The King-Queen of Egypt

In all antiquity, history records only one woman who successfully calculated a systematic rise to power during a time of peace: Hatshepsut, meaning “the Foremost of Noble Women,” an Egyptian king of the Eighteenth Dynasty who ruled during the fifteenth century BC and negotiated a path from the royal nursery to the very pinnacle of authority. It is not precise to call Hatshepsut a queen, despite the English understanding of the word; once she took the throne, Hatshepsut could only be called a king.

The new Lapham’s Quarterly has an interesting piece on Hatshepsut, if you’re looking to brush up on some Egyptology this morning. (“And all mornings.”)