The Top 5 Most Famous Queens E-Book

Charles River Editors

• Herausgeber: Charles River Editors
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 260

Beschreibung

The Top 5 Most Famous Queens: Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great, and Queen Victoria is a great collection of biographies of these famous monarchs.

Leseprobe

The Top 5 Most Famous Queens: Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great, and Queen Victoria

By Charles River Editors

About Charles River Editors

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Introduction

The famous bust of Nefertiti

Nefertiti (circa 1370-1330 B.C.)

In the early 20th century, over 3,000 years after her death, Nefertiti became a household name across the world and one of the most famous women of the ancient world. Egyptologists were aware that she was a queen of the New Kingdom Egypt during the later portion of the 18th dynasty, but she was little known until the presentation of a reconstructed bust depicting her at the Berlin Museum in 1924. Nefertiti means “the beautiful one has come”, and if the presented bust is anything to judge by she, was indeed a beautiful woman.

The bust of Nefertiti caused an enormous sensation following the glamorous discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 by Howard Carter. The bust was the work of the ancient royal sculptor Thutmose and was first discovered by German archaeologists in a fragmented state in the remains of Thutmose’s workshop at the ancient city of Akhetaten, known today as Tell el-Amarna. With the discovery and display of the bust, the once little known queen Nefertiti became eponymous with Ancient Egypt, alongside that of the Great Pyramids at Giza and the Golden Funerary Mask of the young Tutankhamen. And thanks to that bust, Nefertiti’s image has become immortalized and may be found in replica busts, earrings, necklaces, paintings and seemingly every other artificat that can be found at an Egyptian vendors shop.

But what about the actual woman represented by that bust? As it turned out, far from being an inconsequential queen, Nefertiti may have been an important wife of Akhenaten, whose reign marked the first time Egyptians practiced monotheistic beliefs by worshipping one god, the sun-disc Aten. Ironically, Akhenaten’s revolutionary and influential reign has long been obscured by one of his wives and one of his sons, Tutankhamen.

Despite the artifacts found and the fascination with Nefertiti and Tutankhamen, there is still plenty of uncertainty and mystery surrounding the Egyptian queen. What life did such a hauntingly beautiful woman live? Where was she from? Did a queen sometimes labeled “Lordess of the Two Lands” in ancient artifacts rule Egypt, and if so, when and why? How did she die? Despite her recent fame she is still a relatively enigmatic historical figure, with fragments of her life still being pieced together by historians over the last century.

The Top 5 Most Famous Queens looks at the known and unknown about the Ancient Egyptian queen and attempts to separate fact from fiction to analyze her life and reign. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Nefertiti like you never have before.

Depiction of Cleopatra and Caesarion

Cleopatra  (69-30 B.C.)

“Her beauty, as we are told, was in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who saw her; but converse with her had an irresistible charm, and her presence, combined with the persuasiveness of her discourse and the character which was somehow diffused about her behaviour towards others, had something stimulating about it. There was sweetness also in the tones of her voice; and her tongue, like an instrument of many strings, she could readily turn to whatever language she pleased…” – Plutarch

During one of the most turbulent periods in the history of Rome, men like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian participated in two civil wars that would spell the end of the Roman Republic and determine who would become the Roman emperor. In the middle of it all was history’s most famous woman, the Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra (69-30 B.C.), who famously seduced both Caesar and Antony and thereby positioned herself as one of the most influential people in a world of powerful men.

Cleopatra was a legendary figure even to contemporary Romans and the ancient world, as Plutarch’s quote suggests, and she was a controversial figure who was equally reviled and praised through the years, depicted as a benevolent ruler and an evil seductress, sometimes at the same time. Over 2,000 years after her death, everything about Cleopatra continues to fascinate people around the world, from her lineage as a Ptolemaic pharaoh, her physical features, the manner in which she seduced Caesar, her departure during the Battle of Actium, and her famous suicide. And despite being one of the most famous figures in history, there is still much mystery surrounding her, leading historians and archaeologists scouring Alexandria, Egypt for clues about her life and the whereabouts of her royal palace and tomb.

