Hatshepsut did not usurp the throne as she had most royal blood and hence most right

to rule. Thutmose I was not of royal blood, however through marriage to Ahomse
who was of royal blood he became royalty. They had four children of whom only
Hashepsut survived. When Thutmose I died without a heir to the throne the son of his
secondary wife, Thutmose II was given the throne. Hatshepsut married thutmose II,
however when he too died prematurely and without a male heir. He son from his
concubine, Thutmose III would rule. However Thutmose III was of approximately ten
years of age when this occurred and so Hatshepsut was called upon to become Co-
Regent and help rule, until he came of an age where he himself could rule.

Royal blood was passed through the female side of the family, and heirs of
concubines and secondary wives were not eligible for the throne unless no other heirs
were born to the primary wife or the heirs died at a young age. However this was not
the case wit Hatshepsut, who had the most royal blood in her veins and hence most
right to the throne.

Tydelsley takes the view that Hashepsut’s co-regency was unprecedented because it
was not her son. However there is evidence to prove that Hatsheput was not the first
female ruler in Egypt and that the concept was familiar and had arisen before.

After becoming Co-Regent Hashepsut set about justifiying her rule and slowly
transforming and evolving her image to hat of a king. Tefnin support this view based
on the evidence that her statutory changed from that of a feminine co-regent to a
pharoh in full regalia and tutiary. She justified her rule through her divine birth and
re-writing her past history where she is elected by Thutmose I (her father) as co-
regent and heir to the throne. Redford believe that this is coronation ceremony may be
true other wise it is a bold piece of propaganda, however contrastingly Gardiner and
Breasted believe that this is completely fictional as the coronations scene was taken
from the Tomb of a middle kingdom pharaoh and because she was never called
anything but “god’s wife of Amun” before co-regency.

Before co-Regency Hatshepsut is depicted as Thutmose II wife in an “approved

wifely fashion” however the text below refers to Ahmose as “mother of the king”
supporting evidence that her ascension to the throne was pre planned. Others however
believe that she simply took advantage of the situation.

There is no evidence that although Hatshepsut was pharaoh that there was any enmity
between her and Thutmose III. Hatshepsut ruled for 22 years and gave Thutmose III
rule over an army and military training, however there is no sign of animosity or war
between them. We can only assume that this was a mutual agreement.

Although past historians such as Steindorff an Steele and Grdiner and Hayes believe
she took advantage of the situation and usurped the throne more recent historians such
as Callendar, Lawless and Tydelsey believe that she had the most right to be on the
throne and hence she did not usurp the throne as there is no evidence of enmity with
Thutmose III.