What is the meaning of the word Pharaoh?The title of "Pharaoh" actually comes to us from the Greek language and its use in the Old Testament. It originates in the Egyptian Per-aa, meaning "Great House", a designation of the palace, which first came to be used as a label for the king around 1450 BC, though it only became common usage some centuries later. For most of the time, the usual word for the king of ancient Egypt was nesu, but a whole range of titles were applicable to any full statement of a king's names and titularly.
Pharaoh's:-
- Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun (can also be spelled with Tutenkh-, -amen, -amon), Egyptian twt-ˁnḫ-ı͗mn; *tuwt-ʕankh-yamān (1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty (ruled 1333 BC – 1322 BC in the conventional chronology), during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom. His original name, Tutankhaten, means "Living Image of Aten", while Tutankhamun means "Living Image of Amun". He is possibly also the Nibhurrereya of the Amarna letters. He was likely the eighteenth dynasty king 'Rathotis', who according to Manetho, an ancient historian, had reigned for nine years - a figure which conforms exactly with Flavius Josephus' generally accurate version of Manetho's Epitome.[2] Tutankhamun is, in modern times, one of the most famous of the pharaohs, and the only one to have a nickname in popular culture (King Tut).
Tutankhamun was only nine or ten years old when he became pharaoh, and reigned for approximately ten years, making him nineteen years old at death. In historical terms, Tutankhamun is only moderately significant, and his modern fame and popularity stem from the fact that his tomb in the Valley of the Kings was discovered almost completely intact, and is still the most complete ancient Egyptian tomb ever found. However, he also is significant as a figure among those who managed the beginning of the transition from the heretical Atenism of his predecessors Akhenaten and perhaps Smenkhkare back to the familiar Egyptian religion. As Tutankhamun began his reign at such an early age, his vizier and eventual successor Ay was probably making most of the important political decisions during Tutankhamun's reign. The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter of Tutankhamun received worldwide press coverage and sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun's burial mask remains the popular face.All that changed in November 1922, when Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered by the British Egyptologist Howard Carter who was excavating on behalf of his patron Lord Carnarvon. His tomb almost escaped discovery and could have been undiscovered to this day.Carter had been searching for the tomb for a number of years and Carnarvon had decided that enough time and money had been expended with little return. However, Carter managed to persuade his patron to fund one more season and within days of resuming the tomb was found.Today, the tomb still contains the Pharaoh's remains, hidden from view inside the outermost of three coffins. He is the only pharaoh still residing in the Valley of the Kings - as far as we know!- Ramesses
Ramesses I was the founder of the 19th Dynasty (though there is some evidence to suggest that they themselves saw Horemheb as he dynastic founder) and the grandfather of the great and famous pharaoh, Ramesses II. Though he began a Dynasty that would actually see several powerful kings, his reign was really somewhat of a low point during the New Kingdom. A vizier under the last king of the 18th Dynasty, Horemheb, Ramesses I appears to have come to the throne as an appointment of his predecessor, who seems to have produced no heir.Ramesses had been a colleague of Horemheb while the earlier king was still serving as an army commander, and he may even be depicted in Horemheb's Saqqara tomb being rewarded by the King's Deputy. Ramesses rose in army rank, holding a number of military titles including that of commander of the fortress of Sile, an important stronghold on the land-bridge connecting the Egyptian Delta with Syria-Palestine, before ultimately receiving the civil title of (presumably Northern) vizier. His high status was further confirmed by the office of Overseer of Priests of Probable carved, granodiorite head of Ramesses prior to his accession to the throne Upper and Lower Egypt, thus placing him at the head of the civil and religious communities. Ramesses I, who may have even served as a co-regent of Horemheb, took the throne rather late during Ramesses I's life, when he was perhaps around fifty years of age.
His birth name, Ramesses (Ramses, Paramessu) means "Re has Fashioned him". His throne name was Menpehtyre, which means "Eternal is the Strength of Re". Horemheb's selection of Ramesses as his successor seems to have been well thought out, for Ramesses I chose the Golden Horus name of "He who confirms Ma'at throughout the Two Lands", indicating his desire to carry on the work of Horemheb in re-establishing religious order after the heretic rule of Akhenaten. His names and titles also stresses the privileged nature of his relationship with Re, the sun god. Ramesses was not of royal blood, but rather a career army officer who was the son of a troop commander and judge named Seti.- Ramesses -2
The son of Seti I and Queen Tuya was the third king of the 19th Dynasty. Called Ramesses the Great, he lived to be 96 years old, had 200 wives and concubines, 96 sons and 60 daughters. One son, Prince Khaemwese, was a high priest of Ptah, governor of Memphis, and was in charge of the restoration of the Pyramid of Unas. This son was buried in The Serapeum. Ramesses II outlived the first thirteen of his heirs. Ramesses was named co-ruler with his father, Seti I, early in his life. He accompanied his father on numerous campaigns in Libya and Nubia. At the age of 22 Ramesses went on a campaign in Nubia with two of his own sons. Seti I and Ramesses built a palace in Avaris where Ramesses I had started a new capital. When Seti I died in 1290 B.C., Ramesses assumed the throne and began a series of wars against the Syrians. The famous Battle of Kadesh is inscribed on the walls of Ramesses temple.
