The rulers of ancient Egypt, Pharaohs, were almost all men. The evidence for a few women Pharaohs is sketchy at best. One female Pharaos in Ancient Egypt was Hatshepsut.

Although not the only female ruler of Egypt, Ma’at-ka-Ra Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BC) is one of the best known.

She was an 18th dynasty Pharaoh, daughter of Thothmose I and Queen Ahmose. When her father died her half brother, Thothmose II, ascended to the throne. He was young, apparently younger than Hatshepsut herself.

The Egyptian tradition of having the Pharaoh marry a royal woman led Thothmose II to marry Hatshepsut. Thothmose II died soon after becoming Pharaoh, leaving the widow Hatshepsut, a daughter Neferura… and a son by another wife – Thothmose III.

Due to the young age of the Pharaoh, Hatshepsut became his regent. They ruled together for a number of years until she proclaimed herself Pharaoh.

She managed to rule for about twenty years, before disappearing from history… coinciding with Thothmose III’s becoming Pharaoh in his own right.

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