The boundary stele that flanked the boundaries of Akhetaten showed the king and his queen offering gifts to the Aten, with smaller statues of the two elder princess. Soon, a third figure was added, the little body of the princess Ankhesenpaaten. It is not known whether the princesses were depicted shortly after birth or if they waited a year or two, for a 'coming out' ceremony. Infant deaths were very high in the first two or three years of life.
She was born Ankhesenpaaten, 'May she live for the Aten', around Year 5. Her father was Akhenaten, the Heretic Pharaoh, also known as the Visionary. Her mother, the fabled Nefertiti. Ankhesenpaaten had two elder sisters, Meritaten and Meketaten. It seems that the three eldest of six were their parent's favorites. For all that Ankhesenpaaten could remember she had lived in her father's city of Akhetaten 'Horizon of the Aten' far from the vengeful priests of Amun.
There were other important figures in her early life, her father's hand picked followers and advisors, which included Ay and his wife, the royal nurse of Nefertiti, Tey. Mutnodjmet was her mother's sister and was seen a few times in the early years accompaning the eldest princesses. Perhaps the person she grew closest too in her early years was her nurse, Tia, whom, of all the menats(nurses) is the only one we know by name.
Ankhesenpaaten was probably very close to her parents and elder sisters. Meritaten, Meketaten and Ankhesenpaaten are always shown as a trio. The artists of Amarna showed them in natural poses, they were shown with their arms around one another, holding hands, kissing, and playing just as children do.
Religiously, no doubt, Ankhesenpaaten would have been taught of the evils of the hateful priests of Amun and the love of Aten, among the gods, there was no other but Aten. Akhenaten had ceremonies at least three times a day and the princesses must have taken an active part as soon as they were physically able. The princesses were even substitued for goddesses, since no other gods and goddesses could be worshipped at Akhetaten, the people turned to images of Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their daughters.
Akhenaten and Nefertiti were see as divine parents, very doting and protective of their children as all parents should be. It would seem that Akhenaten would have drawn his family as close to him as the Aten.
Ankhesenpaaten would have grown up in the beautifully tiled palaces, among her father's special chosen. She hardly if ever, left the city walls. The women of Akhetaten were given more priviledges than normally given Egyptian royal women. It seems from palletes found that the Amarna princesses were literate, they could read and write. They also had paints which are splattered on the walls on one Amarna building, a haunting reminder of the children that once played there. The children probably enjoyed the chariot rides they took with their father and mother, maybe they were even taught to drive the chariots themselves.
At least three times Ankhesenpaaten's name is written as 'Ankhesenaten'. There is no obvious reason for this and it would seem that it might not have been a 'mistake' as it happened at least thrice and maybe more that we don't know of. (See 'Ankhesenamune's Name' for more)
By this time all six princesses have been born (Meritaten, Meketaten, Ankhesenpaaten, Neferneferuaten Tasherit,Neferneferure, and Setepenre). It is around Year 12. The great jubilee is here and it is the last happy time for the Amarna family. It is to be the final dawn on Akhenaten's religion. The princess are all together for one of few times.
By Year 14 Meketaten, the second eldest sister, has died. Meketaten was buried in the royal tomb at Amarna. The only princesses shown mourning here are Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten (who is now second in the line of royal heiress) and Neferneferuaten Tasherit. The youngest, Neferneferure and Setepenre are not shown. It is not known whether it is because of their young age or if it is because they were already dead. There is some evidence one of the sisters was married to a king of Babylon, which was probably the first time an Egyptian princess was given to a foreign king. This might also help the explain why Ankhesenamun herself turned to foreign powers later in her life. Whatever these princesses fate, it is the last time they are all shown together. The only remaining after Meketaten's death are Meritaten and Ankhesenpaaten. About this time Kiya, the Royal Favorite of Akhenaten has died and been buried, most likely also once interred in the royal crypt.
Even more mysterious is the sudden decline/disappearance of Nefertiti. She is shown hardly at all at this point and there is no hard evidence of her death. To the contrary, haunting yet meager evidence points to the fact that she may have lived long after her 'disappearance'. This has prompted some to think that the mysterious Smenkhkare is actually Nefertiti ruling as male and co-regent of Akhenaten. The theory does not seem likely, however she might be Neferneferuaten, who reigned about 4 years give or take a little. This pharaoh's wife is said to be Meritaten of whom we know was married to Smenkhkare. Meritaten's position as Neferneferuaten's wife, if she was indeed Nefertiti, would be reminiscent of Hatshepsut, who made her daughter perform the queenly roles. If this is not Nefertiti, then Neferneferuaten is Smenkhkare under a different name.
Smenkhkare is known to have been co-regent of Akhenaten. He ruled, scholars debate from 1-6? years. His origins are unknown, he seems to have sprung overnight. Another young man who appears quickly out of seemingly nowhere is Tutankhaten who later becomes the infamous 'boy king'. Tutankhaten is described by an obscure inscription as 'King's son of his loins'. But which king? He could be either the son of Akhenaten or AmenhotepIII. Popular vote between the two constantly waning. Akhenaten and Nefertiti are presumed to never have had sons as they are never mentioned. But Akhenaten had other wives that could have produced him a son, this could explain Kiya's prominence. AmenhotepIII also had many wives, notably his own daughters, the most significant being the eldest, Sitamun.