The Top 5 Most Famous Queens chronicles the amazing life of Egypt’s most famous pharaoh, explores some of the mysteries and myths surrounding her, and analyzes her legacy, which has only grown larger over 2,000 years and promises to last many more. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Cleopatra like you never have before.

Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)

“Video et taceo.” ("I see, and say nothing") – Queen Elizabeth I

When Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952, many commentators heralded the beginning of her reign as the second Elizabethan age. The first one, of course, concerned the reign of Henry VIII’s second surviving daughter and middle surviving child, Queen Elizabeth I, one of England’s most famous and influential rulers. It was an age when the arts, commerce and trade flourished. It was the epoch of gallantry and great, enduring literature. It was also an age of wars and military conflicts in which men were the primary drivers and women often were pawns.

Elizabeth I changed the rules of the game and indeed she herself was changed by the game. She was a female monarch of England, a kingdom that had unceremoniously broken with the Catholic Church, and the Vatican and the rest of Christendom was baying for her blood. She had had commercial and militaristic enemies galore. In the end, she helped change the entire structure of female leadership.

Elizabeth was the last Tudor sovereign, the daughter of the cruel and magnificent King Henry VIII and a granddaughter of the Tudor House’s founder, the shrewd Henry VII. Elizabeth, hailed as “Good Queen Bess,” “Gloriana” and “The Virgin Queen” to this day in the public firmament, would improve upon Henry VIII’s successes and mitigate his failures, and despite her own failings would turn out to “have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too”. Indeed, that was the phrase she would utter in describing herself while exhorting her troops to fight for England against the Spanish Armada).

Elizabeth often has been featured in biographies that were more like hagiographies, glossing over her fits of temper, impatience and other frailties. It is fair to say, however, that she had also inherited her grandfather’s political acumen and her father’s magnificence, thus creating not just one of the most colourful courts in Europe but also one of the most effective governments in English history. It was an age of Christopher Marlowe’s and William Shakespeare’s flourishing creativity that still enhances English as well as comparative literature. Elizabeth was also patroness of Sir Francis Drake, the pirate, thereby promoting English settlement of foreign colonies. The Jamestown Settlement in Virginia would come in 1607, four years after Elizabeth’s passing, and the Plymouth colony in Massachusetts would come in 1620.

Elizabeth had also fought for her life time and time again in an era that was already unsafe for female leaders and she probably had remembered the searing feeling of realizing that her mother Queen Anne (Anne Boleyn) had been executed by her father arguably on a trumped-up charge. Danger was pervasive; strategy was needed not just to thrive but just to survive.

The Top 5 Most Famous Queens chronicles the life and reign of England’s most famous queen, but it also humanizes the woman who ruled one of the world’s most powerful kingdoms in an age dominated by men. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in her life, you will learn about Elizabeth I like you never have before.

Catherine the Great (1729-1796)

“This princess seems to combine every kind of ambition in her person. Everything that may add luster to her reign will have some attraction for her. Science and the arts will be encouraged to flourish in the empire, projects useful for the domestic economy will be undertaken. She will endeavor to reform the administration of justice and to invigorate the laws; but her policies will be based on Machiavellianism; and I should not be surprised if in this field she rivals the king of Prussia. She will adopt the prejudices of her entourage regarding the superiority of her power and will endeavor to win respect not by the sincerity and probity of her actions but also by an ostentatious display of her strength. Haughty as she is, she will stubbornly pursue her undertakings and will rarely retrace a false step. Cunning and falsity appear to be vices in her character; woe to him who puts too much trust in her. Love affairs may become a stumbling block to her ambition and prove fatal for her peace of mind. This passionate princess, still held in check by the fear and consciousness of internal troubles, will know no restraint once she believes herself firmly established.” - Baron de Breteuil

As one of the most famous women rulers in history, Russian Empress Catherine the Great has long been remembered not only as one of the most powerful women of her time, but she was also one of the most powerful and capable rulers in all of Europe. And her path to the throne was just as remarkable as her reign.

