Assess the basis fo Hatshepsut's power and influence.
Ancient Egypt was considered a man’s world, and never did it occur that a woman took the Title of King, that is, until the time of Hatshepsut.
Through various political and systematic methods, Hatshepsut gradually rose to power, remaining a powerful ruler for 22 years until her death. Opposition to Hatshepsut’s rule was virtually non existent showing the support of the ancient Egyptians. The use of propaganda, including Hatshepsut’s stories of Divine Birth and the Coronation Inscription proved to serve as an advantage, as did the foreign policies which were implemented following the declaration of Hatshepsut as King of Egypt. Accordingly Hatshepsut rose to power, and her role changed from a Co-Regent, to that of a Pharaoh, making it the first time in Egyptian history that a woman completely owned the throne.
As a female Pharaoh, it was vitally important that Hatshepsut gained the support of the Egyptian people, which was wisely and 'insidiously' (1-Tyldesley) achieved through the use of propaganda. The effective forms of propaganda Hatshepsut initially implemented were The Divine Birth Story, like other Pharaohs had done, and the Coronation Inscription, created in order to legitimize Hatshepsut’s co-regent rule. Both the Divine Birth story and the Coronation Inscription, found on the north wall of the middle colonnade of her Deir Er Bahari mortuary temple, proved to be necessary as there was a clear discontinuity of male rulers.
The Divine Birth Story established Hatshesput as the daughter and heir of both Amun and Thutmose I, which is evident through the Inscription; "...After this, the majesty of the god did all that he desired with her.", where Amun assumed the form of Thutmose I in order to create Hatshepsut with the Great Wife, Ahmose. The story Hatshepsut created about her divinity proved to be necessary as it justified her claim to the throne. In order to support the role of Pharaoh, Hatshepsut was at times, shown in masculine clothing due to the lack of words for ‘feminine’ that meant Pharaoh. This is portrayed in the Colossal striding statue of Hatshepsut carved using red granite from her mortuary temple. The Divine Birth story influenced the people of Egypt as it legitimized the Pharaohs Throne, thus allowing Egyptian Society of the New Kingdom to support the Ruler.
The Coronation Inscription, on the other hand, gave details of Hatshepsut's status, which was conclusively her coronation. The inscription consisted of political statements portraying Hatshepsut's right to the throne, as her father chose her as heir. This is shown through Thutmose’s apparent statement "I have appointed [her]--;she is my successor...you will be united under her command." in the Inscription. The use of romanticised language, such as "you will be united under her command", "she will sit upon my wonderful seat", was deliberately used, portraying anticipation of an authoritative, dominant ruling by a female King.
The Coronation Inscription gave the Egyptian people reassurance of Hatshepsut's uncustomary acquisition of the Throne subsequently causing them to support her and her rule. This act showed Hatshepsut’s divinity and maintained the support of the Amun Priesthood. The significance of this lies in the emphasis of religion which was the fundamental basis of Egyptian life. Tyldesley states that "Hatshepsut's relationship with Amun was always extremely important to her... By promoting the cult of Amun, she was effectively reinforcing her own position and promoting herself". Thus, Hatshepsuts power was intially based on her use of propaganda at the Mortuary Temple through the implementation of the Divine Birth story and the Coronation Inscription.
One of Hathsepsut's greatest achievements was her expedition to Punt in Year Eight of her regency. The expedition to Punt was part of her foreign policy, which included both military campaigns, and trading expeditions. Hatshepsut had attempted to continue the traditional military policy of a 'warrior pharaoh' by conducting campaigns in Nubia and Syria-Palestine. Albeit, some of these campaigns were under the ruling of Thutmose III. Hatshepsut portrayed herelf in complete 'warrior pharaoh' regalia through statues and her Coronation Scene, where she is depicted wearing the blue war crown, Khepresh, on the Karnak Obelisks. However, today many historians, such as Wilson, believe 'her pride was in the internal development of Egypt and in commercial enterprise...' as opposed to 'the external expansion of Egypt and in military enterprise', which was Thutmose III's main interest, thus implying Hatshepsut's military activity to be limited. However, when describing her military achievements, Hatshepsut was fulfilling the traditional religious requirements of Kingship as the mlitary activities were linked to Amun in a number of ways. The king tradtionally gave Amun credit for victories, and claimed that Amun inspired mlitary campaigns. The use of Hatshepsut's conventional warrior King Images, language and inscriptions, re inforced the idea that she was a traditional and extremely successful King.
