Who Was The First Known Female Pharoah?
Throughout ancient Egyptian history there were many great and famous pharaohs. Many times, the great female pharaohs were the last rulers of their dynasties, perhaps attempting to hold disaster at bay. This speculation stems from what is known about certain female pharaonic reigns, such as Cleopatra VII. As the last of the Ptolemy rulers, she tried to defend Egypt from the invading Augustus Caesar. It is from knowledge such as this, and evidence of failing rules during most female pharaoh’s times that some speculate the female pharaoh’s rules were attempts to save a failing dynasty. Despite many of these female rulers being the last resort to hold onto power for any given dynasty, one cannot say they were not great.
The title for the first known female pharaoh is somewhat in debate. Herodotus and Manetho both mention a sixth dynasty female pharaoh by the name of Nitocris. She reputedly took the throne after her brother was murdered. Once pharaoh, it is said she invited her brother’s murderers into a hall for a feast, but she drowned them by sealing the chamber and diverting Nile water into their banquet hall turned tomb. She then reportedly committed suicide by running into a burning room. It is a good story, but the evidence of Nitocris’ actual existence is in debate. Some say the Turin King List, a list of pharaohs written during the nineteenth dynasty, supports her existence with the name Nitiqreti, however, upon closer examination of the Turin King List shows this particular fragment may have been misplaced during the list’s reconstruction and that Nitiqreti is the mis-transcribed name of the sixth dynasty male pharaoh, Netjerkare Siptah I. Through this information, it is believed that Nitocris is merely a legendary figure (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitocris).
Other women in ancient Egypt’s history may have ruled as a regent or as actual pharaoh. The first being Khentykaues I who ruled in the stead of her young son, Sahure, at the end of the fourth dynasty and possibly sometime through the fifth dynasty. Her tomb portrays her in the raiment of a pharaoh and her title can be translated either as “Mother of Two Kings” or “King and Mother of a King.” However, she has not been given the title as the first female pharaoh (http://touregypt.net/featurestories/firstqueen.htm).
It was not until the twelfth dynasty that female rulers were even considered. Amenemhat III may have contemplated naming his daughter, Nefruptah, heir. Her name is found with a cartouche surrounding it, an act, which, before that point in time, was reserved only for pharaohs. She was given the titles of a king’s wife, though she never married a king. She was buried in her own pyramid a kilometer away from her father’s pyramid. Nefruptah did not succeed Amenemhat III to the throne, though no one knows why. It could be speculated that she died before becoming pharaoh. Instead, Amenemhat IV came to the throne. He died soon thereafter with no children indicated in the ancient Egyptian records. He was succeeded by his possible sister-wife, Sobekneferu, who was also possibly the sister of Nefruptah (http://touregypt.net/featurestories/firstqueen.htm).
Sobekneferu ruled independently for nearly four years, something that qualifies her as a veritable ruler. She also used the masculine titles of a pharaoh, as well as the feminine queenly titles. Her statues, of which only a few have been discovered, show her penchant for using both masculine and feminine titles. One statue in particular shows a combination of male and female elements within her dress. A statuette also shows her wearing a sed-festival cloak, as well as an unusual crown of combined masculine and feminine origins (http://touregypt.net/featurestories/firstqueen.htm).
Sobekneferu is seen in later King Lists as the last pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom, but the evidence surrounding her is vague as to why she should be singled out as the last pharaoh of the twelfth dynasty when there were other pharaohs succeeding her with likewise short reigns (http://touregypt.net/featurestories/firstqueen.htm). Nothing is known about her death and burial, although some people speculate that she may have been buried in one of the pyramids at Mazghuna, though this theory is not corroborated with inscriptions of Sobekneferu’s names or titles (http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/mazghunap.htm).
Whether the first female pharaoh was in actuality Nitocris, Khentkaues I or someone yet to be discovered, it can be said for certain that Sobekneferu was a female pharaoh and she continues to hold the title of first certain female pharaoh. She ruled for a total of three years, ten months and twenty-four days, according to the Turin King List, a length of time that many male pharaohs cannot boast of ruling (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Sobekneferu). Her reign ended, however, with a low Nile flood, which may have been her undoing (http://touregypt.net/featurestories/firstqueen.htm).
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i need more information on sobekneferu please if possible
What information do you need? I will see if I can help you, though I know little more than what was mentioned in the post. I may be able to point you in the right direction for further information.
Perhaps this post will be more helpful. There is a bit more information here than in my post:
http://egyptologyscribbles.com/2011/01/25/ruling-queens-of-ancient-egypt-1/