In a story that sounds like it could have been a precursor to Cinderella, Catherine the Great was born into a family of minor nobility, but she managed to forge her own destiny through her own cunning use of diplomacy and intrigue, gradually gaining allies and power. By 1762, she confident enough to conspire against her own husband, Peter III, whose reign as Tsar lasted just six months before his arrest at the hands of his wife. Upon his arrest and death, Catherine took power as the regent for their son, Grand Duke Paul.

Despite the strong-arm tactics, Catherine came to power in the midst of the Enlightenment, which was flourishing in France and Britain, and she would rule as an Enlightened ruler. A known correspondent of Voltaire’s, Catherine sought to modernize Russia and turn it into a force in its own right, creating a rich and cultured court at the same time. Over the course of nearly 35 years in power, Catherine ushered in the Russian Enlightenment and presided over a period of time known as the Golden Age of the Russian Empire.

Given her length of reign, forceful character, and lasting legacy, it was inevitable that legends about Catherine the Great would also pop up in the wake of her death. To an extent, certain legends have overshadowed her actual accomplishments, even as they continue to be circulated. The Top 5 Most Famous Queens addresses the controversial legends about Catherine and her reign, but it also explores how a woman became one of the most powerful rulers in a country and continent dominated by men. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Catherine the Great like you never have before.

Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

“Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfil my duty towards my country; I am very young and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have.” – Queen Victoria, 1837

England has had no shortage of influential monarchs, but only Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria had their nation’s age literally named after them. Both the Elizabethan era and Victorian era have come to symbolize a golden age of peace and progress in every aspect of British life, with the long reigns of both queens also providing stability.

Of course, there was a critical difference between those two queens: Elizabeth I still wielded great power in the 16th century, whereas Victoria was a constitutional monarch with limited power over the workings of the British government. But in a way, that made Victoria even more unique, as she still proved able to mold the cultural identity of a nearly 65 year long epoch. Furthermore, Victoria established some of the ceremonial customs of the British monarch and became both the forerunner and role model of subsequent queens, a legacy that continues to endure with her great-great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

Though Britain’s longest reigning monarch is now mostly associated with conservative values (particularly strict morality and traditional social and gender roles), Victoria and her era oversaw the cultural and technological progress of Britain and the West in general, architectural revivals, and the expansion of imperialism. While some of these developments have been perceived negatively over a century later, Britons of the 19th century and early 20th century often viewed the Victorian Era as the height of their nation’s power and influence.     

The Top 5 Most Famous Queens chronicles the life and reign of Queen Victoria, while examining the enduring legacy of the era in British history named after her. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in her life, you will learn about Queen Victoria like you never have before.

Nefertiti

Chapter 1: The 18th Dynasty

The 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt was a time of prosperity, growth, and military dominance, and Egyptologists have settled on the dates 1550-1292 B.C. as being the era of that dynasty. Thanks in no small part to Nefertiti herself, she lived during the 18th dynasty’s most famous epoch as queen alongside Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten from circa 1352-1336 B.C. Akhenaten’s reign ended only 41 years before the end of the nearly 260 year long dynasty, and Nefertiti herself may have numbered among the 13-15 rulers of the 18th Dynasty after Akhenaten’s reign.  The 18th Dynasty heralded the New Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt’s history.

Egyptologists refer to this period as the New Kingdom because the reigns of these rulers completely transformed the kingdom’s borders and culture. The Egyptian kingdom’s boundaries were stretched further than they had ever been before, and at the time same time Egyptian society flourished, with literature, architecture, art and wealth all reaching new heights. Amenhotep I, Thutmose III, Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great and Sety I were some of the most powerful, influential, and controversial rulers Egypt ever had, and all of them reigned during the New Kingdom, most from the 18th dynasty. The list of 18th dynasty rulers was as follows:

Ahmose (1550-1525)

Amenhotep I (1525-1504)

Thutmose I (1504-1492)

Thutmose II (1492-1479)

Thutmose III (1479-1425)

Hatshepsut (1473-1458)

Amenhotep II (1427-1400)

Thutmose IV (1400-1390)

Amenhotep III (1390-1352)

Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten (1352-1336)

Smenkhare (?)