However, what is said to be one of her greatest achievements by many, is Hathsepsuts expedition to Punt, located in the Red-Sea, possibly near present-day Somalia. Pictures of ships, the village of which the people in Punt lived, Egypian Soldiers shown carrying incence trees back, as well as inscriptions to go along with these pictures, such as "Arriving at the goodly way into God's Land, journeying in peace to the land of Punt" are depicted on the North Wall of Hathsepsut's mortuary Temple at Deir El-Bahri. The main reason for the expedition was to trade with Punt for the exotic goods, particularly the Myrrh tree which was used as an incence in the temple, which Egypt did not have.
The Punt Expedition is seen to be of great importance because it provided economic, political and Religious benefits for Hatshepsut and the Priesthood of Amun. After the expedition to Punt, Hatshepsut was seen as a traditional Pharaoh, and a further successful Queen as her position was promoted, who provided for her people. The expedition to Punt also maintained the support of the Amun priesthood, which meant continued support by chief nobles and officials for the King.
The expedition to Punt is said to have taken place as a result of an oracle of Amun, as Brested states "the queen is the author of the expedition, which she undertakes in accordance with an oracle of Amon" (2---bookmarks). The Myrrh trees brought were planted in the garden at the Deir El-Bahri Temple, dedicated to Amun, as well as the exotic good, which were used for various religious pruposes, such as panther skins for proestly robes. These acts further promoted Hatshepsuts position as pahraoh as a further successful Queen, thus increasing the support gaine by the Egyptian Society.
Conclusively, the basis of Hatshepsut's success was evidently due to her initial forms of propaganda, including the divine birth story as well as the coronation inscription deliberately placed in th Deir El-Bahri Temple. As well as her forms of propaganda, Hatshepsut's foreign policy, where the Punt Exedition made a significance impact, as it not only sustained the power of the King, rather promoted her success, made a considerable contribution to Hatshepsut's success as the first female Pharaoh who completely owned the Throne.
Ancient Egypt was considered a man’s world, and never did it occur that a woman took the Title of King, that is, until the time of Hatshepsut.
Through various political and systematic methods, Hatshepsut gradually rose to power, remaining a powerful ruler for 22 years until her death. Opposition to Hatshepsut’s rule was virtually non existent showing the support of the ancient Egyptians. The use of propaganda, including Hatshepsut’s stories of Divine Birth and the Coronation Inscription proved to serve as an advantage, as did the foreign policies which were implemented following the declaration of Hatshepsut as King of Egypt. Accordingly Hatshepsut rose to power, and her role changed from a Co-Regent, to that of a Pharaoh, making it the first time in Egyptian history that a woman completely owned the throne.
As a female Pharaoh, it was vitally important that Hatshepsut gained the support of the Egyptian people, which was wisely and 'insidiously' (1-Tyldesley) achieved through the use of propaganda. The effective forms of propaganda Hatshepsut initially implemented were The Divine Birth Story, like other Pharaohs had done, and the Coronation Inscription, created in order to legitimize Hatshepsut’s co-regent rule. Both the Divine Birth story and the Coronation Inscription, found on the north wall of the middle colonnade of her Deir Er Bahari mortuary temple, proved to be necessary as there was a clear discontinuity of male rulers.
The Divine Birth Story established Hatshesput as the daughter and heir of both Amun and Thutmose I, which is evident through the Inscription; "...After this, the majesty of the god did all that he desired with her.", where Amun assumed the form of Thutmose I in order to create Hatshepsut with the Great Wife, Ahmose. The story Hatshepsut created about her divinity proved to be necessary as it justified her claim to the throne. In order to support the role of Pharaoh, Hatshepsut was at times, shown in masculine clothing due to the lack of words for ‘feminine’ that meant Pharaoh. This is portrayed in the Colossal striding statue of Hatshepsut carved using red granite from her mortuary temple. The Divine Birth story influenced the people of Egypt as it legitimized the Pharaohs Throne, thus allowing Egyptian Society of the New Kingdom to support the Ruler.
