Women in Ancient Egypt
In most ancient civilizations, women and men are not typically equal. In most civilizations women are bound to the house and are not influential in anything. Ancient Egypt was different and treated woman better and even allowed ladies to become pharaohs! Keep reading to find out more about this topic.
Female King?
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In 1479 B.C. King Hatshepsut rose to power. One catch....King Hatshepsut was a women. Now, before you try to figure out how this happened, let me give you a quick overview of King Hatshepsut's life. She was already royal when all of this confusion began to start. She was married to her half brother who was a pharaoh named Thutmose II. She had one child with him who she named Thutmose III.
Now that you know a bit of background, lets begin. King Hatshepsut rose to power, when her husband died. Typically, what happens when a king dies is that the queen takes over and waits for her son to come of age! King Hatshepsut was different. She ruled the ENTIRE time, when her son did come of age, she co-ruled with him, she was the dominant ruler.
Unlike most female rulers, Hatshepsut did not rule at the end of a dynasty. Most female pharaohs, including Cleopatra, came to power as a last attempt to keep a dynasty alive.
Hatshepsut was a powerful ruler too! " King Hatshepsut guided Egypt through 20 years of peace, prosperity, and artistic expression," says National Geographic. Her kingdom was known for creativity and artistic innovation.
About twenty years after her death ,her tomb was mysteriously damaged. Damages included smashed thrones and all of the spots where there was supposed to be Hatshepsut's name there was only scratches. Archaeologists believe that it might have been Thutmose III trying to cover his mother's very existence to ensure his sons future on the throne. But nobody knows if that is the real case, so we never really will be sure.
So, Ancient Egypt, let women become pharaohs but...is it fair around regular households?
Now that you know a bit of background, lets begin. King Hatshepsut rose to power, when her husband died. Typically, what happens when a king dies is that the queen takes over and waits for her son to come of age! King Hatshepsut was different. She ruled the ENTIRE time, when her son did come of age, she co-ruled with him, she was the dominant ruler.
Unlike most female rulers, Hatshepsut did not rule at the end of a dynasty. Most female pharaohs, including Cleopatra, came to power as a last attempt to keep a dynasty alive.
Hatshepsut was a powerful ruler too! " King Hatshepsut guided Egypt through 20 years of peace, prosperity, and artistic expression," says National Geographic. Her kingdom was known for creativity and artistic innovation.
About twenty years after her death ,her tomb was mysteriously damaged. Damages included smashed thrones and all of the spots where there was supposed to be Hatshepsut's name there was only scratches. Archaeologists believe that it might have been Thutmose III trying to cover his mother's very existence to ensure his sons future on the throne. But nobody knows if that is the real case, so we never really will be sure.
So, Ancient Egypt, let women become pharaohs but...is it fair around regular households?
Regular Women
In Ancient Egypt women were given the same economical and legal rights as men, which archaeologists have inferred due to art work which portrays this concept. Marriage and children were very important to happiness. In Egypt happiness is deeply valued, which was very beneficial for women since you can't have marriage or children without women, they were SUPER important.
Children were something to boast about in ancient Egypt. Also men were excepted more if they had many children. Women who had many children were admired by others and excepted by there husbands. Therefore women were a key role in being successful.
But of course, women were still bound to household chores. Men were advised to not even TOUCH the chores. So women had to do TONS of work.
Children were something to boast about in ancient Egypt. Also men were excepted more if they had many children. Women who had many children were admired by others and excepted by there husbands. Therefore women were a key role in being successful.
But of course, women were still bound to household chores. Men were advised to not even TOUCH the chores. So women had to do TONS of work.
In conclusion....
Women were treated relatively equal to men. Yes they were not EXCACTLY equal...but nobody's perfect! I believe that Egypt was better than lots of ancient civilizations and is kind of like today...I mean women are not bound to the labors of there house but for the most part women are treated equal like in Egypt.