by Mimi Lu

Created on: November 26, 2007

Hatshepsut's Legacy

The repercussions of Hatshepsut's rule reverberated throughout Egypt long after her death because she bequeathed upon her kingdom not only an extraordinary physical legacy through her prolific building program, but also the legacy of prosperity, peace and innovative ideas. Her innovations were truly extensive and spanned political, cultural and religious spheres, innovations that would be adopted by future pharaohs for generations to come. In addition, through her efficient administration and effective foreign policy, she created the ideal conditions in which cultural and intellectual progress could be nurtured. Ultimately, by examining the longevity and impact of her policies and ideas, a more profound appreciation of Hatshepsut's extraordinary legacy can be developed.

Perhaps the most important part of Hatshepsut's legacy was her creation of a flourishing and stable Egypt through her highly successful foreign policy. Her military campaigns in both the north and the south augmented the extent of Egypt's influence on a vaster scale. The tomb inscription of Scribe Djehuty, I saw the collection of the booty of this mighty ruler from the vile Kush, who are deemed cowards' attests that Hatshepsut's military endeavours also contributed significantly to Egypt's economical prosperity. In terms of trade, Redford remarked that Hatshepsut was not blind to the need of bolstering Egypt's economy' and indeed, the Punt expedition is but the climax of her consistent trading enterprises with Lebanon, Crete, Syria, West Africa, South Africa, Aswan and the reopening of mines in Mt. Sinai. Hence, the Speos Artemidos text is no exaggeration - Punt overflows for meThe roads that were blocked on both sides are now trodden. My army, which was unequipped, has become possessed of riches since I arose as king.' Her successful foreign policy is testified by Thutmose III's record that he received 22.3 kilograms of gold from Nubia in the first year of his reign. In addition, he had inherited such an internally stable kingdom from Hatshepsut that he was able to launch his famous Megiddo expedition and expand upon Hatshepsut's northern military policy, after a mere thirty-five days of sole rule. Therefore, Hatshepsut's creation of a prosperous and secure empire, characterised by maat resides at the core of her legacy to Egypt.

Hatshepsut's emphasis on utilising propaganda as a means of justifying her kingship also became part of her legacy. As Newby noted, Although she was

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>