Queen Hatshepsut, the Woman Who Would Be

Queen Hatshepsut, The Woman Who Would Be King

If one asks people their opinions about what characteristics describe a hero, the responses will probably vary across cultures and historical periods. Even so, there are several traits which seem to have almost universal appeal. One such trait that is frequently associated with the world's most enduring myths and legends is the depiction of a hero as someone who triumphs over obstacles. In the male-dominated civilization of ancient Greece, strong warriors were considered heroes. In the mythology of ancient Egypt, where religion was important at all levels of society, priest-magicians were often heroes. And in many cultures, women, by using their intelligence and forceful personalities to outwit their foes, came to be known as heroes ("Heroes"). Such was the case with Hatshepsut, an 18th-dynasty pharaoh who was one of only a handful of female rulers across ancient Egypt's three millennia of royal lineage. Of all the female pharaohs, her reign lasted the longest, and her funerary temple still stands as a testament to her incredible rise to power (Bediz).

According to scholars, Africa has a strong tradition of kingly heroes. Shaka, a leader of the Zulu people of Southern Africa, was a brilliant military strategist who gathered a huge army and came to rule over a great empire in the early 1800s. Osei Tutu, a ruler of the Ashanti people in the 1700s, succeeded in freeing the Ashanti from domination by the Denkyira and expanding trade with the Europeans. Also known for his use of spiritual dogma, political skill and military prowess, Tutu tripled the size of the small kingdom of Kumasi (modern day Ghana) and laid the foundation for the Ashanti empire (Townsend and Townsend).

Queen Hatshepsut embodied all of the characteristics of traditional African heroes and more. Born in the 15th century B.C., Hatshepsut was the daughter of Tuthmose I and Queen Aahmes. A female pharaoh was unprecedented, so when Tuthmose I died, the throne passed to his son Tuthmose II, who married his half-sister Hatshepsut but who died after ruling only three or four years. The son of Tuthmose II and his commoner wife Isis, Tuthmose III, was then next in line for the throne, but because of his age, Hatshepsut was allowed to rule as queen dowager. Not content to wait for her nephew to come of age and take her place, Hatshepsut set out to become a charismatic and popular pharaoh in her own right (Bediz).

Being female, Hatshepsut faced many obstacles. There was the constant threat of revolt, particularly when her bitter nephew came of age. But Hatshepsut used propaganda and keen political skills to remain in power, even dressing in the traditional garb of male rulers, including the shendyt kilt, nemes headdress, and the false beard. While there were no wars during her reign, Hatshepsut nonetheless proved her sovereignty by ordering expeditions to Punt, in present-day Somalia, in quest for ivory, animals, spices, gold and aromatic trees prized by Egyptians (Bediz). She also strengthened the position of Egypt within Africa by making peace with the peoples of Kush (Nubia) and sending missions to nations along the East African coast. One of Hatshepsut's crowning achievements was dispatching a mission to present-day India (African Code).