How did Hatshepsut’s successors attempt to erase her legacy?
Queen Hatshepsut ruled as Pharaoh from around 1479 – 1458 BCE. Image: Image: Statue of Hatshepsut on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
After the death of Hatshepsut, the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, her successors, particularly Thutmose III and later rulers, took extensive measures to erase her legacy and her unprecedented rule as a female pharaoh.
Hatshepsut had reigned for approximately 22 years, initially as a regent for the young Thutmose III and later as a fully recognized pharaoh in her own right. She took on all the symbols, titles, and regalia associated with kingship, challenging traditional gender roles in ancient Egyptian society.
Her rule was marked by prosperity, extensive building projects, and trade expeditions, especially to the land of Punt. However, her successors, particularly Thutmose III and later pharaohs, undertook a systematic campaign to erase her achievements and diminish her memory.
In the article below, World History Edu looks at how and why her successors worked to obscure her legacy.
An example of Hatshepsut’s damnatio memoriae at Deir el-Bahari: Hatshepsut’s cartouches (left) were defaced, while Thutmose III’s (right) remained untouched, likely by Amenhotep II.
Erasure of Inscriptions and Imagery
One of the primary ways Hatshepsut’s successors attempted to erase her legacy was by defacing or altering inscriptions and images of her as pharaoh.
Statues and reliefs depicting her likeness, especially those showing her as a ruler, were chiseled out or re-carved. Her cartouches—the ovals encircling the names of royalty—were removed from monuments, and in many cases, the inscriptions were altered to depict Thutmose I, Thutmose II, or Thutmose III in her place. These actions went beyond simple desecration, representing a deliberate attempt to rewrite history by attributing her accomplishments to others.
This erasure campaign was meticulous, focusing on her image as pharaoh. In some cases, her feminine features were physically altered or removed from statues to ensure that future generations would not recognize her as a ruler. The erasure often targeted statues, temple reliefs, and other prominent inscriptions where her image appeared.
Replacement of Names and Titles
Along with removing her image, Hatshepsut’s name and titles were often erased from monuments and replaced with those of her male predecessors or successors. Her royal names and titles were systematically removed from cartouches, which held symbolic importance, as they served to proclaim and legitimize her authority. Cartouches of her name were altered, and in many cases, the name of her father, Thutmose I, was inserted in their place, effectively reattributing her monumental works to him.
Thutmose III, who became sole ruler after her death, seems to have led this initiative, possibly to assert his own legitimacy as king after her controversial reign. By replacing her name with those of other kings, Thutmose III sought to establish a lineage of male rulers that would minimize her impact on history.
Destruction and Alteration of Statues
Hatshepsut commissioned many statues depicting her as a king, with the ceremonial attire and regalia befitting a pharaoh. After her death, many of these statues were destroyed, disfigured, or removed from public view. Some statues were smashed and discarded, while others were dismantled and buried in caches within temple complexes. The heads and hands of these statues were often broken off, effectively neutralizing the power that statues held as physical representations of the ruler.
The destruction of these statues served two purposes: it prevented the continued veneration of Hatshepsut as a king and symbolically diminished her authority. In ancient Egyptian belief, a statue held part of the soul of the depicted person, so by destroying her statues, her successors believed they were eradicating her spirit from the royal lineage.
Hatshepsut’s images and sculptors went through unimaginable indignity in the years following her death – The image of Hatshepsut has been deliberately chipped away and removed – Ancient Egyptian wing of the Royal Ontario Museum
Modifications to Architectural Achievements
Hatshepsut is known for her extensive building projects, particularly her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri, a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian architecture. Many of the reliefs and inscriptions in this temple glorify her reign, her divine birth, and her expedition to Punt. After her death, her successors attempted to modify or obscure these representations.
The Punt expedition was a major achievement of Hatshepsut’s reign, bringing back valuable goods such as gold, ivory, and exotic animals. This successful trade mission bolstered Egypt’s wealth and demonstrated Hatshepsut’s diplomatic and logistical capabilities. Image: A relief depicting incense and myrrh trees obtained by Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt
Some of her images on temple walls were either removed or altered, with the new inscriptions crediting other pharaohs. At Deir el-Bahri, Hatshepsut’s images and titles as pharaoh were defaced, and in certain instances, her image was altered to appear as if it represented her father, Thutmose I, instead. By transforming her temple and other buildings in this way, her successors aimed to erase her legacy and reshape history to appear as though her achievements belonged to the traditional lineage of male rulers.