Neferneferuaten (who some scholars believe was Nefertiti) (?)

Tutankhamen (1336-1327)

Ay (1327-1323)

Horemheb (1323-1295)

The 18th dynasty began with a man named Ahomse. Previous to the New Kingdom, Egypt was in an intermediate period, during which the country was not unified by a single ruler. It began with internal strife and decline, but it coalesced into a single entity following the invasion of the Hyksos, who ruled Egypt during the 15th, 16th, and 17th dynasties. The following is an excerpt from Manetho’s Aegyptiaca describing the invasion and rule of the Hyksos.

“…for what cause I know not, a blast of God smote us; and unexpectedly, from the regions of the East, invaders of obscure race marched in confidence of victory against our land. By main force they easily overpowered the rulers of the land, they then burned our cities ruthlessly, razed to the ground the temples of the gods, and treated all the natives with a cruel hostility, massacring some and leading into slavery the wives and children of others. Finally, they appointed as king one of their number whose name was Salitis. He had his seat at Memphis, levying tribute from Upper and Lower Egypt, and leaving garrisons behind in the most advantageous positions. Above all, he fortified the district to the east, foreseeing that the Assyrians, as they grew stronger, would one day covet and attack his kingdom.”

The Hyksos mostly controlled the northern regions of the country, using the city of Avaris as their political center, but they also retained a strong influence over the southern regions of Egypt through taxation of the ruling Theban princes. Despite what the ancient historian Manetho would have us believe, the Hyksos were not tyrannical rulers. However, during the 17th dynasty they began to appoint more and more foreign administrators, which caused unrest amongst the people.  Additionally, they may have begun to impose higher taxes.Whatever the ultimate causes, there was conflict between the Theban princes and the Hyksos. Ahmose was the last of three 17th dynasty rulers, Tao and Kamose being his predecessors, and he was responsible for freeing the Egyptian peoples form the yoke of the Hyksos. He spent his life fighting them, and it was not until the end of his reign that he succeeded in re-unifying Egypt. With the reunification, Egypt heralded in a new dynasty, and a New Kingdom. Egypt had changed from being a brilliant but insular nation, to one with a strong standing army that was ready to expand and defend Egypt’s borders. Egypt found itself interacting on a much larger diplomatic and foreign scale than it ever had before.

Statue of Ahmose I

Egypt during the 18th Dynasty saw its capital being centralized in Thebes (modern day Luxor), with major cities and military bases spread throughout the North in the Delta region. The god Amen gained great prominence and acquired new roles as a god of fertility and warfare, and he was soon tied in with the sun god Ra, forming the god Amen-Ra. The early rulers of the dynasty were focused strongly upon their military prowess, and they succeeded in expanding Egypt’s borders in the north into the Levant, including parts of modern Syria and Israel. In the south, they pressed their interests and control over the Nubians, located in southern Egypt and northern Sudan. They were the makers of Egypt’s first empire. The legendary military prowess of Thutmose I was only surpassed by that of his grandson Thutmose III, who undertook 14 campaigns in the Levant in order to subdue it. Egypt would not see its expansion surpassed until the Rameside period.

Social and cultural changes were also brought about during the New Kingdom.  A new burial site was chosen for its rulers, across the banks from Thebes; first in the area around Dra Abu el-Naga, which was used by 17th dynasty princes, and then later in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb-workers’ village of Deir el-Bahri is thought to have been founded by Amenhotep I, the second ruler of the 18th dynasty, and his mother Ahmose-Nefertari.  Art and literature flourished under the reign of Queen Hatshepsut, who was arguably Egypt’s most powerful and influential female ruler.  She began her reign ostensibly as the regent of Thutmoses III, but she quickly took on kingly titles and ruled in her own right for many years until Thutmoses III decided to take control.