The Coronation Inscription, on the other hand, gave details of Hatshepsut's status, which was conclusively her coronation. The inscription consisted of political statements portraying Hatshepsut's right to the throne, as her father chose her as heir. This is shown through Thutmose’s apparent statement "I have appointed [her]--;she is my successor...you will be united under her command." in the Inscription. The use of romanticised language, such as "you will be united under her command", "she will sit upon my wonderful seat", was deliberately used, portraying anticipation of an authoritative, dominant ruling by a female King.
The Coronation Inscription gave the Egyptian people reassurance of Hatshepsut's uncustomary acquisition of the Throne subsequently causing them to support her and her rule. This act showed Hatshepsut’s divinity and maintained the support of the Amun Priesthood. The significance of this lies in the emphasis of religion which was the fundamental basis of Egyptian life. Tyldesley states that "Hatshepsut's relationship with Amun was always extremely important to her... By promoting the cult of Amun, she was effectively reinforcing her own position and promoting herself". Thus, Hatshepsuts power was intially based on her use of propaganda at the Mortuary Temple through the implementation of the Divine Birth story and the Coronation Inscription.
One of Hathsepsut's greatest achievements was her expedition to Punt in Year Eight of her regency. The expedition to Punt was part of her foreign policy, which included both military campaigns, and trading expeditions. Hatshepsut had attempted to continue the traditional military policy of a 'warrior pharaoh' by conducting campaigns in Nubia and Syria-Palestine. Albeit, some of these campaigns were under the ruling of Thutmose III. Hatshepsut portrayed herelf in complete 'warrior pharaoh' regalia through statues and her Coronation Scene, where she is depicted wearing the blue war crown, Khepresh, on the Karnak Obelisks. However, today many historians, such as Wilson, believe 'her pride was in the internal development of Egypt and in commercial enterprise...' as opposed to 'the external expansion of Egypt and in military enterprise', which was Thutmose III's main interest, thus implying Hatshepsut's military activity to be limited. However, when describing her military achievements, Hatshepsut was fulfilling the traditional religious requirements of Kingship as the mlitary activities were linked to Amun in a number of ways. The king tradtionally gave Amun credit for victories, and claimed that Amun inspired mlitary campaigns. The use of Hatshepsut's conventional warrior King Images, language and inscriptions, re inforced the idea that she was a traditional and extremely successful King.
However, what is said to be one of her greatest achievements by many, is Hathsepsuts expedition to Punt, located in the Red-Sea, possibly near present-day Somalia. Pictures of ships, the village of which the people in Punt lived, Egypian Soldiers shown carrying incence trees back, as well as inscriptions to go along with these pictures, such as "Arriving at the goodly way into God's Land, journeying in peace to the land of Punt" are depicted on the North Wall of Hathsepsut's mortuary Temple at Deir El-Bahri. The main reason for the expedition was to trade with Punt for the exotic goods, particularly the Myrrh tree which was used as an incence in the temple, which Egypt did not have.
The Punt Expedition is seen to be of great importance because it provided economic, political and Religious benefits for Hatshepsut and the Priesthood of Amun. After the expedition to Punt, Hatshepsut was seen as a traditional Pharaoh, and a further successful Queen as her position was promoted, who provided for her people. The expedition to Punt also maintained the support of the Amun priesthood, which meant continued support by chief nobles and officials for the King.
The expedition to Punt is said to have taken place as a result of an oracle of Amun, as Brested states "the queen is the author of the expedition, which she undertakes in accordance with an oracle of Amon" (2---bookmarks). The Myrrh trees brought were planted in the garden at the Deir El-Bahri Temple, dedicated to Amun, as well as the exotic good, which were used for various religious pruposes, such as panther skins for proestly robes. These acts further promoted Hatshepsuts position as pahraoh as a further successful Queen, thus increasing the support gaine by the Egyptian Society.
Conclusively, the basis of Hatshepsut's success was evidently due to her initial forms of propaganda, including the divine birth story as well as the coronation inscription deliberately placed in th Deir El-Bahri Temple. As well as her forms of propaganda, Hatshepsut's foreign policy, where the Punt Exedition made a significance impact, as it not only sustained the power of the King, rather promoted her success, made a considerable contribution to Hatshepsut's success as the first female Pharaoh who completely owned the Throne.