Smenkhakre reigned alongside Akhenaten for the final years of his reign. He ruled at least briefly afterwards. During this time, with Nefertiti absent for whatever reason, Akhenaten took his daughter Meritaten and proclaimed her his 'Great Wife'. Whether this was marriage in the full sense of the word or done merely to give her a higher status or fufill religious purposes is unknown. While this is hotly disputed, most incline that Akhenaten married his daughter in the full sense of the word. This would not be, after all the first evidence of father-daugher incest in the royal family. But once Meritaten was married to Akhenaten's co-regent, who now ruled in Memphis, Akhenaten needed another royal wife. The only eligible women left was Ankhesenpaaten.
King's daugher of his body whom he loves, king's wife?
Who were the Tasherits?
Akhenaten dies, Meritaten disappears, Queen Ankhesenpaaten?
Smenkhkare died, leaving the only eligible male, the obscure Tutankhaten to rule in place of Pharaoh. His wife was to be the slightly older Ankhesenpaaten who was about twelve. Tutankhaten was nine or ten. It is presumed the young couple were married at the coronation ceremony, though it is possible and likely they were previously betrothed. It was up to this young couple to carry on the dynasty.
For the first two possibly three years, Tutankhakhaten and Ankhesenpaaten ruled at Amarna. They were too young to be in any real power, Ay and Horemheb were the real 'puppet masters'. The royal couple resided at the North Palace of Amarna. Evidence of their reign their has been found along with one letter from a foreign king addressed to Tutankhaten.
The priests of Amun would not stand for the hated god in their rulers name, so Tutankhaten was changed to Tutankhamun and likewise Ankhesenpaaten to Ankhesenamun, their commonly known names. The meaning of Tutankhamun being something like 'Living image of Amun' and Ankhesenamun 'She lives through Amun.' In addition to this, Tutankhamun re-opened all the temples, added onto and restored religious buildings and monumemts and reinstated all the old gods. This must have made him popular in the people's eyes, as they hated Akhenaten's forceful one god. One wonders if they would have hated poor Ankhesenamun as well. What the true feelings of this young couple was will never be known and can only be speculated at.
There is a slight possibility that Ankhesenamun could have reigned as 'pharaoh' or more likely regent for Tutankhamun as he grew older. She could have had an active role in politics and government as well. She would have had to have some influence at least in her mandatory religious ceremonies. If she did indeed rule, it was for a very short time and always in the shadows behind Ay and Horemheb.
Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun fell in love sometime inbetween all the political and religious turmoil, perhaps they always loved each other, surely they clung to each other during their rough early years. They transitioned very quickly together from childhood to adulthood. They had themselves portrayed as inseperable, the queen always at his feet, the perfect wife. But there is more proof of their love, Ankhesenamun was Tutankhamun's only wife, he made no use of his harem. He is the only pharaoh to have only one lover.
It would seem for the first time that their years together were going to be happy times, but it was not too last
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Ankhesenpaaten during this time is mentioned only scarcely. This time of her life is not entirely clear and not all is accepted by certain scholars. It seems to some that Ankhesenpaaten was married to her father for a year or two as well before his death. Ankhesenpaaten's name was placed over that of Kiya's and Nefertiti as 'Great wife', just as Meritaten was earlier. There are however, less sources of Ankhesenamun as wife compared to Meritaten. Akhenaten's intentions of this is not clear.
Two more shadowy figures arise about this time. Those of Meritaten Tasherit and Ankhesenpaaten Tasherit. Tasherit translates as 'junior', 'the little' or 'the younger'. These girls are named as king's daughters and Akhenaten is, obviously the only king at this time, unless by slim chance these are Smenkhkare's. Their mother's are not named but Meritaten and Ankhesenpaaten are shown and are in text suggestive of their mothers. The textual references being the 'junior' aspect. It is not absolute that these are the children of Meritaten and Ankhesenpaaten, but that is the generally accepted theory. Meritaten, the eldest would have been old enough to bear children as child bearing age in Ancient times was younger. However, Ankhesenpaaten's age is hard to determine. Her age is largely dependent on whether one accepts the Tasherit as her daughter or not, this is why most say Ankhesenpaaten was older than her destined husband Tutankhamun. She is put around the age of 14 which is child bearing age. However, it is possible she was much younger, perhaps even Tutankhamun's age. If she was born in Year 5 she would be twelve at this time. Which is acceptable pro and against the Tasherit theory. The Tasherits are both shown only a few times and are seen as very young. They both were awareded sun shades which were important religiously and socially and noted an honarary staus. Curiously it is Ankhesenpaaten Tasherit and not Ankhesenpaaten who was awarded this honor among other Amarna women.
The likely mothers for the Tasherit's are: Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten, Nefertiti, and Kiya. It should be noted that none of these are quite satisfactory and it should be further noted that the two fetus found in Tutankhamun's tomb, the remains of his children with Ankhesenpaaten, would seem to prove that Ankhesenpaaten was not capable of bearing children.
Akhenaten died, his cause of death unknown, it is presumed he was entombed in his royal crypt with much of his family already buried there.
Smenkhkare's reign was short lived. His wife, Meritaten disappeared after a few years of their co-regency. Her fate is unknown. There are some curious references that link Smenkhkare and Ankhesenpaaten together as if husband and wife. This is considered by most a moot point. If she was ever his wife, it was three years maximum.
Some time during this period it was decided to move the capital back and to abolish all Akhenaten had done. How devastating this must have been especially for Ankhesenpaaten to be foreced to turn her back on her father and family and to leave the only home she ever remembered. The priests of Amun would accept only this as consolation for Akhenaten's revolution, and they expected much more along with it. Amarna was quickly evacuated and forgotten.
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