Ramesses' building accomplishments are two temples at Abu Simbel, the hypostyle hall at Karnak, a mortuary complex at Abydos, the Colossus of Ramesses at Memphis, a vast tomb at Thebes, additions at the Luxor Temple, and the famous Ramesseum. Among Ramesses' wives were Nefertari, Queen Istnofret, his two daughters, Binthanath and Merytamon, and the Hittite princess, Maathornefrure. Ramesses was originally buried in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Because of the widespread looting of tombs during the 21st Dynasty the priests removed Ramesses body and took it to a holding area where the valuable materials such, as gold-leaf and semi-precious inlays, were removed. The body was then rewrapped and taken to the tomb of an 18th Dynasty queen, Inhapi. The bodies of Ramesses I and Seti I were done in like fashion and all ended up at the same place. Amenhotep I's body had been placed there as well at an earlier time. Seventy-two hours later, all of the bodies were again moved, this time to the Royal Cache that was inside the tomb of High Priest Pinudjem II. The priests documented all of this on the linen that covered the bodies. This “systematic” looting by the priests was done in the guise of protecting the bodies from the "common" thieves.Ramesses was followed to the throne by his thirteenth son, with his queen Istnofret,
- Ramesses-3
Ramesses III's father was his immediate predecessor, a relatively unknown king named Setnakhte. However, though the originator of what Egyptologists refer to as the 20th Dynasty, he may actually have been a grandson of the famous Ramesses II. Ramesses III probably served Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramesses III a short co-regency with him, we believe, because of a rock-chapel near Deir el-Medina that was dedicated to both his father and Ramesses III. Ramesses III's mother was Queen Tiy-merenese. He had a number of wives, including Isis, Titi and Tiy, as well as a number of sons including the next three rulers of Egypt, Ramesses IV, V and VI. We only know of one possible daughter named Titi. However, despite his apparently long reign lasting some 31 years and 41 days according to the Great Harris Papyrus, little is known about the royal family.
During his reign many temples assumed positions of power in Egypt, while Ramses' own court declined in affluence and authority. This resulted from a change in the distributing of taxes.
The achievements of Ramses 3 are celebrated on the walls of his mortuary temple at Madinet Habu near Luxor. Temples and palaces built by Ramses 3 had the same characteristics as those built by Ramses 2.
- Ramesses-4
Ramses 4 received the throne from his father, Ramses 3, and was by then middle-aged. He had been crown prince for 10 years, after his 4 older brothers died.Sources tell about a plot to kill his father, and it is possible that this succeeded. His position was never strong. In order to secure his position he had an extensive document created where his father's blessings for his son are expressed. He also expressed great devotion for the gods. All this has been interpreted to mean that he was involved in the assisination plot, but it may merely be an indication of the unrest in the royal court at the time, proving there were other strong contenders to the throne.The unrest extended far beyond the court. In fact, the central authorities were unable to exercise much of their power. Most of state and temple offices were controlled by two families. The high priest of Amon at Karnak had in many respects more power than the king himself. Some regions in Egypt suffered from extensive corruption and crime, and local officials often acted as crime lords.On the international field, he lost control over large and important parts of Sinai. He was only able to keep control over the copper mines.Ramses 4 was an active builder during his short reign. He started building two temples near Thebes, and completed the Temple of Khonsu at Karnak. He also built an inferior funerary temple near his father's (Medinet Habu). Ramses 4 died after only 6 years in power. He was succeeded by his son, Ramses 5. He had built a small tomb in the Valley of the Kings. - Hatshepsut Hatshepsut, the fifth ruler of the 18th Dynasty, was the daughter
of Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose. As was common in royal families, she married her half-brother, Thutmose II, who had a son, Thutmose III, by a minor wife. When Thutmose II died in 1479 B.C. his son, Thutmose III, was appointed heir. However, Hatshepsut was appointed regent due to the boy's young age. They ruled jointly until 1473 when she declared herself pharaoh. Dressed in men’s attire, Hatshepsut administered affairs of the nation, with the full support of the high priest of Amun, Hapuseneb and other officials. When she built her magnificent temple at Deir el Bahari in Thebes she made reliefs of her divine birth as the daughter of Amun. Hatshepsut disappeared in 1458 B.C. when Thutmose III, wishing to reclaim the throne, led a revolt. Thutmose had her shrines, statues and reliefs mutilated.
Hatshepsut's remains were long considered lost, but in June 2007 a mummy from Tomb KV60, was publicly identified as her remains by Zahi Hawass, the Secretary General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.[8] Evidence supporting this identification includes the results of a DNA comparison with the mummy of Ahmose Nefertari, Hatshepsut's great-grandmother and the matriarch of the 18th dynasty.[9] Further conclusive evidence includes the possession of a molar with one root that fit the mummy's jaw as it had a gap that had one root as well. This molar was found inside a small wooden box inscribed with Hatshepsut's name and cartouche: Zahi Hawass's team's CAT scan revealed that this tooth exactly matches this mummy's jaw.[10] Modern CT scans of that mummy believed to be Hatshepsut suggest she was about fifty years old when she died from a ruptured abscess after removal of a tooth. Although this was the cause, it is quite possible she would not have lived much longer; there are signs in her mummy of metastatic bone cancer, as well as possible liver cancer and diabetes.[2] Egyptologists not involved in the project, however, have reserved acceptance of the findings until further testing is undertaken.Just checkout the following video:- only for fun(just take a break)
Egyptian funny cats:
