Black women love to call themselves queens. But how many even know of the many Great African Queens?–and not just Cleopatra either.
One of the baddest Black queens of all time was Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut.
|About 1500 years before the birth of Christ, one finds the beginning of Hatshepsut’s reign as one of the brightest in Egyptian history, proving that a woman can be a strong and effective ruler. She was according to Egyptologist, James Henry Breasted, “The first great woman in history of whom we are informed.”
Her father, Thothmes I, was highly impressed with the efficiency of his daughter, and appointed her manager, and co-ruler of his kingdom. Before the King died, he married Hatshepsut to her half-brother, Thothmes II. His reign lasted only thirteen years. After his death, Hatshepsut was to rule only in the name of Thothmes III, until he was old enough to rule alone. Hatshepsut was not satisfied to rule in the name of Thothmes III.
Hatshepsut dressed herself in the most sacred of the Pharaoh’s clothing, mounted the throne, and proclaimed herself Pharaoh of Egypt. She ruled Egypt for twenty-one years. She also moved to strengthen the position of Egypt within Africa by making peace with the peoples of Kush (or Nubia) and sending missions to the nations along the East African coast, as far south as Punt (present day Somalia). One of Hatshepsut’s crowning achievements was dispatching a mission to a kingdom in Asia (now India).
While several male rivals sought to oust her from power, Hatshepsut withstood their challenges to remain leader of what was then the world’s leading nation. To help enhance her popularity with the peoples of Egypt, Hatshepsut had a number of spectacular temples and pyramids erected. Some of the towering structures still stand today as a reminder of the first true female ruler of a civilized nation. She was indeed the “Ablest Queen of Far Antiquity” and remained so for thirty-three years.
Hatshepsut died suddenly and mysteriously. Some historians say that Thothmes III, had her murdered. After her death, Thothmes III, tried unsuccessfully to destroy all memory of Hatshepsut in Egypt. Her temple still remains in the Valley of the Kings, once the ancient city of Thebes, known today as Deir el Bahri, and Hatshepsut comes down to us as one of the most outstanding women of all time.
There are many other Black African queens that Black women should learn about: Queen Tiye, Queen Nefratari, Queen Nefertiti. Queen Candace, Queen Makeda, Queen Kiya, et al. Link: http://www.africanlegends.info/
As most sistahs, I visualize myself as a queen as well. I’ve never understood why…perhaps, it’s the blood of ancient ancestors that uphold me. Whatever it is; I know that being a Black woman of purpose is important to me.
There’s no question about it, Black women definitely have a powerful presence about them.
I once had a supervisor tell me that there was something “powerful” about me…inside, I said, of course…there’s a reason for that.
If this is you, maybe you are a descendant of royalty…
So honor the true queens, and learn your history.