When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt

Excellent book

There is so much to recommend in this book. Cooney examines the trajectories of six female pharaohs from the Old Kingdom to the Ptolmiac period: Merineth, Neferusobek, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Tawosret, and Cleopatra, discussing the similarities of their experiences as kings and drawing parallels to wider truths and similarities of women and power - and patriarchy - today. Most of these women were "placeholders" for men - tolerated as such so long as they did not "overstep" traditional gender roles as protectors of younger (male, of course) successors - essentially playing the part of the protective mother who has no interest in actually being in power. That these women also tended to act as regents during periods of upheaval and rapid political change is, Cooney argues, also part of the reason they were permitted to wield such authority. The exceptions - Hatshepsut and Cleopatra (and, perhaps, Nefertiti) - were of particular interest, as much for how these women took and held power as for how they were (and are) remembered after their deaths. In short, Hatshepsut's monuments and name was largely erased (her name, like that of Smenkhare) removed from the king's list ostensibly because they reached too far as women. Cooney's discussion of Nefertiti - and whether she is or is not Smenkhare, and the subsequent end of the 18th dynasty - was fascinating even in its brevity. For those unfamiliar, among Egyptologists, the identity of Smenkhare specifically, and the details of how Ay and Horemheb came to power is one of tremendous controversy. The real heart of the book, however, is the connections between the ancient past and the present. This is, after all, the whole point of studying history. Cooney does a masterful job of dating parallels between these powerful women and contemporary politics. That some, such as Benazir Bhutto, have learned how to align themselves with men of the past as they stake their political claim and therefore be accepted, as contrasted with Hillary Clinton who boldly sought to break away from the patriarchal power structure when she proclaimed, "... I challenge assumptions about women. I do make some people uncomfortable, which I'm well aware of, but that's just part of coming to grips with what I believe is still one of the most important pieces of unfinished business in human history - empowering women to stand up for themselves." That we in the early 21st century are seeing women in increasing numbers challenge traditional power structures in the workplace, in the military and in politics is both reason for celebration and, given the lessons of history, reason for concern, as power does not easily or readily concede. Come readers may take issue with the strong connections Cooney makes about women and power and the strong, bright lines that connect attitudes across time around the issue. I found her evidence compelling, her reasoning unassailable, and her writing clear. I very much enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

As a historian, she writes a good tale and tries to fill in gaps with well researched hypothesis, but I’d rather not have read her political views in this book. Overall it’s an interesting read noting Egyptians were masters in erasing peoples histories When those leaders became unpopular.

When I am reading Dr. Cooney book I feel as I am reading eyewitness notes. You can’t find information she used in other historical books. Characters in her book are alive, very personal, it seems she contacted with them on regular basis; it is why she got so many details from people of Ancient Egypt. Sometimes I think she is incarnated Cleopatra. Clearly woman was in the charge from very beginning. Eva told Adam and he ate… When God punished people for this sin, it seems to me He blessed woman: “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your(serpent) seed and her (Eva) seed. He will strike your head…” Genesis 3:15 And woman has no seeds at all, but in this case she doesn’t need man. God will provide everything. Men will definitely disagree with this statement ... But from the moment of the creation of the world, women themselves are determined by nature and God to create and control life, and men - to save, support and sustain this life. At a time when, using brute force, men were forced to believe that they are the main ones on the planet Earth. Women as “second-class” creatures were perceived for a very long time, as religion, society, and state interpreted. In the case of real cataclysms and during prolonged stress, men are almost doomed, which is not true of women. Men at all times ignore emotions: what's the point of negotiating confrontation, if force can be used. A woman without emotional intelligence ceases to be a woman. If a woman knows how to love and fell in love, she is ready, without hesitation, to perform a spiritual feat - for example, an act of self-sacrifice. She will never betray if she truly loves. And she is great in this power! Male nature is different, for example, a beautiful female body, is provoked, a hormonal surge will occur. And then even a loving man can make a moral mistake. Loving woman - never.

Excellent historic book about Egyptian queens. Well written and easy to read.

