Egyptian Pharaohs
Ancient Egyptian pharaohs were
considered to be both divine deities as
well as mortal rulers. Throughout the
30+ dynasties in ancient Egyptian
history, it is speculated that some 170
or more rulers reigned over the great
land of Egypt during a three thousand
year time span. The throne of Egypt
was primarily intended to be succeeded
from father to son, however in many
cases this line of kingship was
interrupted by murder, mayhem,
mysterious disappearances and
occasionally a female pharaoh.
the word pharaoh refers to the title of the ancient Egyptian kings. The title “pharaoh”
means the “great house” and refers to the royal palace.
Egyptian Pharaohs
Pharaohs were the god kings of
ancient Egypt who ruled between
3150 B.C. and 30 B.C. (when Rome
conquered Egypt). Each time a new
family took control of the throne, a
new kingdom began in the history of
this fascinating nation. While rulers
often intermarried with daughters,
granddaughters, sisters and brothers
to keep the throne within the family
the throne still managed to shift
hands multiple times; creating a
dynamic and complex pharonic
history.
Egyptian Pharaohs
Djoser (Zoser)
(2630 -2611 BCE)
3rd Dynasty
• Built the largest stone
funeral complex in the
world: the stepped
pyramid at Saqqara.
Egyptian Pharaohs
Khufu (Cheops)
(2551-2528 BCE)
4th Dynasty
• Ordered the construction of the
Great Pyramid of Giza
• The Great Pyramid of Giza would
be his mausoleum
• Khufu’s son (Khafre) and
grandson (Menkaure) built the
other pyramids at Giza
Egyptian Pharaohs
Ramesses II
(1279-1213)
19th Dynasty
• Multiplied the number
of colossal statues,
building the temples at
Abu Simbel & the
Ramesseum
• Founded the city of PiRamesses, his capital
Egyptian Pharaohs
Akhenaten
(1352 – 1336)
18th Dynasty
• Promoted the monotheistic
cult of Aten, installing his
capital at Tell el-Amarna, a key
site in the understanding of this
period
Egyptian Pharaohs
Nefertiti
(1338 – 1336)
18th Dynasty
• The great wife of Akhenaten,
whom he made coregent
• Her bust found at the site in
Amarna, is one of the most
famous.
Coregent (Co-regent): Joint ruler
Coregency (or co-principality): situation where a monarchical position (such as king, queen, emperor or empress), normally held by only a
single person, is held by two or more.
Egyptian Pharaohs
Thutmose I
(1504 -1492 BCE)
18th Dynasty
• Expanded the Kingdom from Upper
Nubia
• Waged war on the banks of the
Euphrates
• Founder of the Royal Theban
necropolis at the Valley of the Kings
Egyptian Pharaohs
Hatshepsut
(1473 – 1458 BCE)
18th Dynasty
• Heir to Thutmose I
• Most powerful female Pharaoh in
Egypt’s history
• Ordered the construction of the
Djeser-Djeseru temple, one of the
greatest architectural jewels of
Ancient Egypt
Egyptian Pharaohs
Thutmose III
(1479 – 1425 BCE)
18th Dynasty
• Known as “The Great”
• Oversaw the kingdom at its
greatest extension
• Reigned over kingdoms in the
Middle East & Eastern
Mediterranean
• Built the temple of Amun-Re at
Karnak
Egyptian Pharaohs
Tutankhamun
(1336 – 1327 BCE)
18th Dynasty
• Famously known as “King Tut”
• Son of Akhenaten
• He restored the cult of Amun
• The most famous Pharaoh as the
result of the intact discovery of
his hypogeum (underground
vault) in 1922 in the Valley of the
Kings
Egyptian Pharaohs
Amenhotep III
(1390 – 1352 BCE)
18th Dynasty
• His reign stands out as one of the
busiest construction periods in Ancient
Egypt
• The Colossi of Memnon are the remains
of an amazing temple built next to the
Nile