Egyptian soldiers from Hatshepsut’s Punt expedition, depicted on her temple at Deir el-Bahri.
Expunging Her from King Lists
One of the most profound steps in erasing Hatshepsut’s legacy was her exclusion from official king lists. The king lists were inscribed in temples and tombs, detailing the genealogy of the pharaohs and the continuity of Egyptian rule.
Hatshepsut’s name was omitted from several of these lists, including those found at the temples of Abydos and Karnak. By excluding her name from these records, Thutmose III and later rulers sought to present a version of Egyptian history that minimized her role, as though she had never ruled.
This exclusion from the official king lists effectively erased her from the sanctioned history of Egypt, making it difficult for future generations to recognize her as a legitimate pharaoh. These lists were intended for religious and ritual purposes as well as historical documentation, so removing her name also had implications for her role in the afterlife.
Possible Motivations for Erasure
The motivations for erasing Hatshepsut’s legacy are complex and likely rooted in political, religious, and cultural considerations. First, her ascent to power was unconventional, as she took on the full role of pharaoh while a male heir, Thutmose III, was available, albeit a child at the time. In Egyptian society, the pharaoh was expected to be male, so Hatshepsut’s rule as a female king was seen as a break from tradition. Her successors may have felt the need to reassert the traditional gender norms and prevent her reign from becoming a model for other women in the royal family.
Hatshepsut expanded the temple of Karnak and led an expedition to the Land of Punt, which brought valuable resources to Egypt.
Another possible motivation was Thutmose III’s desire to consolidate his own legacy. After Hatshepsut’s death, Thutmose III went on to become one of Egypt’s greatest military rulers, expanding the empire’s territories significantly. By erasing Hatshepsut’s achievements, he could reframe the period of his early reign as a time when he alone held power, minimizing her influence and reinforcing his status as the sole legitimate pharaoh.
Some historians have also suggested that Hatshepsut’s erasure may have been part of a broader ideological movement to purify Egyptian history. The pharaohs who followed Thutmose III, particularly during the reign of Amenhotep II, took further steps to restore a strict adherence to traditional roles and practices. As part of this movement, Hatshepsut’s unconventional reign may have been seen as an anomaly to be corrected in the historical record.
The Hawk of the Pharaoh, Hatshepsut—Temple at Luxor
Rediscovery and Legacy in Modern Times
For centuries, Hatshepsut’s contributions and reign were largely forgotten, hidden beneath the layers of history written by her successors. Her erasure was so effective that her legacy remained obscured until the 19th century, when archaeologists began uncovering the remnants of her statues, inscriptions, and monuments. Jean-François Champollion, who first deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs, encountered depictions of Hatshepsut but found her status as a female pharaoh puzzling, given the male-dominated nature of Egyptian kingship.
The excavation of Deir el-Bahri in the early 20th century further revealed the extent of her building projects and artistic contributions. Her mortuary temple, with its unique architecture and elaborate reliefs, highlighted her achievements and the prosperity she brought to Egypt. These findings challenged earlier assumptions about gender roles in ancient Egypt and reshaped modern perceptions of her reign.
Today, Hatshepsut is celebrated as one of the few female pharaohs in Egyptian history. Her reign is recognized for its peace, prosperity, and monumental architectural projects. Despite the efforts of her successors to erase her legacy, Hatshepsut’s contributions to Egyptian history have been restored, offering insight into the complexities of power, gender, and legacy in the ancient world.
Kneeling figure of Queen Hatshepsut, from Western Thebes, Deir el-Bahari, Egypt, c. 1475 BCE. Neues Museum
Frequently asked questions about the Queen Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut was the fifth ruler of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, reigning from 1479 to 1458 BCE. Her name means “Foremost of Noble Women.” Image: Osirian statues of Hatshepsut at her tomb, one stood at each pillar of the extensive structure, note the mummification shroud enclosing the lower body and legs as well as the crook and flail associated with Osiris—Deir el-Bahri
Hatshepsut was one of ancient Egypt’s most influential female pharaohs. She ruled for over 20 years during the 18th Dynasty and defied societal norms by taking the throne in a male-dominated society. Her reign was marked by prosperity, extensive building projects, and the expansion of trade networks.
What were some of Hatshepsut’s early roles and titles before she became pharaoh?
There is just so much evidence that we can safely confirm that Hatshepsut, like Sobekneferu, a pharaoh of ancient Egypt.
