Ahmose (queen)
Early Life
Ahmose was a queen of the late 17th Dynasty and early 18th Dynasty of Egypt. She was the wife of Seqenenre Tao II and the mother of Ahmose I. Her name means "Born of the Moon". Ahmose was the daughter of Queen Tetisheri and probably of Pharaoh Senakhtenre. She was the mother of both a king and queen, and was grandmother and great-grandmother to three more kings.
Marriage and Family
Ahmose was married to Seqenenre Tao II, a 17th Dynasty pharaoh who reigned during the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt. Together, they had at least three children: Ahmose I, Ahmose-Nefertari, and Ahmose-Henuttamehu. Ahmose I went on to become the first pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, while Ahmose-Nefertari was his principal wife and queen. Ahmose-Henuttamehu, their other known child, also held the title of king's daughter, indicating her royal status.
Role as Queen
As queen, Ahmose played a significant role in the political and religious affairs of the kingdom. She was given the title "Great Royal Wife", which was the highest-ranking queenly title that could be held by an Egyptian queen. This title not only signified her marital status to the pharaoh, but also her important role in the royal court and her influence over the kingdom's affairs.
Death and Burial
Ahmose's death date is not known with certainty, but it is believed she died during the reign of her son, Ahmose I. She was buried in Dra' Abu el-Naga', a necropolis located near Thebes. Her tomb, designated as TT320, was discovered in 1881. It contained a coffin and a mummy, which were identified as hers based on the inscriptions found on the coffin.
Legacy
Ahmose's legacy is significant in the history of ancient Egypt. As the mother of Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty, she played a crucial role in the establishment of the New Kingdom, a period of Egyptian history marked by prosperity and power. Her descendants, including her grandson Amenhotep I and great-grandson Thutmose I, continued to rule Egypt for several generations, further cementing her legacy.