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Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. He was believed to be the son of Akhenaten. Akhenaten's chief wife was Nefertiti, however, it was thought that one of his lesser wives gave birth to Tutenkhamun.
When Tutankhamun was born, he was named Tutankhaten, which means 'the living image of Aten'. Tutankhamun was about five years old when his father died. The years following his death are shrouded in mystery that remain unsolved to this day. Tutankhamun was only eight or nine years old when he became king of Egypt. He was lucky to have several people around him to help him rule the country.
It was normal for the kings of Egypt to marry their sisters as they didn't want the queens & princesses marrying outside of the royal family. Tutankhamun married his queen, Ankhsenpaaten, who was the daughter of Akhenaten & probably Tutankhamun's half-sister.
When Tutankhamun took the throne around 1332 BC, there was a huge celebration, called a coronation. There were many different crowns presented to the king, each with its own special meaning.
Every ancient Egyptian king was given five names. One, his birth name, the others were given to him when he became king. King Tut changed his name two years after his coronation. He changed it from Tutankhaten, a name glorifying the god Aten, to Tutankhamun, which glorified the god Amun. When Tutankhamun became king, he was given the throne name Neb-Kheperu-Re ("god Re is the lord of appearances"). However, Tutankhamun's official full titles included other names. One is called his Horus name which means "Strong bull, perfect of birth". Another name is called the Nebty name, or the "two ladies" name, which refers to the two goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet. The fifth name was the Golden Horus ( "He who wears the crowns, who satisfies the gods").
As the king of Egypt, Tutankhamun had great responsibilities. It was his job to keep his country stable & his people safe. His army had to be ready at all times in case of any threats. He also had to keep the gods happy by restoring the old temples & by building new. It was a lot to do for such a young boy!
Do you want to learn more about this Egyptian pharaoh? Take one of Inside Egypt’s tours of Tutankhamun's tomb.
