13 Facts About Ankhesenamun

Ankhesenamun was an ancient Egyptian queen who lived during the 18th Dynasty of Egypt.

Ankhesenamun's youth is well documented in the ancient reliefs and paintings of the reign of her parents.

Ankhesenamun was well documented as being the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Ankhesenamun's parents had abandoned the principal worship of old deities of Egypt in favor of the Aten, hitherto a minor aspect of the sun-god, characterised as the sun's disc.

Ankhesenamun is believed to have been born in Thebes, around year 4 of her father's reign, but probably grew up in the city of Akhetaten, established as the new capital of the kingdom by her parents.

Ankhesenamun is thought to have been the mother of the princess Ankhesenpaaten Tasherit, although the parentage is unclear.

Ankhesenamun probably died during or shortly after his reign and no burial has been found for her yet.

Ankhesenamun once seemed likely since there were no royal candidates for the throne on the death of her husband, Tutankhamun, whereas Akhenaten had at least two legitimate successors.

DNA testing announced in February 2010 has generated speculation that Ankhesenamun is one of two 18th Dynasty queens recovered from KV21 in the Valley of the Kings.

Ankhesenamun is believed to have married king Ay, Tutankhamun's successor after her husband's unexpected death.

However, Ankhesenamun fell victim to Horemheb's anger at Ay's actions.

Ankhesenamun's name has entered popular culture as the secret love of the priest Imhotep in the 1932 film The Mummy.

Ankhesenamun is the protagonist of the 1988 French novel La Reine Soleil by Christian Jacq, as well as its 2007 animated adaptation.