Queen Tiye: The Powerful Queen of 18th Dynasty Egypt

The Queen Mother and the Amarna Period

When Amenhotep III died, Tiye’s role changed. She became the “Queen Mother.” Her son, Amenhotep IV, took the throne.

Her son soon began a religious revolution.

1. He changed his name to Akhenaten.
2. He abandoned Egypt’s traditional gods, like Amun-Ra.
3. He declared a single god, the Aten (the sun disk), as the one true god.
4. He moved the capital city to a new site called Amarna.

Queen Tiye remained a respected figure during this chaotic time. She is seen in art at Amarna, advising her son and his wife, Queen Nefertiti. She likely acted as a steady, experienced voice during this great upheaval.

Finding Queen Tiye: The “Elder Lady”

For a long time, Queen Tiye’s mummy was lost. In 1898, archaeologists found a hidden cache of royal mummies in tomb KV35.

One mummy, known as the “Elder Lady,” was unnamed but clearly royal. She had beautiful, long brown hair and a serene face. For decades, her identity was a mystery.

In 2010, modern DNA testing solved the puzzle.

• The DNA confirmed the “Elder Lady” was the daughter of Yuya and Tuya (whose mummies were also found).
• The tests also proved she was the wife of Amenhotep III.
• Finally, the DNA confirmed she was the mother of Akhenaten.

The “Elder Lady” was definitively identified as Queen Tiye. Her mummy is now displayed in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo.

Enduring Legacy of Queen Tiye

Queen Tiye set a new standard for Egyptian queens. She was not just a symbol; she was a political, diplomatic, and religious force.

She showed that a queen could be a pharaoh’s true partner in ruling an empire. Her intelligence and influence helped define one of Egypt’s most prosperous ages. She remains one of the most powerful and fascinating women of the ancient world.