Pharaoh Akhenaten

Pharaoh Akhenaten, ruled Egypt from 1350-1334 BC. Akhenaten is famous for two things, he changed the state religion from the worship of many gods to one god, Aten, whom he identified as the SUN. The second thing that made Akhenaten famous, was his marriage to the famous Nefertiti, of whom there are many statues of and she is called one of the most beautiful women of the ancient world. Akhenaten moved the capital from Memphis to a new capital city he had built called Akhetaten, today the site of the city called el-Amarna. Akhenaten was trying to make a complete break with the old religion and all its Gods, which were centered in Memphis and Thebes. Akhenaten also started a new artistic style, allowing sculptors and painters to do the royal family in their true likeness rather than the old stylized form that had been done for the last 1300 years. Akhenatens priorities were only focused on his God, Aten, rather than the welfare of the country. The army was not well supported, other countries aligned with Egypt were attacked and taken over by other hostile empires, as Akhenaten was indifferent to all their pleas for help. It is well known that only the upper echelons of society embraced the new religion to please the Pharaoh, the common folk continued to worship the old religion. After a 17 year reign, Akhenaten departed this world. During the last few years of Akhenaten's reign, his disabilities forced him to allow another royal member of his family to co-rule with him, that person was none other than his younger brother,"Smenkhkare". After Akhenatens death, Smenkhkare continued to rule as Pharaoh for about 2 to 3 years. After the death of Smenkhkare, Tutankhaten, Smenkhkare's son,became Pharaoh at the age of about 8 or 9 years old. This new young Pharaoh is known to the world today as "Tutankhamun". Akhenatens tomb, was found at Amarna, but not his mummy. It is believed that when the city he built was ordered destroyed as the old religion became dominant again, believers in his religion, Aten, may have spirited his mummy and that of Nefertiti, to a hiding place that has yet to be found. I believe that his mummy has been found in KV55, where I believe his mummy and that of his mother "Tiy" was found. Nefertiti's mummy has yet to be discovered. I believe that her tomb is still hidden somewhere in the Kings Valley or the West Valley. Based on the physicial characteristics of the paintings and statues of Akhenaten, it is believed he suffered from a genetic defect called "Marfan's syndrome".
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