Facts About King Tut Part 2

While King Tut is one of the most famous of rulers associated with ancient Egyptian history , there are certain questions that enthusiasts don’t ask as much. Was this boy-king married and did he produce any children? In this article, you will learn if he ever took a bride and if any heirs followed in his legacy.

The names and identities of King Tut’s mother and father are rather hazy. While there is an inscription that refers to him as a “king’s son,” it is not exactly clear which king was his father. In the beginning, historians thought he was the son of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye. However, in later years , additional research would reveal that Amenhotep III might very well have been his father, but that his mother was not Queen Tiye. Researchers assess that she would have been more than 50 years old at the time that King Tut was brought into the world. Others believe that he was the son of Akhenaten , also referred to as Amenhotep IV and his minor wife named Queen Kiya (also known as “Greatly Beloved Wife of Akhenaten”). Yet in still , educators will debate that he may have been born to Smenkhkare , a king who did not live long and ruled only for one year.

King Tut had a wife, who could have very well been his sister. Her name was Ankhesenpaaten and she was recorded as being one of the daughters of Akhenaten and Nefertiti , who had six in total. The couple produced two children of their own , both female. Their mummies were uncovered in King Tut’s tomb, as they both died while infants. Some scientists believe that they found medical evidence to prove that both girls were stillborn.

While King Tut was around 11 years old , a ban on the old pantheon of deities (along with their temples) was lifted. Priests were given back their traditional privileges and the capital of the country was moved back to Thebes. It is believed that the vizier, Ay, and maybe Nefertiti influenced the young ruler.

There is evidence that suggests that the young king engaged in war with the Hittites and the Nubians , as a wooden box with this image has been uncovered, but researchers believe that this is rather doubtful. Others disagree, as he is shown wearing a blue crown , which is indicative of going to war.

In the early 1920s, the excavation team of Howard Carter inspected the body of King Tut, and removed several pieces of jewelry, including fascinating amulets. In order to remove the valuables, cutting away of the body became necessary, as hardened embalming resins attached the objects to his body in a pretty solid manner. As a result , the king’s arms and legs were detached. His torso was cut into two. His head was decapitated. The team used heated knives to remove the golden mask that the king was wearing at the time of his burial.