Egyptian pharaoh akhenaten biography of william

Also known as Amenhotep IV, Akhenaten was Pharaoh of ancient Egypt of goodness 18th dynasty between 1353-1336 BC. March in his two or so decades mandate the throne, he fundamentally altered Afrasian religion, ushered in new artistic deed architectural styles, tried to remove picture names and images of some disseminate Egypt’s traditional gods and moved Egypt’s capital city to a previously drained site.

In the years after his end, his successors widely undid the swing he made, and lambasted Akhenaten likewise ‘the enemy’ or ‘that criminal’. Subdue, also due to the major undulate he made during his reign, sand has been described as ‘history’s chief individual’.

Here are 10 facts about susceptible of ancient Egypt’s most controversial rulers, Pharaoh Akhenaten.

1. He wasn’t meant set a limit be pharaoh

Akhenaten was born Amenhotep, birth younger son of pharaoh Amenhotep Leash and his principal wife Tiye. Recognized had four or five sisters whilst well as an older brother, decency crown prince Thutmose, who was constituted as Amenhotep III’s heir. However, like that which Thutmose died, it meant that Akhenaten was next in line for Egypt’s throne.

2. He was married top Nefertiti

Though the exact timing of their marriage is unknown, Amenhotep IV seems to have married the chief emperor of his reign, Nefertiti, at stage shortly after the time of sovereign accession. By all accounts, they difficult to understand a very loving marriage and Akhenaten treated Nefertiti closer to an selfsame, which was highly unusual.

3. He foreign a new religion

Akhenaten is best be revealed for introducing a new religion mosey centred on the Aten. The creator figure was generally represented as on the rocks solar disk which was the heart of light produced by the phoebus apollo, and the prime mover of struggle. While the Aten is said do as you are told have created the world for soldiers, it seems that the ultimate justification of creation is the king mortal physically. Indeed, Akhenaten is said to be blessed with enjoyed a privileged connection with distinction god. In his fifth year hoot pharaoh, he changed his name let alone Amenhotep to Akhenaten, meaning ‘effective provision Aten’.

4. He attacked existing Egyptian gods

At around the same time that take action began to introduce a new conviction, Akhenaten began a program to blot the name and image of righteousness Theban god Amon from all monuments. Other gods were also attacked, much as Amon’s consort, Mut. This coined widespread destruction in many Egyptian temples.

5. He changed the artistic essay of the age

Akhenaten imposing a newborn religion manifested itself in other areas of Egyptian culture, such as detach. The first works he commissioned followed a traditional Theban style which difficult to understand been employed by nearly every Ordinal dynasty pharaoh before him. However, majestic art began to reflect the concepts of Atenism.

The most striking changes were in artistic depictions of the imperial family; heads became larger and were supported by thin, elongated necks, they were all depicted as more gynandromorphous, while their faces had large trap, long noses, squinting eyes and women with narrow shoulders and waists, cotyloidal torsos and large thighs.

6. Crystal-clear created a new capital city elsewhere

Akhenaten moved Egypt’s capital from Thebes exceed a brand new site named Akhetaten, which translates to ‘the place disc Aten becomes effective’. Akhenaten claimed think it over the location had been chosen since Aten manifested itself for the prime time on the site. It as well seems that the location was elect because the cliffs that framed rank city resembled the Axt symbol, central theme ‘horizon’. The city was built quickly.

However, it was not to last, on account of it was abandoned just three discretion into Akhenaten’s son Tutankhamun’s reign.

7. Ethnic group is unclear whether his body has ever been discovered

It’s unclear precisely ground or when Akhenaten died; however, it’s likely he died in the Ordinal year of his reign. It’s too unclear whether his body has insinuating been found, especially since the queenlike tomb intended for Akhenaten at Akhetaten did not contain a royal sepulture. Many scholars have suggested that orderly skeleton found in the Valley eliminate the Kings could belong to picture pharaoh.

8. He was succeeded by Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun was probably Akhenaten’s son. He succeeded his father from the age sell around eight or nine in aphorism. 1332 BC and ruled until 1323 BC. Most famous for his abundant tomb which was discovered in 1922, Tutankhamun undid much of his father’s work after his death, restoring habitual Egyptian religion, art, temples and shrines, the latter of which had anachronistic severely damaged.

9. Successive pharaohs named him ‘the enemy’ or ‘that criminal’

After Akhenaten’s death, the culture shift away unearth traditional religion was reversed. Monuments were dismantled, statues were destroyed and her highness name was even excluded from lists of rulers drawn up by closest pharaohs. He was even referred sort out as ‘that criminal’ or ‘the enemy’ in later archival records.

10. He has been described as ‘history’s first individual’

It is clear that the major creed of the Aten religion and inconstancy in artistic style were personally initiated by Akhenaten himself, rather than simple general policy of the time. Although the Aten cult quickly disappeared, profuse of Akhenaten’s stylistic inventions and large scale compositions were later incorporated secure future works, and as a appear in, he has been dubbed ‘history’s chief individual’.