Introduction
People throughout the world know that Egypt is an ancient land, but many do not know that it has multiple dynasties existing in different eras or periods. The New Kingdom era, for example, emerged in 1539 B.C. and lasted until 1069 B.C. with three different dynasties of kings appearing (Wilkinson 2010: xxi). In the 470 years that the New Kingdom period of Egypt lasted, a highly stratified social organization of kingship existed alongside the powerful culture found within the state. The social organization was so highly stratified that the Egyptian state of the New Kingdom appeared to be wholly dominated by the use of kingship (Wilkinson 2001: 301). To analyze the social organization of kingship within the state of Egypt, three points have to be analyzed: the pharaoh, the chief queen, and the use of architecture.
Pharaoh …show more content…
Normally, the status of pharaoh was a male only position but there were female pharaohs ruling in different periods of Egypt’s history. For example, Hatshepsut was originally the wife of a king, then a co-ruler of Egypt with her son Thutmose III, and finally a pharaoh after appointing herself. A pharaoh, the eldest male or female child of the recently deceased pharaoh, normally acquired their grand office upon the death of their father. This cycle of kingship and royalty procession was seen throughout the New Kingdom era with about 32 different kings. During this period of the New Kingdom, the foundation and authority of the royal kings was never inquired, challenged, or gossiped about (Hornung 1990: 283). This is due to the fact that the Egyptian people of the New Kingdom era believed that the pharaoh was a divine
People throughout the world know that Egypt is an ancient land, but many do not know that it has multiple dynasties existing in different eras or periods. The New Kingdom era, for example, emerged in 1539 B.C. and lasted until 1069 B.C. with three different dynasties of kings appearing (Wilkinson 2010: xxi). In the 470 years that the New Kingdom period of Egypt lasted, a highly stratified social organization of kingship existed alongside the powerful culture found within the state. The social organization was so highly stratified that the Egyptian state of the New Kingdom appeared to be wholly dominated by the use of kingship (Wilkinson 2001: 301). To analyze the social organization of kingship within the state of Egypt, three points have to be analyzed: the pharaoh, the chief queen, and the use of architecture.
Pharaoh …show more content…
Normally, the status of pharaoh was a male only position but there were female pharaohs ruling in different periods of Egypt’s history. For example, Hatshepsut was originally the wife of a king, then a co-ruler of Egypt with her son Thutmose III, and finally a pharaoh after appointing herself. A pharaoh, the eldest male or female child of the recently deceased pharaoh, normally acquired their grand office upon the death of their father. This cycle of kingship and royalty procession was seen throughout the New Kingdom era with about 32 different kings. During this period of the New Kingdom, the foundation and authority of the royal kings was never inquired, challenged, or gossiped about (Hornung 1990: 283). This is due to the fact that the Egyptian people of the New Kingdom era believed that the pharaoh was a divine