Predecessors of Cleopatra

by Leigh North

There is an interesting story of a queen, by some authorities said to be the wife of Rameses XIII, by others of Rameses XII, and by some queen of Rameses II or III, claiming that Rameses XII was never in Mesopotamia, while Mariette believes it to have been merely a legend invented by the priests to do honor to the god Chonsu or Khonsu. This king, whatever his place in the royal line, was, like his great predecessor, Amenophis III, fond of hunting. He also went abroad to collect tribute from subjugated peoples, and in Mesopotamia among those who came to pay was a certain chief or prince, who brought with him a beautiful daughter, with whom the Egyptian king at once fell in love and bore her home to share his life and throne. This princess of Bakhten took the name of Ra-neferu, “the glories of the sun,” and evidently had much influence with her husband. For later came messengers from her native country, saying that her sister, Bentresh, was ill, and begging for the loan of the ark of the god Khonsu, which was sure to cure her. We can hardly imagine the king willing to part with such a treasure, except to pleasure the queen. To her wishes, therefore, he yielded, and the ark, with a proper escort, was sent away, and accomplished a miraculous cure, as had been anticipated. Naturally, those who were benefited clung to the same, and years passed without the return of the borrowed treasure. But finally the king, or prince, of Bakhtan, “dreamed a dream,” like the Pharaoh of Scriptures, in which a golden hawk came out of the ark and flew to Egypt. Possibly the king of Egypt had demanded its return before, or perhaps the queen’s influence had been used to induce him to leave it, for the benefit of her family, as long as possible. The explanation is not given, but at last the conscience of the delinquent was pricked, and the ark, with royal honors, was returned to its native land.

Queen Ra-neferu is variously spoken of as Mesopotamian, Bakhtan or Lidyan. From this story we may infer that she was young and beautiful at the period of her marriage, that she had great influence with the king, and possessed near relatives to whom she was warmly attached. But this, so far as we know it, is the whole of her history, and other queens than she of this same general period make no figure among the records.

For some time the priests had been gaining in power and influence, and Rameses XIII seems to have been set aside and Her-Hor, priest of Amen, the third who had directed affairs of state, seized the reins of government. He is described as of a “pleasing countenance,” with features that were delicate and good, and expression that was mild and agreeable. The priest-kings were the chief rulers, but a few descendants of previous Pharaohs held sway in a portion of the kingdom, as Japan was once divided between the Mikado of the old regime and the Shogun, the military and political chief.

Of these monarchs and such of their consorts as are mentioned we now give a brief summary, chiefly following the guidance of the well known Egyptologist, Professor Wallis Budge.

Nes-ba-Tettet is called the first king of the Twenty-first Dynasty of Tanis. From the time of this king to that of Rsammetichus II, third king of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty, the dates are given as from about 1100 to 600 B. C. Egypt declined in power and influence, and its tributaries recovered their independence. With the close of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty the New Empire came to an end, and the period of Egyptian Renaissance began. The feeble kingdoms of the South and North were again united, under Shashang I, and a Libyan reigned. The worship of the cat-headed goddess Bast increased, and that of Amen-Ra declined, while his priests were forced to seek refuge in Napata, Nubia. Esarhaddon, king of Asyria, sacked Thebes, and ruled by governors.

Nes-ba-Tettet, the Smendes of Manetho, possibly a descendant of Rameses II, reigned at Tanis, while the priest king Her-Hor reigned at Thebes. The name of the former’s queen, Thent-Amen, is about all we know of her, and is thought to suggest her having the true claim to the throne. King Nes-ba-Tettet reigned twenty-nine years, making no such mark in history as did his great predecessors. This king is also called Nessu Ba-neb-Tet.

Next came Pasebkhanut I, second of the Tanite kings, who was called the “Mighty Bull,” and reigned forty-one years. The statues of the Nile, North and South, in the Cairo Museum, are said to belong to this period.

Long and uneventful seem to have been the reigns of these kings, for Amen-em-apt, “Amen in Karnak,” a descendant of Nes-ba-Tettet, reigned forty-nine years, and our chief knowledge of him seems to be derived from a stele at Cairo, making offerings to Isis, his favorite goddess.

Possibly this king was succeeded by one or two others, with short reigns. Authorities do not seem decided on this point. A king, Sa-Sa-Amen, is believed to have reigned sixteen years; his greatest work was the restoration of the pylons of the temple of Rameses III at Tanis. Gold and porcelain tablets have also been found, engraved with his name, and he added it also to the two obelisks taken from Heliopolis to Alexandria, and thence in modern times to London and New York, thereby proving he had authority in Heliopolis.