Before becoming pharaoh, Hatshepsut held influential roles, including “God’s Wife of Amun,” a high-ranking religious title. She was also queen consort to Thutmose II, her half-brother, which positioned her prominently within the royal family and the religious cult of Amun.
Hatshepsut was the daughter of Pharaoh Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose. She married her half-brother, Thutmose II. Image: A stone head, most likely depicting Thutmose I, at the British Museum
How did Hatshepsut transition from regent to pharaoh?
Hatshepsut initially acted as regent for her stepson, Thutmose III, after Thutmose II’s death. However, around 1473 BCE, she took the unprecedented step of declaring herself pharaoh, assuming the full powers and titles typically reserved for male rulers.
Thutmose III was the son of Thutmose II by a minor wife named Isis. Hatshepsut initially served as regent for Thutmose III, who was her stepson. Later, she declared herself pharaoh, ruling in her own right. Image: Relief of Thutmose II in Karnak Temple complex.
What steps did Hatshepsut take to legitimize her rule as a female pharaoh?
To legitimize her rule, Hatshepsut emphasized her divine birth, claiming the god Amun had fathered her. She also adopted pharaonic regalia, including the nemes headdress and false beard, and depicted herself as a male ruler in later statues to align with traditional expectations of kingship.
The title “God’s Wife of Amun” was a prestigious religious role typically held by queens. By Hatshepsut’s time, it had gained significant political influence, and it helped her establish a close connection with Amun, reinforcing her authority to rule. Image: Depiction of Amun in a relief at Karnak
What were some key characteristics of Hatshepsut’s reign?
Hatshepsut’s reign focused on peace, economic growth, and cultural achievements. She expanded trade networks, undertook monumental building projects, and strengthened religious practices, notably supporting the cult of Amun. Her reign avoided large-scale military campaigns, creating an era of stability.
Hatshepsut legitimized her rule by declaring herself the daughter of the god Amun, the most powerful deity of Egypt at the time. This divine association strengthened her claim to the throne. Image: Head of an Osiride Statue of Queen Hatshepsut
What was Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, and why is it significant?
Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, Djeser-Djeseru, at Deir el-Bahri, is one of ancient Egypt’s architectural marvels. Its terrace design, cliff integration, and detailed reliefs showcasing her achievements reflect her architectural vision and devotion to the god Amun.
Hatshepsut commissioned numerous construction projects, including her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri in Thebes. Image: Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple at Deir el-Bahari, was called Djeser-Djeseru, meaning the Holy of Holies
What was Hatshepsut’s relationship with Thutmose III?
During her reign, Hatshepsut held primary authority while Thutmose III remained in a secondary role. He was technically co-regent but focused on military training, preparing for his eventual rule after Hatshepsut’s death.
After Hatshepsut’s death, Thutmose III ordered a campaign to erase her legacy. Her statues were defaced, her name was chiseled from inscriptions, and her achievements were often reattributed to other male rulers, likely to reinforce traditional male kingship.
Thutmose III may have erased Hatshepsut’s legacy to reassert traditional male kingship and diminish the memory of a powerful female ruler. By erasing her achievements, he could reinforce his authority and reestablish male rule as the norm in Egyptian society.
After Hatshepsut’s death, Thutmose III sought to erase her legacy by defacing her statues and removing inscriptions of her name. This was likely done to restore the traditional male line of succession. Image: Painted relief depicting Thutmose III, Luxor Museum
How has modern archaeology helped restore Hatshepsut’s legacy?
Modern archaeologists have uncovered Hatshepsut’s monuments, statues, and inscriptions, piecing together her story. Her architectural achievements, notably her temple at Deir el-Bahri, have been reexamined, and she is now recognized as one of Egypt’s most successful and influential rulers.
Why is Hatshepsut’s rule considered groundbreaking in terms of gender roles?
Hatshepsut’s rule is groundbreaking because she took on the full authority of a pharaoh in a society where kingship was exclusively male. By presenting herself as a king and achieving success as a ruler, she defied gender norms and demonstrated that women could hold and exercise supreme power.
To consolidate power, Hatshepsut adopted male attire and symbols, including the false beard, which were traditionally worn by male pharaohs. She also emphasized her divine birth, claiming that Amun, in the guise of Thutmose I, had fathered her. Image: Head of a statue of ancient Egyptian pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut with her fake royal beard.
