Queens in New Kingdom Period

1. Queens in New Kingdom Period

2. Three Queens • Tetisheri • Ahhotep • Ahmose-Nefertari

3. Contributions and impact • Each queen had a significant influence on the New Kingdom period, these include: • Military • Political/ Administrative • Religious

4. Queens and their political/ administration impact • Being politically involved in the running of Egypt and with military endeavours was an important contribution as it led to an increase of power for queens and females. • An inscription in Edfu records that the queens were responsible for distributing land and appointing officials- impacted the roles and importance of queens. • Handled economic aspects of Egypt that were previously only done by mean- this reflected the impact these queens had on the social hierarchy in Egypt.

5. Tetisheri - Family • Tetisheri was the wife of Pharaoh Sanakhtenre Tao I of the Seventeenth Dynasty in Thebes. She is often credited as the "mother of the New Kingdom" because of her powerful influence on her son Seqenenre Tao II and her grandsons, Kamose and Ahmose who fought to expel the Hyksos from Egypt and lead the country into a new age of wealth and prosperity. She is also thought to have been the mother of Queen Ahhotep, the wife of Sequenenre Tao II. • Tetisheri was not of royal blood, but her husband went against tradition and made her his "Great Wife". In addition to the many titles and privileges given to her by her husband, she became the first queen to wear the vulture headdress of Nekhbet. This crown became an icon which soon became closely linked to the power of the "Great Wife" as a complement to the power of the Pharaoh.

6. Tetisheri and political impact • Hayes describes Tetisheri’spolitical influenceas being the founder, ‘on both male and female sides, of the conquering royal line' • established the precedent for powerful females. • played a vital role in the establishment of the new dynasty. • She became the first queen to wear the Vulture Crown  integral to a Pharaohs power. • she assisted her husband, her son and her grandson in their reigns. • Her impact on the running of Egypt is reflected through monuments erected in her honour such as a chapel at Abydos.

7. Ahhotep family • Queen Ahotep I was the daughter of Queen Tetisheri, the wife of her brother Seqenenre Tao 11, and the the mother of Kamose, Ahmose 1 and Queen Ahmose Nerfertari. She is also thought to have been the mother of the princes Ahmose Sipair and Binpu and the princesses Ahmose-Henutemipet, Ahmose-Nebetta, Ahmose-Meritamun and Ahmose-Tumerisy. When he was killed fighting the Hyksos, Ahotep rallied the troops and maintained the pressure on the invaders until her son Kamose was old enough to lead the army.

8. Ahhotep and political impact • Ahhotep had a major political impact on Egypt during the unsettled years of Hyksos supremacy. • Her political contribution reflected on Ahmose’s Karnak stela  she may have suppressed a rebellion in Upper Egypt during the Hyksos war. • This kept Egypt unified; however she made more significant contributions through military endeavours

9. Ahmose-Nerfertari Family • She was the spouse of Ahmose, son of Queen Ahhotep, and it´s thought that she was his sister or halfsister. Ahmose Nefertari was never a regent per sé, but through her, we get some knowledge about the new political role of women in the early 18th Dynasty. As an example, she was the first one to carry the title of God's Wife of Amun. This title was bestowed on her by Ahmose and the event is recorded on a stele in the temple of Amun at Karnak. The stele also tells that there was an endowment of goods and land together with the office, which would stay with her and her heirs for all eternity.

10. Ahmose-Nefertari and political impact • Ahmose-Nefertari’s significant political role is shown in her various depictions that demonstrate the level of importance she played to the period. • Her impact is reflected through a description in Karnak drawn with Ahmose presenting bread to Amun-Re and drawn in the same scale as the pharaoh and the king of the gods. • She also held the office of Second Prophet of Amun responsible for all temples, estates, workshops, treasuries and administration staff.

11. Impact on military • Whale believes ‘a queen's numerous accolades denoted unprecedented reverence and influence. As queen regnants, Tetisheri and Ahhotep ruled on behalf of the nestling falcon'. • This statement reflects how the queens became heavily involved in military movements through being regent and how this role led to them becoming influential and impacting Egypt during this time.

12. Ahhotep and contribution to the military • Was an advisor for Kamose and Ahmose • When her husband was killed fighting the Hyksos, Ahotep rallied the troops and maintained the pressure on the invaders until her son Kamose was old enough to lead the army. A stele in Karnak temple records her service to the nation. • When her second son Ahmose succeeded in expelling the Hyksos, he led his army to Nubia to regain lost territories. While he was gone, a group of Hyksos sympathisers tried to steal the throne. Ahhotep foiled this attempt, and was awarded the "golden flies of valour" by her son. He also gave her a cache of beautiful jewellery and ornamental weaponry which was found in a tomb at Dra Abu el-Naga near the Valley of the Kings. Her original tomb has not been discovered • Impacted how queens were involved with military, which was previously only done by males.

13. Tetisheri and contribution to the military • When her son Seqenenre Tao II rebelled against the Hyksos rulers of Avaris, she spearheaded the recruitment of troops. When her son was killed in action, she supported both Kamose and Ahmose as they continued to fight. She was apparently a valued advisor and confidant for all three kings. • The only evidence of Tetisheri’s reign is a fragment of papyrus and a monumental stela from Abydos dedicated in her name. • Most conclusions drawn by scholars are derived from the little information in these sources; however neither make any reference to military endeavors.

14. Ahmose-Nefertari and contribution to the military • Ahmose-Nefartari was recognized as a formidable warrior. • This might have been because she was loyal to her husband and supported his attitude towards maintaining Egypt’s peace and military dominance. • Her burial with special honors reflect her accomplishments in war.

15. Religious Contributions • These increasing responsibilities reflect how the queens were no longer merely deputies for the reigning pharaoh during his absences and people now relied heavily upon their consul. Their impact was often reflected by prestigious religious titles.

16. Ahmose Nefertari and religious contributions • Ahmose-Nefartari played a vital religious role in the period. • This significant role is evident through the Votive Stella and numerous tomb inscriptions. • The Votive Stella, as well as her titles of Mistress of the Sky', ‘Lady of the West’ and ‘God’s wife of Amun’, reinforces the prominent religious position she held in the period. • Also demonstrates her symbolic relationship with the gods and the divine union she had with her husband. • Her contributions are also evident as she was buried in her son's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and honoured in his mortuary temple

17. Ahhotep and religious contributions • Ahhotep focused on the religious aspect of Egypt. • Images depict her performing a range of public religious duties including public processionals with the priests of Amun. • These images represent how she involved herself in the religious activities and portray her loyalty to Amun and other deities. • The fact she was the first living person to be crowned ‘Gods Wife of Amun’ reflects her significant contributions and impact of Egypt during that time.

18. Tetisheri and religious contributions • No written evidence of Tetisheri’s religious contributions • However there is a limestone stela at Abydos that portrays ‘Ahmose dedicating offerings to Tetisheri, who is depicted with a vulture headdress, holding the floral spectre of a queen.’ • This suggests Tetisheri did indeed impact the religious side Egypt.

19. How were the queens contributions and impact on Egypt acknowledged? • Featured in inscriptions and reliefs • Queens were becoming more important and were being acknowledged for their impact on the running of Egypt.

20. Overall contributions and impact • All three queens made a significant impact on how females were treated during the New Kingdom period. • Their contributions included military endeavours, political, administrative and religious roles- which were previously done by males. • Their strong sense of leadership led to them becoming influential within Egypt and important advisors to their husbands and sons.