Akhenaten
Short Biography, Information & Facts
about Akhenaten, the famous pharaoh and heretic king of Egypt
Biography, Facts and
information about the life of a Pharaoh
The term
pharaoh was the title of an ancient
Egyptian king who was considered to be a living god and worshipped as a
deity. The pharaoh was an absolute ruler of Egypt, both the political
and religious leader.
Short Biography of
the life of Akhenaten - The Heretic King
The history, facts and information about Akhenaten, a
famous pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
The following biography information
provides basic facts about the life Akhenaten:
-
Akhenaten was first known as
first known as Amenhotep meaning "Amun is content"
-
Alternative spellings of the
name: Akenaten, Arkhenaten
-
He changed his name to
Akhenaten, meaning "Effective for Aten" when he forced the change from a polytheistic
religion, with many gods, to monotheism, the worship of one god - the
Aten
-
Egyptian Period / Kingdom:
New Kingdom
-
Dynasty: Akhenaten ruled in the Eighteenth
Egyptian Dynasty
-
Name of Previous Pharaoh:
Amenhotep III r1389 BC -1351 BC
-
Years of Reign: 1351 BC -1337 BC
-
Succeeded by: Smenkhkare (1336 BC -1334 BC)
and then Tutankhamun (1334 BC -1325
BC)
-
There is some speculation
that the Pharaoh referred to as Smenkhkare Ankhetkheperure was in fact
a woman due to the feminine spelling of the name. Further speculation
questions whether Smenkhkare Ankhetkheperure could have been Nefertiti, Akhenaten's
Chief Wife and the mother-in-law and stepmother of Tutankhamun
-
Family
-
Father: His father was
Amenhotep III
-
Mother: His mother was
Queen Tiye
-
His brother, Prince Tuthmose, the eldest son of pharaoh
Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye and heir to the throne, mysteriously
disappeared from all records and Amenhotep (later Akhenaten)
-
Chief Wife: His chief wife
and consort was Nefertiti and other wives
included Kiya (the mother of Tutankhamun)
-
Children: Meritaten,
Meketaten, Ankhesenpaaten, Neferneferuaten Tasherit, Neferneferure and
Tutankhamun
-
His Master of Horses was Ay,
who later became Pharaoh
-
Year of Death: 1337 BC
-
Location of the
Burial Site: The Royal Wadi in Amarna
-
Name of Egyptologist who
discovered the burial site, or tomb, of Akhenaten in Armana: Alessandro
Barsanti in 1893. The mummy of Akhenaten was moved from his tomb in
Amarna to the Thebes Necropolis in the Valley of the Kings
-
Why
Akhenaten
was famous: The Heretic Pharaoh who change radically changed Ancient
Egypt from a polytheistic religion, with many gods, to monotheism (the
worship of one god). Akhenaten used the might of the army and its
powerful military commanders to destroy the old religion and its
priesthood. He also instigated a radical artistic movement
focussing on realism.
-
Biography and
accomplishments of Akhenaten: Akhenaten was originally called Amenhotep
meaning "Amun is content", the second son of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and
Queen Tiye. His elder brother Crown Prince Tuthmose mysteriously
disappeared and the young Amenhotep (Akhenaten) became heir to the
throne of Egypt. His father had brought peace and prosperity to Egypt
but his authority was threatened by the growing power of the priests of
the Temple of Amun at Karnak. The polytheistic religion of Ancient Egypt
had been followed since at least 3050 BC. The Egyptians worshipped
almost 2000 different gods, and had done so for literally thousands of
years.
-
The main centre of worship
for their main god Amun was located at Karnak which was located on
the East Bank of Thebes (modern day Luxor). Once he was established
as Pharaoh Amenhotep and about 4 years into his reign, (Akhenaten)
declared that all the old gods should be abandoned and replaced by a
sole god - the Aten. In year 5 of his reign he changed his name from
Amenhotep to Akhenaten. He started to build a new city called Amarna
which was located on the banks of the Nile about midway between Thebes
and Memphis.
-
In year 7 of his reign the
population of Thebes, totalling over 20,000 were forced to move to the
new city of Amarna abandoning their businesses, homes and religion. The
priests of Amun were expected to worship the sole god Aten. Akhenaten
ordered that all images of all other gods were ordered to be destroyed.
The role of the priest in the new religion was decreased as only the
Pharaoh, who had changed his name to Akhenaten, and his chief
wife Nefertiti were allowed to directly worship the Aten.
-
Akhenaten became
increasingly autocratic. All of his energy was focussed on the new
religion. Other home and foreign affairs of Egypt were virtually
ignored. The traditional temple based economy, run by priests of Amun,
had been replaced by the new regime which was run by local
administrators and military commanders. The new economy became subject
to the greed and corruption of the new officials.
-
Hittites and Assyrians were
threatening Egypt and Akhenaten did nothing. After a reign of 17 years
it is believed that Akhenaten was forced to abdicate and soon after died.
-
Akhenaten not only
championed a religious revolution he also instigated also radical
changes in art and how people were portrayed. Gone were the stylised
images of Pharaohs, who were only depicted as perfect, dignified young
men, to be replaced with a far more realistic approach with everyday
scenes and images.
-
Akhenaten was succeeded by Smenkhkare
(1336 BC -1334 BC). There is some speculation
that this Pharaoh referred to Smenkhkare Ankhetkheperure was in fact
a woman due to the feminine spelling of the name. Further speculation
questions whether Smenkhkare Ankhetkheperure could have been Nefertiti,
the
Chief Wife of Akhenaten and the mother-in-law and stepmother of Tutankhamun.
The reign of Smenkhkare was short lived and Tutankhamun became Pharaoh.
-
Tutankhamun was succeeded by
Ay who took numerous steps to ensure that Ancient Egypt completely reverted back to their
old religion and attempts were made to totally eradicate the name of
Akhenaten, the Heretic Pharaoh from the history of Egypt.
Akhenaten
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