18th Century Egypt
The first Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the period during which ancient Egypt reached the height of its power, is referred to as the Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (also written as Dynasty XVIII, 18th Dynasty, or Dynasty 18). Between 1550/1549 and 1292 BC, the Eighteenth Dynasty existed. Because there were four pharaohs with the name Thutmose, this dynasty is sometimes known as the Thutmosid Dynasty.
The “empire” was the result of a purposeful expansion strategy implemented by several Pharaohs throughout the eighteenth Dynasty. Thutmose III, who made a significant contribution to the “empire” through his vast military expeditions, is primarily responsible for this. Thutmose I originated the idea of “expanding the borders of Egypt,” which was further developed by his successors throughout the eighteenth dynasty. For the Pharaohs, the founding, running, and upkeep of the empire were also crucial. However, throughout the eighteen dynasties that produced the considerable “imperial,” other notable officials, such as the Viceroy of Kush, made significant contributions to the expansion of the “empire.”
However, there was also the Amarna Period, when Pharaoh Akhenaton pushed monotheism on the nation. Due to the systematic erasure of his name from history by his successors, which occurred some 2300 years ago, it is extremely impossible to determine the order of the many kings’ reigns.
History of the 18th Dynasty Egypt/18th Century Egypt
Early Dynasty XVIII
King Ahmose I, the brother or son of Kamose, the final pharaoh of the 17th Dynasty, established Dynasty XVIII. The campaign to drive out the Hyksos kings was completed by Ahmose. The Second Intermediate Period came to an end under his reign, and the New Kingdom was said to have begun. The 18th Dynasty’s grandmother and Ahmose’s consort, Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, was “perhaps the most revered woman in Egyptian history.” After she passed away, she was revered. His son Amenhotep I succeeded Ahmose, and his reign was largely unremarkable.
Thutmose I, the succeeding pharaoh, appears to have been linked to the royal dynasty by marriage, indicating that Amenhotep I most likely did not leave a male heir. I was succeeded by Thutmose II, who was the son of Thutmose I, and by Hatshepsut as his queen. Hatshepsut became pharaoh in her own right and ruled for more than twenty years after her husband’s passing and during a time when her young stepson served as regent. Thutmose III would later succeed his father as the pharaoh.
After becoming pharaoh, Thutmose III, who is regarded as the most important military pharaoh ever, had a protracted reign. In his later years, he shared the throne with his son Amenhotep II. Thutmose IV, who succeeded Amenhotep II, was then succeeded by his son Amenhotep III, whose reign is regarded as the pinnacle of this Dynasty. More than 250 sculptures (more than any other pharaoh) and 200 enormous stone scarabs have been found from Syria to Nubia, attesting to Amenhotep III’s rule as a time of exceptional riches, artistic splendor, and global influence.
Some successful Pharaohs of 18th Dynasty Egypt
Dynasty XVIII’s pharaohs ruled for almost 250 years (c. 1550–1298 BC). Dodson and Hilton were the sources for the names and dates in the table. The Valley of the Kings in Thebes is where numerous pharaohs were interred.
Ahmose I
The Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, also known as the First Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Egypt, was started by the pharaoh Ahmose I. This period saw the height of ancient Egypt’s dominance. He belonged to the Theban royal family and was Kamose’s brother as well as the son of Pharaoh Seqenenre Tao, the final ruler of the Seventeenth Dynasty. Thebes overthrew the Lower Egyptian kings, the Hyksos, during the rule of his father or grandfather.
Ahmose effectively reasserted Egyptian authority in the once-subordinate provinces of Nubia and Canaan during his reign. He also finished the conquest and expulsion of the Hyksos from the Nile Delta. He then started huge construction projects of a like not seen since the Middle Kingdom era,
reorganized the nation’s government, and reopened quarries, mines, and trade routes.
Amenhotep I
The second pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty was named Amenhotep I. Typically, his reign was from 1526 to 1506 BC. Although he was the son of Ahmose I and Ahmose-Nefertari, he was not expected to succeed to the throne because he had at least two older brothers, Ahmose-ankh and Ahmose Saphir. However, sometime between Ahmose I’s 17th regnal year and his passing, eight years later, his heir apparently passed away, making Amenhotep the new king. After then, he took the throne and ruled for almost 21 years.
Thutmose I
The third pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty was named Thutmose I. After Amenhotep I, the preceding king, passed away, he ascended to the throne. He conducted campaigns that extended Egypt’s borders further than ever before in the Levant and Nubia throughout his reign. He was the first monarch who constructed numerous temples in Egypt and a tomb for himself in the Valley of the Kings has been established.
Thutmose III
The sixth ruler of the Eighteenth Dynasty was Thutmose III, also known as Thutmose the Great. Thutmose III ruled Egypt for almost 54 years in total, from the age of two until his death at the age of 56. His reign is typically dated from 28 April 1479 BC to 11 March 1425 BC. He co-ruled with his stepmother and aunt, Hatshepsut, who crowned the pharaoh, for the first 22 years of his rule. He was shown first on the monuments that have survived, but despite this, both received the customary royal names and insignia, and neither was granted any apparent seniority over the other.
The commander of Hatshepsut’s armies was Thutmose. Amenhotep II, his son, and successor were selected as his junior coregent during the final two years of his rule. Amenemhat, the king’s firstborn and heir, predeceased Thutmose III. He would rise to become one of the 18th Dynasty’s most powerful pharaohs.
Akhenaten
The tenth king of the Eighteenth Dynasty, Akhenaten was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who ruled from approximately 1353 BC until 1336 BC or 1351 BC. He had the title Amenhotep IV prior to the fifth year of his rule.
Egyptologists have varying opinions on whether the country’s religious practices were monotheistic, monolithic, syncretistic, or henotheistic. As a king, Akhenaten is renowned for adopting Atenism, or worship centered on Aten, in place of Egypt’s long-standing polytheism. After his passing, this cultural shift away from traditional religion was reversed. His statues were demolished, his monuments removed and concealed, and his name was omitted from lists of kings made by succeeding pharaohs. Under his near successor Tutankhamun, who changed his name from Tutankhaten early in his reign, traditional religious practice was gradually reestablished. They discredited Akhenaten and his immediate successors when, a dozen years later, monarchs from the Eighteenth Dynasty who lacked clear succession rights established a new dynasty. In archival documents, Akhenaten is characterized to as “the criminal” or “the enemy.”
Conclusion
The Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt is the name given to the first Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the era in which ancient Egypt attained the height of its power (also written as Dynasty XVIII, 18th Dynasty, or Dynasty 18). The Eighteenth Dynasty lasted from 1550/1549 to 1292 BC. This dynasty is occasionally referred to as the Thutmosid Dynasty since there were four pharaohs with the name Thutmose.
FAQ
Did Hatshepsut rule in the 18th century?
Hatshepsut was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt.
Why was Hatshepsut removed from history?
This is because late in his reign, Thutmose III had nearly all evidence of her reign destroyed. Her statues were torn down, her monuments were defaced, and her name was removed from the official king list. It’s unknown why Thutmose III erased proof of her legacy.
