I use this presentation to begin the topic of Hatshepsut - and it overviews some of the major themes,issues, debates and is centred on the syllabus points.

1. Introducing Hatshepsut

3. Different constructions of
Hatshepsut
The female pharaoh
The queen who would be
king
The wicked stepmother
From queen to king

4. Hatshepsut
Maatkare
Kings Daughter, Gods Wife of Amun, Kings Wife, Great
Royal Wife, Queen Regent, Pharaoh, The Female Horus

5. Who was she?
Daughter of Thutmose I, military general of
Amenhotep I and subsequent Pharaoh. His eldest
child, and for a while, only child.
Daughter of Ahmose, Great Royal Wife, Gods Wife
Half sister/ wife of Thutmose II- son of a lesser
queen
Mother of the Kings Daughter Neferure
Queen Regent for her step son /nephew
Thutmose III
Various titles: Kings Daughter, King's Wife, Gods
Wife of Amun, Great Royal Wife , Queen Regent,
Lord of the Two Lands, Pharaoh

6. Her early life
Grew up in a military family (army brat?) - dad a big time military general for Thutmose I
Upon dads accession, she became a princess in the royal palace at Thebes. She was his only child for a long
time, and thus only heir. (Politically significant)
As daughter of the Great Wife, she became Gods Wife of Amun. ( High Priestess) Religious significance.
When her half brother was born, to a lesser queen Mutnofret, it was logical and expected for them to marry- he
the rightful heir (as a male), and her the daughter of two royals and also the Gods Wife.
Hatshepsut later claimed in her propaganda -and thus the veracity of this is unknown- that before Thutmose
IIs birth,her father had presented her to the royal court as his heir, and took here on a royal procession to the
major temples (ie introduced her to significant places and people's across Egypt on a royal tour).
Thutmose II had a short reign of only a couple of years (disputed), before he died after a presumed sickness.
His son was a 'nestling falcon' and thus required a regent.
They had a daughter Neferure, but no son.
He had a son with a concubine from his harem, Isis - Thutmose III. As the only male child, he would be heir. One
could argue (as Hatshepsut may have done) that Thutmose III had only half a royal parent (Thutmose II) and a
non royal, concubine mother. In contrast, Hatshepsut was the daughter of two royals.

7. Her rise to prominence
Role of her family
background and status
Her own status and
position, titles
Her marriage to Thutmose
II-new status and roles
Death of Thutmose II whilst
Thutmose III was still a child

8. Her family
Below: Queen Ahmose, King Thutmose
I and young Hatty
Below: Hatshepsut as Queen /GWA
and her daughter Neferure Below: half brother and
husband Thutmose II
Above: her stepson and
nephew, Thutmose III

9. Thutmose I and
Ahmose

10. Thutmose II

11. Thutmose III

13. How she gained power
Thutmose II died after a short
reign of a couple of years, and
after a presumed sickness. He
was quite young at death-
unexpected?
Thutmose III was still a 'nestling
falcon' and thus required a
regent. It was customary for the
Great Royal Wife to act as
regent. In this case, his
stepmother Hatshepsut.

14. Claims to the throne
Divine Birth claim- rise of Amun cult
and establishes a precedent of royal
justification. Claimed the child of her
mother and Amun in the form of
Thutmose I
Deir el Bahri reliefs at Djeser
Djeseru- Thutmose III presents her to
his court as his successor (before
Thut2 born)
Coronation Reliefs - reliefs at Karnak
of Amun crowning her as Pharaoh.

16. Changing image

17. Military Overview
Traditional view: a pacifist with no
foreign policy who let the
expansionist work of her
predecessors falter. Eg Gardiner,
Wilson, Steindorff and Seele etc
Revised view in the 80s/90s -
Hatshepsut did have a military
policy, to secure Egypt, but
worked diplomatically (eg trade) to
secure borders. Egypt in a relative
state of stability and peace in her
reign. Eg Redford and Callender.

18. Building Program
Massive building program
Religious and political functions.
Religion and politics are
intertwined: theocracy!!
Temples, obelisks, pylons,
tombs, mortuary temples etc
Some of the most significant:
Djeser Djeseru, Speos
Artemidos, the Red Chapel,
additions to Karnak, her tomb.

20. Trade: Expedition
to Punt
One of the most famous
achievements of her reign-
considerable bragging rights- she
claimed no pharaoh had traded
with Punt for 500 years.
Established a precedent for
continued contact and trade with
punt
Punts location unknown, it is south
of Egypt and along the Red Sea -
most likely Ethiopia or Somalia.

22. Religious Developments
She claimed to reopen or rebuild all temples the
Hyksos had left in ruin
She did add to or build new temples and
shrines.
She made some extensive additions to Karnak.
Multiple deities were acknowledged in her reign.
Amun Ra was however, particularly glorified
and gained new heights of importance in her
reign- precedent.( eg bureaucracy, officials,
tax cuts, booty, new temples, state god, divine
birth etc)

23. Key officials
Gardiner stated adamantly that there
was no way a woman could attain the
throne without the support and continue
assistance of men.
Aside from the obvious Historiographical
issues and Gardiner's own gender bias,
he may have had a point.
Who were the officials who supported
Hatshepsut before her accession, and
during her reign?
Were there even any factions opposing
Hatshepsut??

24. Relationship with Thutmose III
Literally, she was his aunt, stepmother, regent and
then co-regent.
The nature of their relationship is subject to
continual interest, speculation and
Historiographical debate.
Did he like her? Did he hate her for 'stealing' his
crown?
Was there animosity or amiability?
Why did he destroy her monuments, image and
name? And why did he wait twenty years after her
'death' to do it?
Was Hatshepsut murdered? What happened to her?
Wicked Stepmother, Excellent ruler?, usurper?

25. Hmmmm. Historiographical issues anyone???

26. Assessing and Evaluating
Section III of Syllabus.
These points could form extended response questions
What was the impact and influence of her reign on Egypt?
What were the achievements and legacy of her reign for Egypt ?
An assessment of her reign; was she an effective ruler? To what
extent?
Analysis of various Historiographical issues, ancient and modern, of
Hatshepsut's constructed image and interpretation over time. (Her
own propaganda, to modern historians and film etc

27. How to use this topic...
Hatshepsut is our Personality topic, however she is also
one of the pharaonic in the NK Egypt period topic.
Thus in the NKE exam section, you may be able to
incorporate knowledge from this topic, eg for a
question on foreign policy, building program, Amun
cult, role of queens etc. you could even use her for a
question on NKE Warrior Pharaohs and imperialism - as
many candidates would neglect her role....
Sometimes there has even been a NKE essay question
on the reigns of both Hatshepsut and Thutmose III
Extension students can bring in their understanding of
Historiographical issues for this topic. Impress the
marker with consideration of Historiographical issues
conning the construction of Hatshepsutian history.
Especially in the Section III points!