Nefertiti Queen of the Nile, Facts About her Life and Husband
Queen Nefertiti Facts
Nefertiti, or Neferneferuaten. She was the queen of Egypt and the wife of King Akhenaton (formerly Amenhotep IV; reigned c. 1353-36 BCE), who played an essential role in the cult of the sun god known as the Aton.
Nefertiti’s parentage is unknown, but because her name translates as “A Beautiful Woman Has Come”. Early Egyptologists assumed she was a Mitanni princess (Syria). However, there is compelling circumstantial evidence that she was the Egyptian-born daughter of courtier Ay, Akhenaton’s mother, Tiy’s brother. Although little is known about Nefertiti’s parents, she had a younger sister named Mutnodjmet. Within ten years of her marriage, Nefertiti gave birth to six daughters, the elder three in Thebes and the younger three in Akhenaton (Amarna). Two of her daughters rose to become Egyptian queens.
Queen Nefertiti’s Husband (Akhenaton)
The Tay and Ay families came from the Middle Egyptian city of Akhmim. Which, also housed the parents of Tiye, wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. The families were undoubtedly acquainted. This explains why they chose Nefertiti as a wife for her second son, Amenhotep (later Akhenaten).
It is unknown whether the marriage occurred before Amenhotep IV ascended to the throne in 1351 BC. or how old Nefertiti was at the time. Because royalty was generally married at a young age. and Amenhotep IV was no older than 16 to 18 at the time of his coronation, Nefertiti was most likely between 12 and 16.
Queen Nefertiti Is Important in The History
The worship of Aten was hugely affected by Nefertiti and the pharaoh. According to this mythology, the sun god Aten was the greatest deity in Egypt’s polytheistic pantheon, and he was the only god worthy of devotion. Both Amenhotep IV (or Akhenaten) and his wife Nefertiti (or Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti, the latter name means “lovely are the beauties of Aten, a beautiful woman has come”) had their names altered in Aten’s praise. The king and queen of Egypt, Nefertiti, and Akhenaten were most likely priests as well.
The family lived in a city called Akhenaten. today, known as el-Amarna, it was built to glorify the new god. The palace was in the heart of a cluster of open-air temples that dotted the city.
Nefertiti Co-ruled with Akhenaton
Some historians argue that after her husband had reigned for 12 years, Nefertiti may have acted as queen regnant, her husband’s co-ruler rather than his consort, based on reliefs and statutes. Her husband went to considerable steps to ensure that she was represented as an equal, and Nefertiti is frequently depicted wearing the pharaoh’s crown or smiting opponents in combat. However, no recorded evidence exists to substantiate her political standing.
Some historians argue that after her husband had reigned for 12 years, Nefertiti acted as queen regnant, her husband’s co-ruler rather than his consort, based on reliefs and statutes. Her husband went to considerable steps to ensure that she was represented as an equal, and Nefertiti is frequently depicted wearing the pharaoh’s crown or smiting opponents in combat. However, no recorded evidence exists to substantiate her political standing.
Are Nefertari and Nefertiti Related to each other?
Nefertiti was pharaoh Akhenaton’s wife (and maybe sister). She is best known for a bust of her gorgeous head, discovered in the ruins of what may have been a sculptor’s workshop.
Nefertari was the wife of Rameses II. One of Egypt’s most powerful and longest-reigning pharaohs. Among the various structures erected during his rule are the temples of Abu Simbel. On Egypt’s southernmost border with Nubia. The modest temple dedicated to Nefertari and Hathor was cut from the rock into which it was carved. And relocated to higher land to protect it from Lake Nasser‘s waves.
The facade of the temple features statues of Ramesses and Nefertari. who are strangely shown as the same size as her husband? Wives were generally depicted as no taller than Pharaoh’s knees. This shows how significant she was in his life.
