Queen Ahhotep I of Egypt, the fearsome warrior

Queen Ahhotep I was an ancient Egyptian queen who lived circa 1560 – 1530 BC, during the end of the Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt. She was the daughter of Queen Tetisheri and Senakhtenre Ahmose, and was probably the sister, as well as the queen consort, of Pharaoh Seqenenre Tao II . She had a long and influential life, ruling as regent for her son Ahmose I for a time. Her titles include Great Royal Wife and “Associate of the White Crown Bearer”

 As regent, Queen Ahhotep I played a crucial role in the resistance against the Hyksos. She raised and trained an army, which was led by her son, and provided financial support for the war effort. She also served as an ambassador, negotiating with foreign powers and securing alliances against the Hyksos 1. It is believed that she herself rallied the troops to fight against the Hyksos and was a major source of influence in defeating them. After ousting the Hyksos, it was under her control and guidance that Egypt was unified into one country.

 The term Hyksos, which comes from the Egyptian ḥqꜣ(w)-ḫꜣswt (hekau khasut), meaning “ruler(s) of foreign lands”, designates the kings of the Fifteenth Dynasty of Egypt (fl. c. 1650–1550 BC) . The Hyksos were a group of people of probable West Semitic, Levantine origin who took control of Lower and Middle Egypt up to Cusae . While they were portrayed as invaders and oppressors by the Greco-Egyptian priest and historian Manetho in the 3rd century BC, this interpretation is questioned in modern Egyptology. Instead, it is thought that Hyksos rule might have been preceded by groups of Canaanite peoples who gradually settled in the Nile delta from the end of the Twelfth Dynasty onwards and who may have seceded from the crumbling and unstable Egyptian control at some point during the Thirteenth Dynasty .

The Hyksos had a significant impact on Egyptian society, culture, and conceptions of kingship. They introduced powerful new weapons, such as the horse-drawn chariot, which revolutionized the Egyptian military . They also integrated their pantheon of Gods into the Egyptian religion, leading to a greater diversity of worship . The archetype of New Kingdom Egypt, considered the apex of ancient Egyptian society, would not have been possible without the influence of these West Asian immigrants or the rule of the Hyksos

 The exact circumstances of Queen Ahhotep I’s death are not known. However, it is believed that she may have died at an advanced age during the reign of Thutmose I . When her son Ahmose I was old enough to rule by himself, Ahhotep I retired to the temple of Karnak and it is believed that she lived there until her death .