Review: The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney
The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
by Kara Cooney
Hatshepsut is a fascinating historical figure, a woman who ruled Egypt for many years. Initially taking the throne as a regent for her step-son, she was able to maintain her position and eventually surpassed the male heir. Hatshepsut proved to be more than merely competent; under her rule, Egypt successfully reopened long-lost trade routes and enjoyed unprecedented wealth. Yet this pharaoh remains relatively unknown, surpassed in the modern imagination by later rulers like Cleopatra.
An observation raised by Cooney in the introduction immediately caught my attention: we often hear of female rulers from the ancient world due to the gossip spread by their enemies. Thus, we hear of Cleopatra's famous seductions and the excesses of her wealth, or the heretic Nefertiti who helped her husband turn Egypt to monotheism. By contrast, Hatshepsut's success left her enemies with little to criticize. Her successors erased her name from monuments decades after her death, but the pharaoh was forgotten rather than demonized like her fellow female rulers.
This is an interesting lens through which to view Hatshepsut's reign. There is truth to the claim, as Cooney reveals in the main body of her biography. Hatshepsut was an effective leader of her people. Her massive building projects would not have been possible without great wealth and power, and Cooney spends pages pouring over the evidence of Hatshepsut's reign as it is shown on the walls of her temple. The carved hieroglyphics and images reveal a woman who allied closely with the god Amen, first as his priestess and then as his daughter. She was a deeply religious king with a keen understanding of Egyptian theology, and she used this knowledge to shore up her legitimacy.
Another idea that was worth pondering was a suggestion that Hatshepsut's images were destroyed after her death by Thutmose III not because he hated his aunt, as has been suggested in the past, but because another powerful woman (possibly the daughter of Hatshepsut) looked to the dead pharaoh and saw an example to imitate. I've always thought it curious that Thutmose III waited many years into his reign to destroy Hatshepsut's images, and it seemed unlikely that he would have acted out of spite or malice toward her after so many years had passed. But to stop a challenge to his sucession? His actions make perfect sense in that context.
Unfortunately, Thutmose's actions did destroy much of the evidence of Hatshepsut's reign. While some of her images escaped erasure, most did not. As a result, little is known about her daily life or the events of her reign. Cooney gathers all the architectural evidence about life in the 18th dynasty to paint a reasonable portrait of how Hatshepsut's life may have been, but her story is woefully lacking in specifics. Until a secret treasure trove of papyrus from Hatshepsut's reign is discovered hidden in Egypt, Cooney's biography is as comprehensive as any on this enigmatic female king can be.
4 out of 5 stars
To read more about The Woman Who Would Be King, buy it or add it to your wishlist click here.
Peeking into the archives...today in:
2014: The Fire Wish (Jinni Wars #1) by Amber Lough
2013: World Book Night 2014: Titles Announced
2012: The Secret Life of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck
2011: Rin-Ne Vol. 1 by Rumiko Takahashi
2010: News: Updating Covers of Classic Kids' Books
2009: 10 Comic Book Series You Need To Read, Part Two
2008: Book Group Expo, Day One
by Kara Cooney
Hatshepsut is a fascinating historical figure, a woman who ruled Egypt for many years. Initially taking the throne as a regent for her step-son, she was able to maintain her position and eventually surpassed the male heir. Hatshepsut proved to be more than merely competent; under her rule, Egypt successfully reopened long-lost trade routes and enjoyed unprecedented wealth. Yet this pharaoh remains relatively unknown, surpassed in the modern imagination by later rulers like Cleopatra.
An observation raised by Cooney in the introduction immediately caught my attention: we often hear of female rulers from the ancient world due to the gossip spread by their enemies. Thus, we hear of Cleopatra's famous seductions and the excesses of her wealth, or the heretic Nefertiti who helped her husband turn Egypt to monotheism. By contrast, Hatshepsut's success left her enemies with little to criticize. Her successors erased her name from monuments decades after her death, but the pharaoh was forgotten rather than demonized like her fellow female rulers.
This is an interesting lens through which to view Hatshepsut's reign. There is truth to the claim, as Cooney reveals in the main body of her biography. Hatshepsut was an effective leader of her people. Her massive building projects would not have been possible without great wealth and power, and Cooney spends pages pouring over the evidence of Hatshepsut's reign as it is shown on the walls of her temple. The carved hieroglyphics and images reveal a woman who allied closely with the god Amen, first as his priestess and then as his daughter. She was a deeply religious king with a keen understanding of Egyptian theology, and she used this knowledge to shore up her legitimacy.
Another idea that was worth pondering was a suggestion that Hatshepsut's images were destroyed after her death by Thutmose III not because he hated his aunt, as has been suggested in the past, but because another powerful woman (possibly the daughter of Hatshepsut) looked to the dead pharaoh and saw an example to imitate. I've always thought it curious that Thutmose III waited many years into his reign to destroy Hatshepsut's images, and it seemed unlikely that he would have acted out of spite or malice toward her after so many years had passed. But to stop a challenge to his sucession? His actions make perfect sense in that context.
Unfortunately, Thutmose's actions did destroy much of the evidence of Hatshepsut's reign. While some of her images escaped erasure, most did not. As a result, little is known about her daily life or the events of her reign. Cooney gathers all the architectural evidence about life in the 18th dynasty to paint a reasonable portrait of how Hatshepsut's life may have been, but her story is woefully lacking in specifics. Until a secret treasure trove of papyrus from Hatshepsut's reign is discovered hidden in Egypt, Cooney's biography is as comprehensive as any on this enigmatic female king can be.
4 out of 5 stars
To read more about The Woman Who Would Be King, buy it or add it to your wishlist click here.
Peeking into the archives...today in:
2014: The Fire Wish (Jinni Wars #1) by Amber Lough
2013: World Book Night 2014: Titles Announced
2012: The Secret Life of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck
2011: Rin-Ne Vol. 1 by Rumiko Takahashi
2010: News: Updating Covers of Classic Kids' Books
2009: 10 Comic Book Series You Need To Read, Part Two
2008: Book Group Expo, Day One