Queen Khentkaus: The Second Queen to rule Egypt independently

CAIRO – 4 February 2018: Women played a significant role throughout the history of ancient Egypt, especially during hard political times. A number of Egyptian queens managed to assume the throne and rule Egypt independently such as Queen Khentkaus I.

Considered the second Egyptian queen to rule Egypt independently, Queen Khentkaus I lived during the Fourth Dynasty, the Old Kingdom, according to researcher and author Ismail Hamed.

She was King Menkaure’s daughter, and she inherited the throne from her husband and half brother King Shepseskaf, according to prominent historian Selim Hassan.
During her reign, she carried a number of royal titles such as The Queen of Upper and Lower Egypt, God’s Daughter, and Royal Mother.


Queen Khentkaus from her tomb in Giza – Wikipedia/Jon Bodsworth


She later married one of the priests called Userkaf, who became the first king of the Fifth Dynasty. She delivered two sons to King Userkaf: Sahure and Neferirkare Kakai.

Following the tradition of Fourth Dynasty kings, Queen Khentkaus established a 35-meter tall pyramid for herself in Giza. She changed the architectural style of the pyramid though, according to Hassan.


Nearby the pyramid, Queen Khentkaus established a city for priests; in addition, she built a fence around the pyramid and its attachments.