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Queen Hatshepsut and her husband Thutmose II had one child together - a daughter named Neferure.
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When Thutmose II died, he had a son by another wife, but he was too young to take over the throne, so Hatshepsut took over as regent. After three years she proclaimed herself pharaoh.
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Queen Hatshepsut was more interested in prosperity in Egypt than taking over new lands. She focused on new construction, building monuments and making her country great.
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Queen Hatshepsut had herself depicted in monuments and other images as a man, with beard, and male body. She even dressed in the traditional king's clothing and crown. All of these actions were believed to be a way to assert herself in a role that was traditionally held by a man.
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Queen Hatshepsut had two granite obelisks built and erected at the Karnak Temple. One is still standing today. The obelisks were cut at Aswan's ancient granite quarry.
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Queen Hatshepsut had the Mortuary Temple Djeser-Djeseru at Deir el Bahri built and dedicated it to Amen, Hathor, and Anubis. It was built where the 11th dynasty Mentuhotep I's temple was built.
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In Queen Hatshepsut's 9th year as pharaoh she had a trading expedition to north-eastern Africa. The region was rich in gold, ebony, ivory, spices, and myrrh, among other much-desired products. The Mortuary Temple has carved images of the expedition.
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Queen Hatshepsut's mummy was identified in 2007. It was found in tomb KV60A in the Valley of the Kings. From the examination of her mummified body it has been determined that she was obese, and suffered from diabetes, bone cancer, and arthritis. She was only about 5 feet tall.
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Some scientists believe that Queen Hatshepsut used an ointment to treat her skin condition on a regular basis. It has been determined that the ointment contained a carcinogen and may have led to her cancer.
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When the successor to Queen Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, took power after her death, he tried to remove all evidence of her rule. He had a wall built around her obelisks, destroyed her monuments, and even erased many of the inscriptions. Thutmose III became known as the greatest of all pharaohs because of the military campaigns he led, ultimately taking control of Palestine and Syria.
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