King Akhenaton

King Akhenaton

Information about King Akhenaton(1352-1336 a.C.)

King Akhenaton, one of the kings of the Eighteenth Dynasty that ruled Egypt from 1353 BC to 1336 BC. His name was also Amenhotep IV.

He ruled Egypt after the death of his father, Amenhotep III, and his rule continued for 38 years One of the most controversial pharaohs who ruled Egypt.

The first known monotheistic state religion in the world During his reign, there was a building program along the city of Luxor, his reign lasted 38 years, he united the ancient gods into only one god, Aten (the sun disk).

His ruled an empire that controlled Palestine, Phenicia, and Nubia he built his new capital, the Aten skyline, in modern architecture he was interested in writing poetry and building temples for his new god, but he ignored his empire and thus lost part of his empire.

Also

King Akhenaton is considered the first to establish a modern religion that unifies rituals on the one hand; and during his reign he established a cult based on the sanctification of the god (Aten), who was represented by the sun disk; and some ancient monuments have inscriptions depicting the god Aten as a sun disk in the sky whose rays extend down to reach the royal family.

 

Family

 Married Nefertiti and had 6 daughters. he married another wife named Kyi and had a son (Tutankhamun). he was appointed deputy with his father in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of Amenhotep III His main wife is Nefertiti who is often referred to as the most beautiful woman in the world.

he suffered from Marfan Syndrome which is basically a genetic disorder that damages the connective tissue of the body and face.

And

Royal family was represented with bodies with elongated necks and arms and long, thin legs, the most famous of which is the sculpture showing Akhenaten, his wife Nefertiti and the children touching the rays coming from the god Aten, and this image has been interpreted through theories; one of them explained that the purpose of the elongation is to show the transformations that occur to a human being when he comes into contact with the rays of Aten, which carry power.

 Childhood

Was born in Egypt. He is the second son of King Amenhotep III.

he assumed the position of Crown Prince of Egypt after the death of his older brother.

King Akhenaton Achievement

Wanted to end 2000 years of polytheism Akhenaten’s declaration of monotheism is a cultural shift In the ninth year of his reign, he banned the religion of Amun and declared himself the living embodiment of one all-powerful god, Aten.

Close all temples of Amun and other gods Say the main capital from Thebes to Amarna King Akhenaton built a temple to the god Aten on the eastern side of Karnak changed his capital, Name from Amenhotep VI to Akhenaten.

External Achievements 

He was not interested in military campaigns, but he gave all his attention to buildings and temples.

Despite that, he launched a military campaign into Nubia.

Built many new temples dedicated to the worship of the god, and there are many wonderful and amazing places of worship, such as the temples of Karnak.

Not only sanctify his new god, but he also desecrated the monuments that bore the image or name of the previous god (Amun).

Foreign Policy of King Akhenaton

Failed in any political contact with countries despite the expansion of his kingdom, which included Nubia and Palestine, but he He was interested in developing art and poetry After his son Tutankhamun took over, he made Amun the main god, and Thebes returned to the main capital.

Large numbers of offering tables were presented to celebrate the god Aten. King Akhenaton not only sanctified his new god, but also desecrated the monuments that bore the image or name of the previous god (Amun).

Amarna letters

The discontent of the military leaders and high commissioners in Palestine and Syria. The local princes, who had been loyal to Egypt, no longer saw any advantage in trade with Egypt.

The Hittites from the north made gains, leading to a general disintegration of the empire. Eventually, disgruntled priests and civil officials joined the army to discredit the new religion.

There is some evidence that King Akhenaton, at the urging of Tiye, the queen mother, made concessions to appease the various factions growing within Egyptian society. He also became estranged from Nefertiti.

Religion valuation and art

First ruler to establish the doctrine of monotheism in Egypt is the lengthy religious text of Amarna. Hymn of Aten; Which was preserved in a number of tombs, King Akhenaton appears face to face with his god in many places, and  appears offering sacrifices to Aten in the form of a solar disk.

Art during the reign of Akhenaten took on new forms that differed from those of the previous period.

Art

The depiction of Aten as the physical embodiment of the sun exists as an innovative Egyptian art form known as the Amarna style. The Amarna style refers to the aesthetic elements that Akhenaten used to decorate the temples of Aten, moving art from idealism to realism.

 

Akhenaten’s death

1336 BC, in his new city, King Akhenaton died and the people returned to the old city, Ultimately, Tutankhamun restored Egypt to its traditional values, and the memory of Akhenaton was erased.

Later, Egyptian historians referred to him only as “the heretic king.”

After King Akhenaton Death

Egypt returned to the worship of the ancient gods Akhenaten’s name and image were erased from his monuments.

Royal Tomb Of Akhenaton

In January 1907, a tomb was discovered in the Valley of the Kings.

The tomb is located south of the tomb of Ramesses IX It consists of 21 stairs to the entrance The corridor behind the entrance is partially filled with debris.

Was full of different sights His mummy was not found in this cemetery, but it was found in another cemetery in the Valley of the Kings.

Finally

If you are a fan of history and civilization, this article is considered one of the most important information about King Akhenaton, his reign, and his most important works and achievements.

It is best to visit Egypt to learn more about ancient Egyptian civilization and enjoy all the historical places that make you go back in history and delve into the capabilities of the ancient Egyptians.

 

Frequently Asked Questions
Which pharaoh changed religion?
Akhenaten became best known to modern scholars for the new religion.
Was Akhenaten exiled from Egypt?
No, Akhenaten was not exiled from Egypt.
What did Akhenaten do for Egypt?
Akhenaten imposed new aspects of Egyptian religion, reformed his royal artistic style.
How old was Akhenaten when he died?
Akhenaten died when he was around 40.
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