Today, Nefertiti is renowned as one of Egypt’s most celebrated queens, admired for her beauty. Despite the mysterious nature of her origins, it is widely believed that she was not born into a royal family. It has been speculated that she may have been the daughter of an influential official in the court of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. Rumors suggest that both her father and her aunt, who was the Pharaoh’s mother, selected her based on her strong personality. The belief was that she possessed the ability to manipulate and guide the Pharaoh, thus granting significant power to her family from behind the throne.
Her power and beauty were both rivalled by her. Ever since her bust was found in 1912, her face has become one of the most well-known images globally. Nefertiti, an independent and forward-thinking woman ahead of her time (Fletcher, 2004), sparks curiosity about her true identity and the extent of her power. When a three-thousand-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti was unearthed in 1912, it thrust her into the spotlight of Egyptology and swiftly gained fame as a renowned artifact across the globe.
Despite gaps in Nefertiti’s life story, she defied societal expectations by becoming a co-Pharaoh alongside her husband Akhenaten. The origins of Nefertiti’s parents are unknown, although most scholars speculate that she was not born into royalty. It is widely believed that she ascended to the throne at the age of twelve, around the same time as Amenhotep IV, who later changed his name to “Akhenaten.” As the wife of Amenhotep IV, Nefertiti ruled over Egypt for approximately seventeen years during the 18th Dynasty around 1357 B.C.
Queen Nefertiti, also known as C. E. Queen Nefertiti, was the wife of Akhenaten and they had six daughters together but no sons. Despite Akhenaten having other wives, only Nefertiti was depicted in sculptures, indicating her unique position in his affections. Nefertiti frequently appeared alongside Akhenaten in significant monuments and even participated in offerings. No other queen in Egyptian history has been portrayed as frequently as Queen Nefertiti. Multiple images showcase ordinary family gatherings with her husband and daughters. Moreover, she is acknowledged as both the mother-in-law and stepmother of Pharaoh Tutankhamen.
According to Tyldesley (1999), Nefertiti and her husband challenged ancient tradition by practicing monotheism and promoting Nefertiti beyond the traditional role of subservient consort that Egyptian queens previously played. In her fourth year as queen, she left Thebes, the capital city, and built a new city to honor their chosen god, Aten. Agreeing with her husband’s belief that Aten, a lesser sun god, was the most significant deity, Nefertiti also adopted this perspective. As a result, Aten became the focal point of Egypt’s religion, surpassing all others.
The responsibility of designing the new city fell upon Neferitti and her husband, resulting in over 50,000 Egyptians relocating to Akhenaten. The purpose of this relocation was to serve the king and queen in their newly established city. This move represented a significant departure from the traditional Egyptian religion, as it embraced the notion of a single deity rather than multiple gods. Consequently, Nefertiti gained more authority compared to previous Egyptian queens due to her newfound religious duties. During this period, Akhenaten rose to become one of the most influential rulers globally, with Nefertiti exerting substantial influence on him. It is not widely known that both Neferitti and her husband decided to change their names as an act of reverence towards their God.
Nefertiti, originally known as “the beautiful woman,” was renamed Neferneferuaten, meaning “beautiful are the beauties of Aten,” to honor their god. In the Amarna period, Nefertiti was viewed as nearly equal to a Pharaoh. She became captivated by her newfound power and popularity among the people, getting swept up in her husband’s aspirations for glamour, power, and immortality. After his death, she assumed control of Aten.
The Egyptian public adored Nefertiti and revered her beauty in various forms of art. However, the priests held a different sentiment towards her. According to historians, upon Nefertiti’s demise, the priests took deliberate measures to remove her name from all public records. As a result, she was omitted from historical accounts for an astonishing duration of three thousand years. Very little information exists about Nefertiti, including details surrounding her passing and the location of her burial chamber. Nonetheless, archaeologists discovered masks at Amarna at the beginning of the 20th century that bear an uncanny resemblance to her. These artifacts, previously lost for thousands of years, attest to her renowned beauty.
It is uncommon for the death of a queen like Nefertiti to not be documented in Egyptian culture. Even today, monuments in Egypt commemorate the significance of rulers and their contributions with pyramids and tombs. However, it is unfortunate that Akhenaten and Nefertiti’s family was almost entirely eradicated. Nefertiti’s beauty continues to enchant thousands of visitors each year, even three thousand years after her passing. Her enigmatic smile and authoritative gaze fascinated numerous men and left them pondering her identity and rise to power in ancient Egypt.
Despite Nefertiti’s immense efforts and accomplishments, her legacy was thrown into uncertainty and danger. According to Englar (2009), tragedy struck and jeopardized all that Nefertiti had strived for. Some historians speculate that she succumbed to a plague or assumed a new identity, Smenkhkare, while ruling Egypt. However, these claims have sparked controversy throughout history. It appears that Smenkhkare may have become a co-regent following the death of Nefertiti, Akhenaten’s primary wife. Speculation has been rampant, including the theory that Nefertiti herself disguised as a male, similar to Hatshepsut’s custom, and became a co-regent (Dunn, 2003).
Nefertiti has long fascinated people with her mysterious past and the unknown whereabouts of her remains, sparking curiosity and speculation. In popular culture, she is widely recognized and famous for the extraordinary discovery of her bust. In Western perception, she is considered the second most renowned queen of Egypt, following Cleopatra. Images depicting her likeness have had a profound impact on societal standards of feminine beauty during the twentieth century. Consequently, she is often referred to as “the most beautiful woman in the world” (Dunn, 2003).
Despite her numerous achievements, Nefertiti is most famous for collaborating with Pharaoh Akhenaten to bring a monotheistic religion to Egypt. Had this religion endured, it would have had a profound impact on the history of the Middle East and led to significant repercussions for the ongoing political and religious turmoil in the region (Weller, 2008). As a result, Nefertiti continues to be recognized as one of Egypt’s influential and powerful queens (Englar, 2009; Fletcher, 2004; Moran, 2007; Tyldesley, 1999).
