General Notes

Pharoah of Egypt (XVIII Dynasty)

The ninth king of the 18th dynasty was the son of Thutmose IV and Queen Mutemwiya. He married Tiy, daughter of Yuya, who was a chancellor of the north and was a priest of Hermonthis and Amon. His reign was characterized by little on the battle ground, but great diplomatic achievements and economical growth, which brought Egypt to its highest power in ancient times. His diplomatic correspondence, especially with Mitanni and Babylonia, is preserved, in the Amarna tablets, consisting of 400 clay tablets found in Tellu l-Amarna in 1887.

Egypt was enjoying a peaceful time during Amenhotep’s reign, thus allowing him to concentrate on more artistic renewals. He married daughters of foreign kings, including a Mitanni princess and one from Babylon. This solidified his international standings. During his reign he enlarged many temples. He built Malkata on the western shore of Thebes, south of Medinet Habu. This complex was a miniature city with offices, houses, chambers, chapels and apartments. Close to Malkata he built a lake for his queen. Next to the lake he built a palace for his harem and a palace for Queen Tiy. He built the famous Colossi of Memnon and is accredited with building the Temple of Luxor. Amenhotep spent years improving Karnak, by adding temples and a row of sphinxes that linked it to the temple of Amon at Luxor. Amenhotep died in his mid fifties. His heir was the infamous Akhenaten.