Not long after the reign of Thutmose III, Egypt’s borders ceased expansion and focused on consolidation during the reign of Amenhotep III. Amenhotep III brought control to the region through diplomacy rather than through arms, and it is believed that Nefertiti was born during his rule. If so, it means Nefertiti lived her early life during his reign, and it was upon his death that she became Egypt’s queen as the Great Wife of one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous rulers, Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten, Egypt’s so called ‘heretic’ king.

Chapter 2: Akhenaten

Statue of Akhenaten

Akhenaten was born Amenhotep, the younger son of king Amenhotep III and of queen Tiy. He was one of six or seven known children by Amenhotep III and Tiy, and his birth relegated him to a secondary position in the royal family during his early childhood. The crown prince Thutmose and the princesses Sitamen, Henut-Taneb, Isis, and Nebetah preceded his own birth. While many of the dates of birth of Akhenaten and his siblings are not known for sure, it is clear that he was one of the youngest amongst them. A hereditary king’s early life could often be easily traced in Ancient Egypt, but this was not so in the case of Akhenaten. Being born a younger son, he would have never held a position of prominence within the immediate royal family and therefore his name could not be expected to be found in inscriptions.

Conversely, his elder brother Thutmose’s earlier years are documented to some degree.  It is known that after Thutmose’s early education, he was inured at Memphis, where he would have been expected to gain further training in the running of the Egyptian state.  Memphis was the administrative capital of Ancient Egypt and the center of the cult for the god Ptah.  While Thutmose was there, he was at some point granted the position of sem-priest of the god Ptah, a common practice among the kings of the 18th Dynasty and among the Rameside kings.  There are a handful of inscriptions pertaining to Thutmose, some of which indicate that he was given rights over the burial of the Apis bulls in Memphis, but little else is known about Thutmose’s life.  This has led to speculation that he may have died young, possibly in year 30 of the reign of Amenhotep III, and he possibly may have been buried in Saqqara outside of Memphis.  No tomb for him has ever been discovered.

It was Thutmose’s early demise that lead to Akhenaten’s rise in fortunes.  The only record of the transition is a small disputed graffito found in the mortuary temple of the pyramid at Meidum, which some believe recorded the crowning of Amenhotep IV in year 30 of the reign of Amenhotep III. Of all the children of Amenhotep III and Tiy, the one whose name occurs the most during the reign of Amenhotep III is Sitamen.  It seems to have been more common for the 18th Dynasty rulers to depict their daughters rather than their sons on artifacts, but either way it’s apparent that Sitamen held a position of preference. She was referred to as “the eldest daughter of the king, whom he loves”, and given lands, privileges, and titles that clearly indicated she was a favored child of Amenhotep III.  She even reached the rank of “Great King’s Wife”, though it is very doubtful that she ever outshone her mother in both power, and influence within the court and with Amenhotep III.  

Their mother, queen Tiy, is one of Egypt’s more famous queens, and she had a remarkable amount of power granted upon her.  The 18th dynasty was not short on powerful, influential woman, especially with Queen Hatshepsut ranked among their numbers.  Hatshepsut, who reigned as regent on behalf of her step-son Thutmose III, went so far as to give herself kingly titles and to have herself depicted in the time honored visage of a king, being adorned with symbols of kingship. It seems she ruled Egypt from about 1473-1458 B.C. on her step-son’s behalf, and she did so with seemingly no strain between herself and Thutmose III.  

Tiy was the proudly proclaimed daughter of Thuya and Yuya, and her mother Thuya had few qualms about declaring their relationship in her tomb.  Tiy would have been very young when she married Amenhotep III, around 12-13 years old, and Amenhotep III had come to Egypt’s throne at a very young age. While he was still in his teens, his mother Mutemwia reigned in his stead as regent, but Mutemwia’s position of dominance quickly faded when Tiy became queen.  Early historians often described Tiy as being “common” or of low birth because she was not a member of the royal family, but she proved to be anything but common. Tiy’s parents were clearly of the Egyptians elite class; Tiy’s father held the tittles “One trusted by the Gods”, “Foremost of the companions of the Kings”, “Overseer of the King’s horses” and “God’s Father’.  Amenhotep was not in the least ashamed of Tiy’s parentage; in fact, he proudly proclaimed it upon their union. The following is from an inscription found on one of the commemorative scarabs that were commissioned by Amenhotep III: “King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebmaatre, son of Re, Amenhotep ruler of Thebes, given life, and the king’s principal wife Tiy, may she live. The name of her father is Yuya and the name of her mother is Thuya; she is the wife of a mighty king…”

