Meet Merneith, the first Queen in history

CAIRO - 26 April 2020: In ancient Egypt, women took up a distinguished position compared to various other human societies and civilizations. Ancient Egyptian antiquities strongly support that claim.

Among Ancient Egypt's great female leaders was Queen Merneith, who had overwhelming ambition to rule the country and could stop whoever shared the same ambition with her.

She assumed the tutelage over the throne despite religious traditions that restricted the rule to men at the time.

She is the first woman to rule in Egypt and in human history after her husband's death. She shared the rule of Egypt with her son Den, after inheriting the rule of Egypt once his father, Djet, died.

Merneith ruled Egypt for almost a decade (2939-2929 BC). Her name means “the beloved Neith”. Her father was King Djer.

Merneith stood firmly by her son, until he became one of the most prominent kings of the Old Kingdom. She has two royal tombs, in Abydos and Saqqara.