The God-King and the Architect of Her Divinity

Divine Mortals by Jeffrey D. McKelvin

Episode notes

In this episode of Divine Mortals, we journey into the story of Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first great female pharaoh. Born into royalty but denied the throne by tradition, she rose above the expectations of her detractors, donning the regalia of kingship and declaring herself the living embodiment of the god Amun.

But behind the gold-tipped obelisks and divine declarations was a deeply human story — of power gained and carefully protected, of court intrigue, strategic marriages, and calculated myths. What psychological toll must it have taken to walk like a god and rule like a man? What were her lovers, priests, and rivals saying behind the carved stone walls?

You’ll hear:

  • How Hatshepsut reshaped the divine narrative to legitimize her rule
  • Her bold temple projects and god-ordaine ... 
 ...  Read more
Keywords
ancient rulers and religionhistoryhistorical mythologypsychological history