I was really looking forward to the publication of this book as women in Egypt is a main interest of mine. Kara Cooney is a knowledgeable and respect Egyptologist, but I remember her sensationalized view of history from a previous book. Everything I’ve read by her seems to have been written for a tacky TV series. I was expecting that here also but was ready to live with it for the sake of the topic. I’ve put off writing a review for several months as I have such mixed emotions about the book. For those of us well versed in Egyptian history (I attended the Oriental Institute but was offered a job in another line of work and never completed my Ph.D. so Egypt is now a hobby for me rather than a career, but I often still travel to Egypt and recently returned from a three-week stay), the book has nothing new. It is aimed at a very general audience, not a scholarly audience, and for a general audience, I believe the book, for the most part, does a good job of introducing these women. The endnotes are very general. Cooney makes many statements that are open to argument, but again, almost everything in Egyptology is open to argument and that is not the aim of the book. There are some questionable moments such as when she confuses the burials of Djet and Djer and the remark about Egyptians having pockets in their clothing. I would have liked a footnote reference for the pockets. The first queen discussed in the book is Merneith. Upon the discovery of her massive tomb around 1900, the excavators proclaimed the discovery of a previously unknown very great and powerful king. It was not until a later excavation at a neighboring tomb made it clear that Merneith was a woman and therefore dismissed by the embarrassed Egyptologists as not important after all, just lucky enough to have had an elaborate burial courtesy of her devoted son. Folllowing Merneith is Neferusobek (or Sobekneferu). There really is not much to say about her, so Cooney gives us more on the history of the period. Then we have the more famous rulers: Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Tawosret and Cleopatra. It is with Hatshepsut that Cooney goes off on a very strange tangent. Her chapter on Hatshepsut is one of the most sexist commentaries imaginable. Why, oh why, does she denigrate this great and powerful ruler? Cooney refers to Hatshepsut as “defensive and paranoid” with a “chip on her shoulder.” She tells us Hatshepsut ruled because she essentially bribed the elite into supporting her. Cooney says that Hatshepsut’s magnificent structures were built to provide money-making jobs for the elite, thereby purchasing their loyalty. Never before have I heard of a pharaoh’s building projects being put on such terms. Male kings are always portrayed as building to show off their own wealth, to honor the gods and themselves, not to buy supporters. Further, Cooney suggests that Hatshepsut’s magnificent temple at Deir el Bahari “smacked of great confidence or extraordinary insecurity, or both.” Is there another reference anywhere in literature to male pharaohs creating glorious monuments out of insecurity? Cooney adds, “Perhaps she required more and bigger monuments to rejigger her authority, like a junkie constantly looking for the next powerful drug with the sharper high.” Worse, in the next chapter, Cooney lauds Amenhotep III for his massive building projects with no similar motivation of insecurity. She later states that “Egyptologists always use material production to measure power.” Only in the case of Hatshepsut does she see it as a weakness. I am also very confused by the comment about Hatshepsut’s building projects leaving her “impoverished.” Cooney, by the way, does briefly mention the powerful queens of the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th Dynasty, but I don’t believe she ever makes the point that Hatshepsut’s reign was a logical extension of their power. She talks about Hatshepsut learning from Sobekneferu but does not give credit to women like Ahmose Nefertari. She several times refers to portrayals of Neferure at Deir el Bahari, and I wish she had included them in the illustrations. (“Did people talk in fervent whispers of shock when they heard that Hatshepsut had commissioned Neferure depicted in monumental scale as a future leader.”) I was depressed by the author’s acknowledgements where she goes all girly, denigrating herself and saying about her agent that “I don’t know what he sees in me” in reference to her “little Egyptological ventures.” Why does she--or any woman--need to apologize for having a voice? Is this why she needs to tear down Hatshepsut?

Scary book for men. Women are better rulers.

Nice to read about women who helped rule an ancient land. Strong women aren't a new idea but they are great role models for today. This book is a great gift.

Cadeaux à ma fille qui s'intéresse à l'histoire ainsi que aux questions-réponses relatives aux femmes.

Great read for those interested in history and a peek into how key women (still) were back in the day.

Fascinating look into royal life in Egypt. Would be good for use in high school Ancient History classes

This book is wonderfully written and is great for all, not just those interested in Ancient Egypt

Muy buena escritura, buena información. Hace un buen análisis de la situación política de la mujer en la política del antiguo Egipto y con buenas comparaciones con la actualidad. Lectura recomendada para tener una perspectiva distinta sobre Egipto, varias de sus reinas y el rol de la mujer en el liderazgo y la política. Claro, está en inglés. Pero la edición en inglés es más barata que en español.