Hatshepsut was the only female pharaoh to have worn the double crown due to her unusual position as co-regent with Thutmose III, who himself wore the red crown of the south. This reflected her claim to supreme power associated with both the kingdoms of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.
The double crown was a powerful symbol in ancient Egypt: it combined the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt. Wearing both at the same time meant ruling over all of Egyptian territory, unified under one person. It was essentially the ultimate way to assert that one was THE boss of the country; absolute power, legitimate authority, and divine protection combined in a single object. It goes without saying that very few pharaohs – and even fewer women – were able to wear it officially. Hatshepsut was unique precisely because she fully embraced this very masculine attribute, with courage and intelligence, to clearly show everyone that she was in charge of the entire kingdom.
At a time when power in Egypt was entirely held by men, Hatshepsut managed to stand out as a remarkably unique exception. When her husband, Pharaoh Thutmose II, died young, it was their son who was supposed to take over, but there was a problem: he was still a child! She seized the opportunity and first ensured the regency, before simply claiming full powers as a true pharaoh. She even decided to wear the symbols of the male pharaoh, such as the famous false beard, to firmly establish her image. In short, she did not content herself with ruling discreetly in the shadows like a mere queen regent: she clearly took the place of a king, adopted his traditional attributes, and sent a strong message: it is I who commands.
She relied on religion by claiming to be the direct daughter of the god Amon. This calmed many disputes by rendering her power sacred. She also launched numerous ambitious architectural projects, such as her grand funerary temple at Deir el-Bahari, to clearly display that she was chosen by the gods. Politically, she worked with loyal and powerful advisors to strengthen her authority and ensure stable support at the palace. She often represented herself dressed as a man and even wore a false beard, typical of male pharaohs, to show that she was legitimate as a ruler. Finally, she revived legendary trade expeditions to the mysterious Land of Punt, a fun and effective way to impress her people with the wealth brought back.
At the beginning of her reign, Hatshepsut had to convince a people not used to seeing a woman wear the double crown. The first obstacle: she was a woman in a man's world, which wasn't easy to sell in order to become pharaoh. So she adapted and quickly represented herself with a false beard and masculine attributes on official statues. The second difficulty was that some saw her rise to power as a dangerous break from tradition. To calm everyone, she emphasized a clear divine support, portraying herself as protected and directly chosen by the deity Amon. To reinforce her authority, she also launched monumental construction campaigns, particularly at Deir el-Bahari, to show everyone that her reign was serious, solid, and blessed by the gods.
Hatshepsut left a unique mark as a woman pharaoh. Unlike other queens of Egypt, she clearly presents herself as king, complete with a ritual beard, and assertively establishes her place within a male-dominated tradition. Her remarkable ability to assert her authority without crisis or civil war remains a rare occurrence. During her reign, Egypt experienced an impressive period of economic and cultural prosperity, rich in monumental constructions like her famous temple at Deir el-Bahari. After her death, several monuments and representations mentioning her were destroyed or altered, a sign of the rejection of the historical exception she represented at the time. Yet today, Hatshepsut symbolizes precisely that unique ability to assert her power as a woman while embodying the royal prestige traditionally reserved for men in ancient Egypt.
The double crown worn by the pharaohs symbolizes the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt, two previously distinct regions that have been united since ancient times under the rule of a single monarch.
The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari is considered an architectural marvel of ancient Egypt, impressive for its harmony in integrating with the surrounding natural landscape.
To justify her reign, Hatshepsut developed a personal mythology portraying herself as the direct daughter of the god Amon, thereby reinforcing her divine legitimacy before her people.
To this day, Hatshepsut remains one of the very few women who actually governed Egypt as a pharaoh rather than as a regent or royal wife, making her an exceptional historical figure.
After his death, his successors like Thutmose III attempted to partially erase his image and name from historical monuments. Despite this act of erasure, archaeological discoveries have gradually restored his significant importance and reinstated his unique legacy in Egyptian history.
Hatshepsut adopted masculine attributes, including a false beard and the double crown, to consolidate her authority in a patriarchal society where royal power was traditionally viewed as male. This facilitated her acceptance as a legitimate ruler and ensured political stability.
She emphasized her divine lineage by proclaiming to be the direct daughter of the god Amon-Ra, implemented an ambitious architectural program with temples and monuments dedicated to the gods, and secured the support of the clergy of Amon to fully legitimize her power as sovereign.
Yes, several women have wielded power throughout Egyptian history, such as Cleopatra VII and Nefertiti. However, Hatshepsut was the only woman to fully adopt the titles and the double crown traditionally reserved for male pharaohs.
The double crown, known as 'Pschent', symbolized the union of the two lands of Upper and Lower Egypt. Wearing this crown signified that the sovereign possessed legitimacy and absolute authority over the entire unified kingdom.
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