7. GODS & KINGS

Gods interacting

Gods in environment

Humans on earth after gods' retirement

KING as intermediary with gods, also god himself

Divine precedent in myth

OSIRIS
first king of Egypt

ultimately succeeded by
son HORUS

King

"King of Upper & Lower Egypt"

"his majesty"

"Pharaoh"
(per-aa: "Great House")

King maintains order (ma'at)

King || Horus

Status of king with other gods

"Divine Birth" stories

Divinity
Legitimization

Names and titles of king:
Titulary

Cartouche

Full titulary of Amenemhat III as example

The Horus “Whose impressiveness is Great”

The Two Ladies “Who takes possession of the inheritance of
     the Two Lands”

The Golden Falcon “Whose Life is permanent”

King of Upper and Lower Egypt “He to whom the Ma’at of
     Re belongs”

Son of Re “Amen in front” (=Amenemhat)
**Kings are usually known by their “Son of Re” names

All king names have meanings:

Amenemhat: “Amun in front”

Montuhotep: “Montu is satisfied”

Thutmose: “Born of Thoth”

Amenhotep: “Amun is satified”

Tutankhamun: “The living image of Amun”

Ramesses: “Born of Re”

Visual signals of king's divinity

Crowns
Emblems: uraeus (cobra), vulture
Scepters
Clothing: special kilt, "tail"

King as Sphinx

Paradigm: king succeeded by eldest son

Royal women: "queens" (defined as king's wife, mom, sister, daughter, etc.)

Divinity of royal women

Brother-sister marriage

Kings and succession
Ideal: Osiris --> Horus
king --> eldest son

"Eldest son" as title

Other alternatives:
younger sons
trusted officials
royal women

Exceptional successions: Ramesses II
-Eldest sons die before king
-Ultimately succeeded by 13th son Merneptah

Exceptional successions: Hatshepsut
-Woman as king
-Divine Birth story of Hatshepsut
-Experiments with male iconography

Exceptional succesions by conquest: Nubians and Macedonian Greek Ptolemies

Coronation

Renewal of power: heb-sed/ "sed festival"

King maintains order (ma'at)

Rituals

King governs: political, administrative

    (contributes to maintenance of order)

King builds temples