Statue of Tiy

Tiy has never been historically considered a great beauty, especially in comparison with her successor Nefertiti.  The images that exist of Tiy depict a woman with almost severe features, noted by her pinched lips, and Tiy’s race has often been questioned by scholars due to the inconsistent coloring found in some of the sculptures and relief images of her.  In some she is depicted as a light skinned woman, but in others she is depicted with very dark skin. But this in itself might not be remarkable and could simply be a reflection of the pieces either being commissioned before or after her death, with the dark skin being representative of the green or black skin of the god Osiris.  There is a bust of Tiy in the Berlin Museum that is carved from a dark wood, which has given rise to the theory that she may have been a Nubian woman, but there are no Nubian features to be found in the mummies of her parents Yuya and Thuya.  Additionally, recent DNA studies have confirmed that the mummy previously identified as the “Elder Lady”, which was discovered in the side chamber of KV 35 (Amenhotep II tombs), is that of queen Tiy.  The DNA analysis made between the mummy, a lock of hair found in a miniature sarcophagus in the tomb of Tutankhamen bearing Tiy’s name, and other previously identified mummies of the period has clearly identified the mummy as being Tiy, and of her being the daughter of Yuya and Thuya.

Tiy’s power and influence rose quickly, and she was soon allocated with many prominent titles, including that of “Great King’s Wife”.  Her name could often be found alongside that of Amenhotep III’s in inscriptions, much more so than was common for a queen.  She was even depicted on the same level with Amenhotep III on a colossal statue from his mortuary temple, a remarkable occurrence of great significance, because in Egyptian art the size of the figure was directly correlated with the status of the individual. By being depicted the same as the king, Tiy was depicted as his equal, something that would be seen again and further enhanced by Akhenaten and Nefertiti.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti both grew up during one of the greatest heights of Ancient Egypt’s culture.  Egypt was at one of its most powerful stages during the latter stages of the 18th Dynasty.  Egypt was the unparalleled power of its time, and the rulers of the Middle East deferred to Egypt by sending large tribute and gifts, some of which included the sisters and daughters of the foreign monarchs, who were offered in marriage to the Egyptian king.  Sons could also be sent, either out of desire to have them trained in the cultural center of the region or possibly as a form of tribute to assure the good behavior of the foreign ruler.  Amenhotep III married many of the women that were offered to him in order to tighten diplomatic ties, yet he refused to allow Egyptian princesses to marry other rulers in return, which was a blatant display of Egypt’s power.  This is hinted at in correspondence between Amenhotep III and Kadashman-Enlil of Babylonia when he dared request the hand of an Egyptian princess: “When I wrote to you about marrying your daughter you wrote to me saying ‘From time immemorial no daughter of the king of Egypt has been given into marriage to anyone.’  Why did you say this?  You are the king and you may do as you please.  If you were to give a daughter, who would say anything about it.”

The Egyptians clearly saw themselves as superior to their contemporaries, and they had no need to pander to other rulers, since their army and wealth far surpassed any of their possible rivals.  Amenhotep III’s ancestors had fought hard at the beginning of the 18th Dynasty to give Egypt independence and to make the country a great power, so by the time Amenhotep III reached the throne Egypt’s power was consolidated and its great wealth could be turned to internal projects. Amenhotep III built vast monuments, like Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple, from which only two great colossi statues remain.  The Egyptian court at the time was very wealthy, and that wealth was reflected in the opulence of their lifestyle.  Wealth, power, and many decades of good floods and strong crops created a world of security and decadence, and it was this time period during which Akhenaten and Nefertiti grew up,

Chapter 3: Nefertiti's Early Life

Painted limestone depicting Nefertiti and Akhenaten