ANC: Lesson - Famous Figures of Egypt and Kush

Image: a sarcophagus of a pharaoh with hieroglyphic writing. The sarcophagus holds the mummified body of the pharaohFamous Figures of Egypt and Kush

The following individuals made an outsized impact on the Egyptian/Kush empire. Please read over this information carefully and take notes.

Khufu of Egypt

Pharoah Khufu (2609 BC - 2584 BCE) came to power as a young adult, probably in his early 20s. He dedicated his reign to building the first of the pyramids at Giza. They took 23 years to build. According to an Egyptian source, he was wise, good to his people, and used conscripted (forced but paid) labor to build the pyramids. According to a Greek source, he was a cruel leader, betrayed his daughter, and used slaves to build the pyramids. Khufu’s mixed legacy reminds us that we must rely on many critically-examined sources in order to build a full & accurate picture of the past.

Hatshepsut of Egypt

Pharoah Hatshepsut (1504 BCE- 1458 BCE) and her half-brother/husband co-ruled until his death. She became the regent (or stand-in) leader until her stepson (her husband’s son) could rule. In that 20-year period, she led the construction of obelisks, roads, temples, and statues of herself. She also opened trade with the neighboring kingdom of Punt. Decades after her death, her stepson destroyed nearly all of Hatshepsut’s buildings and monuments to create the idea of an all-male line of leaders. In fact, even her mummy went missing. It was discovered in 2007 that a discarded mummy believed to be non-royal was in fact the legendary female Pharoah of Egypt.

Ramses II of Egypt

Pharoah Rameses II, also called Rameses the Great, (1303-1213 BCE) was a skilled military leader. He tops the leaderboards for many “records” of Egyptian pharaohs. He was one of the longest-lived (90 years), had one of the longest rules (over 60 years), had one of the largest families (over 100 wives and 100 children), and ordered more temples and monuments than any other pharaoh. He pushed the border of Egypt north into modern-day Turkey and negotiated a peace agreement that lasted even after his death. It is thought to be the world’s first peace treaty. 

Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Tutankhamun of Egypt

Today, two of the most well-known leaders of Egypt are King Tut and Nefertiti. They were related through the Pharoah Akhenaten (together, these three only lived from 1370 BCE -1323 BCE). Nefertiti was Pharoah Akhenaten’s favorite wife. Together they revolutionized Egyptian culture. First, they turned Egypt from polytheistic to monotheistic (worshiping only the sun god Aten). Second, they changed the art style – previously, art was static and inspirational (what “should be”), but they preferred art that emphasized movement and the family. After their deaths, Akhenaten’s son Tutankhamun returned Egypt to polytheism. In general, Egyptian pharaohs ignored this disturbance in religious tradition and their tombs were built over. However, this preserved their legacy for today: when Tutankhamun’s tomb was found in 1922, it was the most intact tomb ever found. 

Piye of Kush

King Piye (747 BCE – 719 BCE) ruled Kush after it had regained its independence from Egypt, but when Egypt was in a period of instability. He believed it was due in part to Egypt’s abandonment of traditional religious beliefs because Kush still followed Egypt’s example from when Egypt conquered Kush. His rule began a dynasty that lasted over fifty years. The dynasty led to beautiful new temples and pyramids across both Egypt and Nubia.

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