by proclaiming herself as the daughter of Amun, the Egyptian god of air. She claimed that Amun had impregnated her mother through her father’s body. This divine birth narrative helped strengthen her claim to the throne, which was essential since her gender posed challenges in ruling.

💡Land of Punt

The Land of Punt was a mysterious and wealthy kingdom, believed to be located on the southern shores of the Red Sea or Horn of Africa. Hatshepsut sent an expedition to Punt, and its success brought great wealth to Egypt, including gold, ivory, and exotic animals. This expedition is a key example of Hatshepsut’s trade expansion.

💡Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut (Djeser-Djeseru)

Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, Djeser-Djeseru (Holy of Holies), is considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of ancient Egypt. Located in Deir el-Bahari, the temple's grandeur symbolized her reign and served as a monument to her divine birth and her expeditions. This building became a model for subsequent pharaohs’ temples.

💡Obelisks

Hatshepsut commissioned the construction of massive obelisks, including two grand ones at the entrance of the Karnak Temple. These pink granite obelisks were dedicated to the god Amun and symbolized her devotion to him. One of these obelisks remains the tallest surviving one in Egypt, showcasing her architectural legacy.

💡Thutmose III

Thutmose III was Hatshepsut’s stepson and heir to the throne. Though initially too young to rule, Hatshepsut acted as his regent before declaring herself pharaoh. After her death, Thutmose III sought to erase her legacy, though there is debate about the reasons behind this. His actions illustrate the complexities of her reign and subsequent erasure from history.

💡Erasure of Hatshepsut’s legacy

After Hatshepsut’s death, her images and inscriptions were systematically removed from public buildings, a process led by Thutmose III. The video suggests various theories, such as resentment, fear of women rulers inspiring others, or an effort to solidify the power of male successors, like Amenhotep II.

💡Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is a royal burial site located on the west bank of the Nile near Thebes. Hatshepsut was the second pharaoh buried there, following her father. It later became the resting place for over 60 pharaohs. The video highlights its importance as part of Hatshepsut’s legacy.

💡Frankincense

Frankincense is a resin used in religious ceremonies and as a cosmetic. Hatshepsut’s expedition to the Land of Punt brought back frankincense, and she is credited with being the first person to grind the charred resin and use it as eyeliner. This emphasizes her role in cultural and commercial innovations during her reign.

Highlights

Ancient Egypt entered its final golden age during the early 15th century BC, following the expulsion of the Hyksos invaders by Pharaoh Ahmose I.

Hatshepsut, Ahmose I's great-granddaughter, significantly expanded Egypt's trade routes and commissioned numerous architectural projects, elevating Egypt's prosperity.

Despite being a woman, Hatshepsut became one of Egypt's most successful pharaohs, leveraging her powerful bloodline and strategic propaganda to legitimize her rule.

Hatshepsut married her half-brother Thutmose II at the age of 12 to solidify his claim to the throne, later becoming regent for his young son Thutmose III.

Hatshepsut declared herself pharaoh after seven years as queen regent, claiming divine authority by proclaiming herself as the daughter of Amun, the Egyptian god of air.

She depicted herself as a male in public sculptures and carvings, including wearing a false beard to reinforce her claim to the throne.

Rather than leading Egypt's military in battle, Hatshepsut focused on expanding trade, most notably through a successful expedition to the mysterious Land of Punt.

The Punt expedition brought back valuable resources like gold, ivory, frankincense, and myrrh, significantly enriching Egypt's economy.

Hatshepsut is credited with being the first ruler in history to successfully transplant trees from foreign lands, an agricultural innovation.

She also introduced the use of ground-up charred frankincense as eyeliner, a cosmetic practice that became popular in ancient Egypt.

Hatshepsut commissioned many large-scale architectural projects, including the construction of twin pink granite obelisks at the Karnak Temple.

Her most famous architectural achievement is her mortuary temple, Djeser-Djeseru, also known as the 'Holy of Holies,' which set a new standard for future pharaohs' temples.

Thutmose III, her stepson, later attempted to erase Hatshepsut's legacy from history, possibly to reinforce male dominance or to strengthen the claim of his son, Amenhotep II.

Despite efforts to erase her, Hatshepsut's achievements were ultimately remembered, and her reign is considered one of the most prosperous periods in Egypt's history.

Hatshepsut is believed to have died of bone cancer at the age of 50, possibly exacerbated by the use of carcinogenic skin ointments.

Transcripts

During the early 15th century BC, ancient Egypt began its third and final golden age

after Pharaoh Ahmose the First, founder of the New Kingdom period, drove out the Hyksos invaders.

Ahmose’s great-granddaughter, Pharaoh Hatshepsut, contributed greatly to this age of prosperity

by expanding the empire’s trade routes and constructing one of ancient Egypt’s

greatest architectural wonders. Despite her gender, Hatshepsut

managed to become one of the most successful pharaohs in all of ancient Egyptian history.

Hatshepsut, whose name means “foremost of noble ladies,” was born in 1508 BC

to Pharaoh Thutmose the First and Queen Ahmose. Hatshepsut was raised in the royal courts of

Egypt, alongside her sister and two brothers, who all died early on in their lives.

After her father’s death, Hatshepsut’s half-brother,

Thutmose the Second inherited the throne. As a lesser son to his father, Thutmose

the Second needed a queen of 100% royal blood to legitimize his claim to the throne.

Hatshepsut, then 12 years old, was the ideal candidate, so she married her 15-year-old

half-brother and became the queen of Egypt. Thutmose the Second and Hatshepsut had only one

child together; a girl by the name of Neferure. With a lesser wife, he later had a boy

named Thutmose the Third, who became heir to the throne.

