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 The
young pharaoh Tutankhamun was one of the last of an illustrious line of
kings of the 18th Dynasty (1539 to 1292 BCE). He followed in the footsteps
of his powerful ancestors, who had set the pattern of kingship by acting
as both war leaders and builders. Under this dynasty, Egypt reached the
summit of its military dominance and artistic achievement.
Tutankhamun's Royal Predecessors
A few highlights of the more famous rulers from this
Dynasty include:
Ahmose—Founder of the New Kingdom and the
18th Dynasty, Ahmose completed the defeat of the Hyksos, who had invaded
Egypt almost 100 years earlier.
Tuthmosis I—He was the first pharaoh to carve
his tomb into the rocky slopes of the Valley of the Kings, where King
Tutankhamun’s tomb was later built.
Hatshepsut—One of the few female pharaohs,
she built many famous structures, such as her mortuary temple at Deir
el Bahri.
Thuthmosis III—This pharaoh is remembered
as a mighty military leader who enlarged the Egyptian empire to its
greatest extent.
Amenhotep II—The king who created one of the
first known peace treaties, Amenhotop II ushered in a golden age of
stability and prosperity.
The Height of The Empire
At the tender age of 12, Amenhotep III (Tutankhamun’s probable grandfather)
inherited the throne—and the vast Egyptian empire—from his father
Tuthmosis IV. Under his long and prosperous reign, Egypt’s literary
and artistic production reached its highest level and vast quantities
of gold poured into the country.
After a 38-year reign, Amenhotep III passed away and his son Amenhotep
IV (Akhenaten) took over the throne. This controversial pharaoh created
great upheaval by promoting a revolutionary religious philosophy—one
that his successor, Tutankhamun, would be forced to handle.
Continue to Tutankhamun’s
Inheritance >>
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