Episode 129: Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut was born around 1500 BCE during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom in Ancient Egypt. The New Kingdom was an era of prosperity during which Hatshepsut’s father, Thutmose I, was chosen to rule after the previous pharaoh had no children. Thutmose I married Ahmes, who became the King’s Great Wife and gave birth to Hatshepsut. As the King’s Great Wife’s daughter, Hatshepsut was educated and trained to be both the future king’s wife and the “God’s Wife” of Amun-Re, a high religious and political role.
After the deaths of two brothers who were potential heirs, Hatshepsut married her half-brother Thutmose II and gave birth to a daughter, Nefrure. When Thutmose II died young, power passed to baby Thutmose III who was Thutmose II’s son by another wife. Hatshepsut became his regent, eventually claiming full kingship after 7 years, legitimizing it through divine selection by Amun-Re. She styled herself as a male pharaoh in imagery to solidify her rule.
As king, she launched major building projects—restoring the Karnak Temple, constructing the Red Chapel, obelisks, and her monumental mortuary temple at Deir al-Bahri. She surrounded herself with trusted advisors like Senenmut and handed down her religious role to her daughter, Nefrure.
Hatshepsut ruled for 21 years and was buried near her father in the Valley of the Kings. After her death, Thutmose III erased many of her monuments and records, but modern archaeology rediscovered her legacy in the 19th century.
Caryatid: May al-Ibrashy
May was born in Cairo, Egypt and got a degree in architectural engineering from Ain Shams University in Cairo. She then got a Masters in History of Islamic Art, Architecture, and Archaeology at University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). THEN she got a PhD in archaeology from SOAS. In 2011 she founded Megawra, an architectural practice. In 2012, the company partnered with the Built Environment Collective (BEC), an NGO specializing in place-based cultural and urban development, to become Megawra-BEC. The company works as both an architectural firm and an NGO to focus on sustainable and socially-responsible heritage restoration in Cairo. Megawra-BEC also runs a program called Athar Lina, which focuses on the neighborhood of al-Khalifa in Cairo on heritage conservation and adaptive reuse. This program partners with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
References
Cooney, Kara. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt. Crown, 2014.
Dunn, Roger (2001). Hatshepsut: A Female King of Egypt and her Architecture. Bridgewater Review, 20(2), 10-14
Hatshepsut | World Civilization. courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/hatshepsut.
Hatshepsut, from Queen to Pharaoh. United Kingdom, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2005.
“Home - Megawra.” Megawra, 15 June 2023, megawra.com.
“May al-Ibrashy.” Prince Claus Fund, princeclausfund.nl/awardees/may-al-ibrashy.
Wikipedia contributors. “Hatshepsut.” Wikipedia, 8 Mar. 2002, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatshepsut.
---. “May al-Ibrashy.” Wikipedia, 19 Sept. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_al-Ibrashy.
She Builds Podcast is a proud member of the Gābl Media network. Come join us!
Introducing the Gābl Media AEC Community Memberships. An interactive community platform for you, our audience! Ready to Start? JOIN NOW. Already a member? Login, gain instant access to the community, resources, and the most convenient way to get your continuing education credits.
Be sure to check out: https://gablemedia.com/shebuilds