When Hatshepsut’s husband unexpectedly died at the age of 31 in 1479 BC, his son and heir was

only three years old, leaving Hatshepsut to act as Queen Regent to the boy-pharaoh

until he was old enough to rule. Being the daughter, sister,

wife and mother of pharaohs gave Hatshepsut an incredibly powerful claim to the throne.

After seven years of acting as Queen Regent, Hatshepsut decided to fully

leverage her compelling position by declaring herself pharaoh of Egypt.

Although the strength of her bloodline was without question, her gender was a critical issue.

To legitimize her position, Hatshepsut proclaimed that she was the daughter of Amun,

the Egyptian god of air, and that it was he who intended for her to rule Egypt.

She explained that Amun had possessed her father’s body on the night of her

conception and impregnated her mother. This was an extraordinarily risky move

but it ultimately paid off, aided by the support of high-ranking officials,

including a man named Senenmut, the overseer of royal works, who is also speculated to

have been Hatshepsut’s secret lover. In addition to her exemplary bloodline,

divine right and support from the aristocracy, Hatshepsut sought to further bolster her claim

through propaganda, by depicting herself with a male body and a

false beard in most sculptures and carvings. Although she had risen to the level of pharaoh, it

was still inconceivable for a woman to lead troops into battle, as her father and husband had done.

Instead, Hatshepsut decided to use the empire’s military to explore new avenues of trade.

She sent her forces on an expedition to the Land of Punt,

a somewhat legendary kingdom at the time, where no Egyptian had ventured for over 500 years.

Punt’s exact location remains a mystery, but it is generally believed to have been

located somewhere on the southern shores of the Red Sea or the Horn of Africa.

The venture was an overwhelming success, bringing great wealth and prosperity to the empire.

Egypt’s army returned with an abundance of riches, including gold, ivory, frankincense and myrrh.

Hatshepsut became the first ruler in history to successfully transplant trees from foreign lands.

This was accomplished by using baskets to protect the

roots of the trees on the journey back to Egypt. Hatshepsut is also credited with being the first

person in recorded history to grind up charred frankincense and use the resin as eyeliner.

Among other trophies brought back were exotic animals, such as apes, panthers and giraffes.

This remarkably fruitful expedition did wonders for the female

pharaoh’s popularity and reputation. The vast increase in commerce provided

financial support for another of Hatshepsut’s groundbreaking pursuits; architecture.

Hundreds of large-scale building projects were commissioned by Hatshepsut

all throughout Upper and Lower Egypt. Among these were grand monuments erected at the

Karnak Temple Complex, a popular construction site for many generations of pharaohs.

Hatshepsut built enormous twin obelisks made of pink granite at the temple’s entrance  

and dedicated them to the god Amun. One of these obelisks still stands, remaining

the tallest surviving obelisk in Egypt, while the other has since fallen and lies broken in two.

Hatshepsut ordered an even larger obelisk to be constructed, but the project was abandoned

after cracks began to form in the granite. Still attached to the bedrock on its bottom side,

the “Unfinished Obelisk” as it’s referred to, offers a rare glimpse into Egyptian

stone-working techniques - with chisel marks and ochre-colored lines still visible today.

The uncontested jewel of Hatshepsut’s many building projects is the mortuary temple

that she had built in her honor, known as “Djeser-Djeseru”, or “Holy of Holies”.

Sculptures within the mortuary temple tell the tale of the female pharaoh’s divine birth and her

lucrative expeditions to the exotic Land of Punt. The temple inspired subsequent pharaohs to build

their own extravagant buildings of worship, but none ever surpassed the grandeur of Hatshepsut’s.

Her step-son Thutmose the Third later ordered the eradication of

Hatshepsut from historical records. The reasons why her legacy was

partially obliterated are up for debate. Some Egyptologists believe that it was done

out of resentment towards the female pharaoh. However, there is no evidence to suggest this.

Hatshepsut did, after all, appoint Thutmose the Third as head of the empire’s army during

her reign and he made no effort to overthrow her in a military coup.

Additionally, it wasn’t until 20 years after her death that Hatshepsut’s image began to

disappear from public buildings. Some archaeologists theorize that

her successors were merely trying to relegate her role as ruler of Egypt.

Postulating that evidence of a successful female ruler might inspire other women to attempt to

rule, which would upset the patriarchal system that had long featured a dominant male leader.

The allowance of a female pharaoh might also have been regarded as an offense to Ma’at,

the Ancient Egyptian goddess of balance, order, and morality.

Alternatively, it may have been done in an attempt to strengthen her step-grandson Amenhotep the

Second’s claim to the throne, since he had no connection to Hatshepsut’s royal bloodline.

In any case, attempts to erase her memory from history were ultimately unsuccessful.

Egyptologists theorize that Hatshepsut accidentally poisoned

herself to death by regularly applying carcinogenic ointment to her skin.

A CT scan of her mummy revealed that she suffered from bone cancer during the final years of her

life and died in 1458 BC at the age of 50, after ruling Egypt for more than 20 years.

Hatshepsut was the second pharaoh, after her father, to ever be buried in the Valley

of the Kings, located on the west bank of the Nile River near the city of Thebes.

The Valley of the Kings would eventually contain the mummies of over 60 New Kingdom pharaohs

from Egypt’s 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. Through an impeccable bloodline and brilliant

strategy, Hatshepsut successfully rose to power, despite her gender,

and went on to become one of the greatest pharaohs in ancient Egyptian history!

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