ABSTRACT
Through careful political maneuvering and deft manipulation of ancient Egypt's cultural values, Queen Hatshepsut became one of Egypt's greatest sovereigns. Hatshepsut was born sometime about 1522 B.C.E., in the XVIII dynasty, the eldest daughter of King Thutmose I. Thutmose I had worked continually to improve Egypt, embarking on extensive building projects and conquering the lands beyond Upper Egypt, in Nubia. It was almost unprecedented for Hatshepsut to promote herself as king, but Thutmose III was much younger than she and Egypt was in such need of steady leadership that she was gradually accepted as sole ruler in 1472. What makes Hatshepsut's legacy special is that she ruled over a glorious period of New Kingdom Egypt, characterized by prosperity, peace, and expansion. What makes it almost unique is Hatshepsut's sex. Part of Hatshepsut's success originated with how she used Egypt's cultural traditions to defy social limitations that kept women from ruling.
