Queen Khentkaus I: Mother of Two Kings of Upper and Lower Egypt (Fourth Dynasty)

The Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt is the second dynasty of the Old Kingdom and last lasted from c. 2613 to 2494 B.C. Known for its enormous building projects, the Old Kingdom of Egypt is referred to as the 'Age of the Pyramids' or 'Age of the Pyramid Builders.

Other dynasties of the Old Kingdom include the Third, Fifth and Sixth. The capital of Egypt during this period was located at Memphis.

Queen Khentkaus I lived during the Fourth Dynasty. She may have been a daughter of Menkaure, inheriting the throne from her husband and half brother King Shepseskaf. A granite doorway leading to her tomb features a large inscription which reads, "Mother of Two Kings of Upper and Lower Egypt." Her tomb is the fourth pyramid at Giza, and she was obviously a very important figure, but little is known of her.

She later married one of the priests called Userkaf, who organized the first Egyptian expedition to the Land of Punt, negotiated important trade agreements with other nations, and became the first king of the Fifth Dynasty. She delivered two sons to King Userkaf: Sahure and Neferirkare Kakai.

According to Manetho, the Fifth Dynasty ruled from Elephantine, but archeologists have found evidence showing that it was still located at Memphis.

Queen Khentkaus I was born around 2550-2520 BC and died sometime between 2510-2490 BC. She probably was the last member of the royal family of the 4th Dynasty to have been buried at Giza.

Biographies of officials serving at the time show no traces of religious, political or economic upheavals at the time. The grave could reveal that the kingdom was facing similar problems to our own, in the form of political unrest and climate change.

'The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Mother of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, every good thing which she orders is done for her, Khent-kawes'

Like this post? Stop by and read “Queen Meryt Neith: Egypt’s First Female Pharaoh?.” Meryt Neith whose name means "beloved of the goddess Neith," lived about 5,000 years ago and ruled Egypt around 2950 B.C. She’s the earliest recorded female pharaoh of ancient Egypt. Two separate tombs are dedicated to her... one in Abydos and the other in Saqqara.

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