Tutankamun’s Life
Tutankhamun,
or better known as King Tut, was a pharaoh who accomplished little in
his life. He did not expand Egypt’s borders nor enjoy triumphant
victories like the many pharaohs before him; however, he is the most
recognized and probably the most famous pharaoh today. But why is he
so famous? This answer can be attributed to the discovery of his tomb
and his elaborate treasure.
King Tut’s tomb was a major discovery of the 19th century. It was discovered
November 4, 1922 in the Valley of the Kings by Howard Carter. It was a phenomenal
discovery that made headlines across the world. Up until the discovery of King
Tut’s tomb, it was believed that all royal tombs had been robbed and
drained of their treasure.
For the first time, a tomb, which was almost intact, had been discovered and
remained hidden from robbers for thousands of years. The tomb revealed an elaborate
lifestyle that many people could only dream about as well as providing clues
and insight into King Tut’s life and how he lived.
Even though little is known about Tutankhamen’s life, we do know that
he was given the throne at a young age. It has been estimated that he was about
eight or nine years old when this throne exchange took place. During the time
that this occurred, Egypt was in turmoil due to his father’s religious
movement. His father, which is believed to be Akhenaten, had changed the religious
system and the old beliefs that had been practiced for hundreds of years before
him. This religious change angered many angry citizens and priests. Tutankamen
was left with an angry and chaotic Egypt to rule.
The birth name of Tutankhamen was Tutankhaton, which meant “Living Image
of the Aten.” His father, which remains a mystery, is believed to be
Akhenaten, although some evidence points to Amenhotp III. His mother remains
a mystery as well but she is believed to be Kiya.
It is thought that Tutankhaton must have had a good childhood. He probably
spent his younger years hunting, swimming, and studying. His tomb revealed
he enjoyed board games. Like most children, he probably found politics unexciting
and went about his environment enjoying leisurely activities. Because he was
a child, he probably had an ignorant view about his father’s teachings
and politics. He was also believed to be an ill child due to the many walking
canes that were found inside his tomb.
With
the ancient beliefs restored and the movement of the new capital, King
Tutankhamen threw lavish parties to show his support for Amun. Tuankhamen
was only a child while the old gods were being reinstated, but could a
child make decisions of this magnitude at such a young age?It doesn’t appear so, and it appears that his adviser Ay most likely made major decisions for him. Ay and Hermhab were probably the sole drive behind the throne. Could this be why old gods were reinstated and King Tut changed his name? It could have been a great possibility due to the records left behind, which showed Egypt was in a poor state after Akhenaten.
Sometime during his tenth year of reigning, Egypt was at war with the Hittites. During this confrontation Tutankhamen suddenly died. How he died remains a mystery; however, it’s believed he was murdered. King Tut had not left a male heir to the throne and the children that he had were stillborn. King Tut died at around eighteen or nineteen years old. Ay, who was a high official in Akhenaten’s court, staked his claim as pharaoh. Ay went on to rule for only 4 years and died shortly after acquiring the throne.