In all of ancient Egypt’s history of pharaohs, Khufu is often referred to as one of the most famous, yet there are a lot of misconceptions about the ruler. In this article, you will learn more about Khufu, as well as other interesting facts about royals and leaders of the world.
The Misunderstood Pharaoh
Ruling during the 4th Dynasty from 2589 BC to 2566 BC, Khufu was responsible for the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza ”“ a monument that he ordered to be built during his reign. Today, it is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. However, along the way, he earned a reputation as being quite cruel to his people. Legend has it that he enslaved the workers who built the Great Pyramid, but graffiti has been uncovered where workers call themselves ‘friends of Khufu.’ There is also mention of how they were paid for their labor.
The Illiterate King
The Magna Carta is an important English legal document in history that was written in 1215 CE. It played a significant role in establishing a legal system in England. This system would later serve as a model by many former colonies and other governments when they were working on their own legal systems. In other words, the Magna Carta is comparable to the Bill of Rights in the United States. When the Magna Carta was drawn up ”“ it stated that the King was not above the law.
However, the ruler at the time, King John did not sign this important document. He could not write his name and instead, granted the Magna Carta by simply placing his seal on it.
A Foreign King Buried in the U.S.
The Serbian Church monastery in Libertyville, Illinois is the final resting place of the only European monarch that is buried in the United States. In 1934, King Peter II of Yugoslavia became king when he was only 11 years old after the assassination of his father, Alexander I. However, he did not truly rule, as his uncle, Prince Paul, served as regent for his entire reign except for the last ten days. After the Second World War, Mussolini came to Yugoslavia and left Peter without a kingdom. When he died on November 4, 1970, he was in Denver, Colorado.
The Long-Reigning Pharaoh
When it comes to the longest known reign of any monarch in the world, the honor goes to Pharaoh Pepi II of Egypt, who ruled from around 2294 BC to around 2220 BC. Pepi ruled for 74 years and is followed by other long-reigning monarchs ”“ King Alfonso I of Portugal (1112”“1185, 73 years), King Louis XIV of France (1643”“1715, 72 years), and Prince John II of Liechtenstein (1858”“1929, 71 years).