The Woman Who Would Be King : Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt

Hatshepsut—the daughter of a general who usurped Egypts throne and a mother with ties to the previous dynasty—was born into a privileged position in the royal household, and she was expected to bear the sons who would legitimize the reign of her father’s family. Her failure to produce a male heir was ultimately the twist of fate that paved the way for her improbable rule as a cross-dressing king. At just over twenty, Hatshepsut ascended to the rank of pharaoh in an elaborate coronation ceremony that set the tone for her spectacular reign as co-regent with Thutmose III, the infant king whose mother Hatshepsut out-maneuvered for a seat on the throne. Hatshepsut was a master strategist, cloaking her political power plays in the veil of piety and sexual reinvention. Just as women today face obstacles from a society that equates authority with masculinity, Hatshepsut shrewdly operated the levers of power to emerge as Egypts second female pharaoh. Hatshepsut successfully negotiated a path from the royal nursery to the very pinnacle of authority, and her reign saw one of Ancient Egypt’s most prolific building periods. Scholars have long speculated as to why her monuments were destroyed within a few decades of her death, all but erasing evidence of her unprecedented rule. Constructing a rich narrative history using the artifacts that remain, noted Egyptologist Kara Cooney offers a remarkable interpretation of how Hatshepsut rapidly but methodically consolidated power—and why she fell from public favor just as quickly. The Woman Who Would Be King traces the unconventional life of an almost-forgotten pharaoh and explores our complicated reactions to women in power. A Portrait Of The Longest-reigning Woman Pharaoh In Ancient Egypt Draws On Surviving Artifacts To Consider Her Unprecedented Rise, Her Achievements And Why Most Of Her Monuments Were Destroyed After Her Death. Hatshepsut--the Daughter Of A General Who Usurped Egypt's Throne And A Mother With Ties To The Previous Dynasty--was Born Into A Privileged Position In The Royal Household, And She Was Expected To Bear The Sons Who Would Legitimize The Reign Of Her Father's Family. Her Failure To Produce A Male Heir Was Ultimately The Twist Of Fate That Paved The Way For Her Improbable Rule As A Cross-dressing King. At Just Over Twenty, Hatshepsut Ascended To The Rank Of Pharaoh In An Elaborate Coronation Ceremony That Set The Tone For Her Spectacular Reign As Co-regent With Thutmose Iii, The Infant King Whose Mother She Out-maneuvered For A Seat On The Throne. A Master Strategist, Hatshepsut Successfully Negotiated A Path From The Royal Nursery To The Very Pinnacle Of Authority, And Her Reign Saw One Of Ancient Egypt's Most Prolific Building Periods. Scholars Have Long Speculated As To Why Her Monuments Were Destroyed Within A Few Decades Of Her Death, All But Erasing Evidence Of Her Unprecedented Rule. Constructing A Rich Narrative History Using The Artifacts That Remain, Noted Egyptologist Kara Cooney Offers A Remarkable Interpretation Of How Hatshepsut Rapidly But Methodically Consolidated Power--and Why She Fell From Public Favor Just As Quickly. Cooney Traces The Unconventional Life Of An Almost-forgotten Pharaoh And Explores Our Complicated Reactions To Women In Power.--publisher Information. Divine Origins -- A Place Of Her Own -- King's Great Wife -- Regent For A Baby King -- The Climb Toward Kingship -- Keeping The Kingship -- The King Becomes A Man -- The Setting Sun -- The King Is Dead; Long Live The King -- Lost Legacy. Kara Cooney. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 279-289) And Index. An engrossing biography of the longest-reigning female pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and the story of her audacious rise to power in a mans world. Hatshepsut, the daughter of a general who took Egypt's throne without status as a kings son and a mother with ties to the previous dynasty, was born into a privileged position of the royal household. Married to her brother, she was expected to bear the sons who would legitimize the reign of her fathers family. Her failure to produce a male heir was ultimately the twist of fate that paved the way for her inconceivable rule as a cross-dressing king. At just twenty, Hatshepsut ascended to the rank of king in an elaborate coronation ceremony that set the tone for her spectacular twenty-two year reign as co-regent with Thutmose III, the infant king whose mother Hatshepsut out-maneuvered for a seat on the throne. Hatshepsut was a master strategist, cloaking her political power plays with the veil of piety and sexual expression. Just as women today face obstacles from a society that equates authority with masculinity, Hatshepsut had to shrewdly operate the levers of a patriarchal system to emerge as Egypt's second female pharaoh. Hatshepsut had successfully negotiated a path from the royal nursery to the very pinnacle of authority, and her reign saw one of Ancient Egypts most prolific building periods. Scholars have long speculated as to why her images were destroyed within a few decades of her death, all but erasing evidence of her rule. Constructing a rich narrative history using the artifacts that remain, noted Egyptologist Kara Cooney offers a remarkable interpretation of how Hatshepsut rapidly but methodically consolidated powerand why she fell from public favor just as quickly. The Woman Who Would Be King traces the unconventional life of an almost-forgotten pharaoh and explores our complicated reactions to women in power. An engrossing biography of the longest-reigning female pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and the story of her audacious rise to power. Hatshepsut--the daughter of a general who usurped Egypt's throne and a mother with ties to the previous dynasty--was born into a privileged position of the royal household, and she was expected to bear the sons who would legitimize the reign of her father's family. Her failure to produce a male heir was ultimately the twist of fate that paved the way for her improbable rule as a cross-dressing king. At just over twenty, Hatshepsut ascended to the rank of pharaoh in an elaborate coronation ceremony that set the tone for her spectacular reign as co-regent with Thutmose III, the infant king whose mother Hatshepsut out-maneuvered for a seat on the throne. Hatshepsut was a master strategist, cloaking her political power plays in the veil of piety and sexual reinvention. Just as women today face obstacles from a society that equates authority with masculinity, Hatshepsut shrewdly operated the levers of power to emerge as Egypt's second female pharaoh. Hatshepsut had successfully negotiated a path from the royal nursery to the very pinnacle of authority, and her reign saw one of Ancient Egypt's most prolific building periods. Scholars have long speculated as to why her monuments were destroyed within a few decades of her death, all but erasing evidence of her unprecedented rule. Constructing a rich narrative history using the artifacts that remain, noted Egyptologist Kara Cooney offers a remarkable interpretation of how Hatshepsut rapidly but methodically consolidated power--and why she fell from public favor just as quickly. The Woman Who Would Be King traces the unconventional life of an almost-forgotten pharaoh and explores our complicated reactions to women in power. From the Hardcover edition An engrossing biography of the longest-reigning female pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and the story of her audacious rise to power. Hatshepsut—the daughter of a general who usurped Egypt's throne—was expected to bear the sons who would legitimize the reign of her father’s family. Her failure to produce a male heir, however, paved the way for her improbable rule as a cross-dressing king. At just over twenty, Hatshepsut out-maneuvered the mother of Thutmose III, the infant king, for a seat on the throne, and ascended to the rank of pharaoh. Shrewdly operating the levers of power to emerge as Egypt's second female pharaoh, Hatshepsut was a master strategist, cloaking her political power plays in the veil of piety and sexual reinvention. She successfully negotiated a path from the royal nursery to the very pinnacle of authority, and her reign saw one of Ancient Egypt’s most prolific building periods. Constructing a rich narrative history using the artifacts that remain, noted Egyptologist Kara Cooney offers a remarkable interpretation of how Hatshepsut rapidly but methodically consolidated power—and why she fell from public favor just as quickly. The Woman Who Would Be King traces the unconventional life of an almost-forgotten pharaoh and explores our complicated reactions to women in power.