Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt: From Early Dynastic Times to the Death of Cleopatra (The Chronicles Series)

This new volume in the bestselling ‘Chronicle’ series is the first book to recount the full history of queenship in ancient Egypt, revealing the essential role played by women in the royal household. A highly readable and authoritative account, it is ideal for home, university or school reference. Front Cover Contents Preface Introduction:Royal Consort & Female Kings Family life Mistress of the house The royal family The queen consort The harem queens Female kings Studying the queens The First Queens : The Early Dynastic Period 3100-2650 BC Dynasty 1 Neithhotep The Great Tomb Benreib & Khenthap Herneith Meritneith The royal sons Sheshemetka, Semat & Serethor: Queens of The Late 1st Dynasty Dynasty 2 Nimaathap Queens of The Pyramid Age : The Old Kingdom 2650-2125 BC Dynasty 3 Hetephernebty Dynasty 4 Hetepheres I A chance discovery Henutsen & Meritetes Khentetka Hetepheres II Meresankh III Khamerernebty I, Persenet & Hekenuhedjet Khamerernebty II Bunefer Dynasty 5 Khentkawes I The Westcar Papyrus Neferethanebty Khentkawes II Reptynub, Meresankh IV, Nebet & Khenut: The Last Queens of The 5th Dynasty Dynasty 6 Iput I Khuit From 'Weret-Yamtes' To Nedjeftet: The Many Wives of Pepi I Ankhnespepi I Ankhnespepi II Neith To Ankhnespepi IV Nitocris Chaos & Rebirth : From the First Intermediate Period To The Second Intermediate Period Queens of the 11th Dynasty From Nefru II to Kemsit : The Women of Deir El-Bahari Imi Dynasty 12 Neferitatjenen NefruIII From Khnemetneferhedjet I to Khnemet Sithathoriunet, Mertseger & Khnemetneferhedjet II Aat & Hetepti Princess Ptahnefru Sobeknefru Sobeknefru's statuary Queens of the 13th & 14th Dynasties The Hyksos Queens The Theban Queens Tetisheri The Deir el-Bahari cache Ahhotep I & The Mysterious Ahhotep II Ahhotep's burial Queens of the Empire : The New Kingdom 1539-1069 BC Dynasty 18 Ahmose-Nefertari & Ahmose-Nebta Meritamun Mutnofret:First wife of Thutmose I Ahmose Hatshepsut Hatshepsut the consort Hatshepsut the king Divine birth Princess Neferure Senenmut Policy Building projects Deir el-Bahari The end of an era Erasing Hatshepsut From Sitiah to Maruta:The Wives of Thutmose III Three foreign wives Tia Nefertari, 'Iaret' & Mutemwia: The wives of Thutmose IV Tiy, Wife of Amenhotep III The royal parents-in-law Queen of Egypt Tiy the living goddess Tiy's children Sitamun and her sisters Tiy's final years Gilukhepa, Tadukhepa & Other Foreign Wives of Amenhotep III Nefertiti Images of Nefertiti A new religion Nefertiti's political role Nefertiti's children Kiya Meritaten Ankhesenamun A curious correspondence Tiy, Wife of Ay Mutnodjmet Dynasty 19 Sitre A divine birth Nefertari The temples of Abu Simbel Isetnofret I Bintanath I Meritamun Nebettawi Maathornefrure A second Hittite bride Isetnofret II Bintanath II Baketwernel I Takhat Tawosret Chancellor Bay King Tawosret A brief reign Dynasty 20 Tiy-Merenese Iset Ta-Hemdjert Queen Tiy & The Harem Plot The unthinkable crime The trial From Tentopet to Tentamun:The Wives of The Later Ramesside Kings Sexual Etiquette Weakened Royal Power : The Third Intermediate Period 1069-657 BC, The Late Period 664-332 BC From Nodjmet to Isetemkheb III: The Women of The Theban Court The Burial of Maatkare Tentamun, Mutnodjmet & Wiay: Queens of The 21st Dynasty at Tanis The Queens of The Late 21st Dynasty From Karomama I to Djedbastiusankh: The 22nd (Libyan) Dynasty The 23rd & 24th Dynasties From Tabiry to Piankharty: The 25th (Nubian) Dynasty The God's Wives of Amun The 26th (Saite) Dynasty The Persian Queens of Egypt (27th & 31st Dynasties) The Last Native Kings (28th - 30th Dynasties) The Last Queens of Egypt : The Macedonian and Ptolemaic Periods 332-30 BC The Macedonian Queens of Egypt The Obscure Wives of Ptolemy I Queens of The Ptolemaic Dynasty Arsinoe I & II Berenice II Arsinoe III Cleopatra I Cleopatra II Cleopatra III Cleopatra IV & Cleopatra Selene Berenice III Cleopatra V Berenice IV Cleopatra VII Julius Caesar What Did Cleopatra Look Like ? Cleopatra as Isis Mark Antony Cleopatra's children Cleopatra Through The Ages Chronology & Royal Couples List Notes Select Bibliography & Acknowledgments Illustration Credits Index The definitive book that recounts the full history of the colorful queens of Egypt. This fascinating saga spans 3,000 years of Egyptian queenship from Early Dynastic times until the suicide of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Starting with the unique role enjoyed by Egypt's women in the ancient world, the book goes on to present a biographical portrait of every queen, supplemented by a wealth of pictorial detail, datafiles, genealogical trees, timelines, and special featuresfrom Childbirth to Wigshighlighting different aspects of Egyptian culture. The queen of Egypt was, first and foremost, a supportive wife and mother, but in times of dynastic crisis she was expected to act as her husband's deputy. The queen might be required to marshal troops, or to rule on behalf of an infant son. She might even be called upon to rule in her own right in the absence of a suitable king. The female pharaohs Hatshepsut and Tawosret, the sun queens Tiy and Nefertiti, the seductive Nefertari and many of Egypt's queens have left an indelible mark on their country's history. And what of Egypt's lesser queens, the numerous wives and daughters maintained in pampered seclusion in the harem palaces? These women are generally forgotten, their graves lost in the desert sands. But the anonymous ladies occasionally stepped from the security of the harem to influence the royal succession, and their stories too are told. 273 illustrations, 150 in color

This fascinating saga spans 3,000 years of Egyptian queenship from Early Dynastic times until the suicide of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Starting with the unique role enjoyed by Egypt's women in the ancient world, the book goes on to present a biographical portrait of every queen, supplemented by a wealth of pictorial detail, datafiles, genealogical trees, timelines, and special features—from Childbirth to Wigs—highlighting different aspects of Egyptian culture.

The queen of Egypt was, first and foremost, a supportive wife and mother, but in times of dynastic crisis she was expected to act as her husband's deputy. The queen might be required to marshal troops, or to rule on behalf of an infant son. She might even be called upon to rule in her own right in the absence of a suitable king. The female pharaohs Hatshepsut and Tawosret, the sun queens Tiy and Nefertiti, the seductive Nefertari and Cleopatra: many of Egypt's queens have left an indelible mark on their country's history.

And what of Egypt's lesser queens, the numerous wives and daughters maintained in pampered seclusion in the harem palaces? These women are generally forgotten, their graves lost in the desert sands. But the anonymous ladies occasionally stepped from the security of the harem to influence the royal succession, and their stories too are told.

An illustrated study of the queens of ancient Egypt ranges from the early dynastic period to the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC, offering a biographical portrait of each queen, along with information on the era in which she lived and her influence on Egyptian history