How Did Hatshepsut Come to Power?

Hatshepsut came to power by marrying her half-brother Thutmose II in ancient Egypt; she was the daughter of King Thutmose I and became regent for her stepson after the death of her husband. The queen took on the full power of a Pharaoh, starting in 1473 B.C., and co-ruled Egypt with Thutmose III. She was the third woman to become Pharaoh in 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, according to History.com.

During her reign as co-ruler of Egypt, Hatshepsut authorized a trading expedition that brought back ivory, gold, ebony and leopard skins from the country of Punt. She also commissioned the building of the temple at Deir el-Bahri, which is considered to be one of the wonders of ancient Egypt. After her death, her stepson Thutmose III reigned for three more decades and had all images and paintings of his mother destroyed.