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It is thought
that upon the death of Amenhotep II a brief power struggle took
place amongst his surviving sons (the eldest and heir to the
throne had already predeceased his father). The main piece of
evidence looked upon for this belief is the 'Sphinx
Dream Stela', in this Tuthmosis IV relates how he fell asleep
between the paws of the Great Sphinx and dreamed. In his dream
the sphinx promised the young prince the crown of Egypt if he
would clear the sand from around the sphinx that the desert winds
has blown across. If the young Tuthmosis was the heir to the
throne he would not of needed the help of the sphinx to secure
it, the stela does suggest that there was competition amongst
the princes (another son of Amenhotep II, Prince Webensenu, had
stelae dedicated by him defaced, his canopic jars and shabtis
were found in KV35 which would suggest that he was of some importance.
However, it is not possible to be certain if the defacement of
Webensenu's stelaes were part of a power struggle let alone if
Tuthmosis IV was the culprit). |
Building
program
Although he enjoyed only a brief reign of 9 years (** - the dates
abov relate to 'Chronicle of the Pharaohs' by P. Clayton - but
it should be noted that the length of reign given here is the
more accepted length - see 'Oxford History of Ancient Egypt'
by I Shaw), Tuthmosis IV wasted no time in setting about major
building projects. Surviving monuments from his reign have been
found throughout Egypt:
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| Alexandria
- columns |
Seriakus |
Heliopolis |
| Giza - Dream
Stela |
Abusir |
Saqqara |
| Memphis |
Faiyum,
Crocodilopolis |
Hermopolis |
| Amarna |
Abydos (chapel
and statue) |
Dendera |
| Medamud |
Karnak -
(scene on pylon IV, court showing Tuthmosis IV offering to Amun,
erected obelisk originally made for Tuthmosis III) |
Luxor (scene
in birth hall) |
| Western
Thebes (mortuary temple and tomb) |
Armant |
Tod |
| El-kab (small
temple) |
Edfu |
Elephantine |
| Konosso
(stelae) |
Faras (Nubia) |
Buhen (Nubia) |
| Amada (decorated
court) |
Tabo (building
finished by Amenhotep III) |
Gebel Barkal
(foundation deposit) |
| Serabit
el-Khadim (decoration to Hathor temple). |
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Foreign
relations
Following the successes of his father and grandfather, Tuthmosis
IV inheritated a wealthy and peaceful country. The Mitanni who
had plagued Egypt years previously were now at peace - this peace
was emphasised by the marriage of Tuthmosis IV to Artatama, the
daughter of the Mitanni n ruler.
Only very brief campaigns were undertaken by Egypt in this period;
a city in Syria (thought to have been possibly Qatna or Sidon),
and possible action against some towns in southern Palestine.
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Royal women
Tuthmosis IV followed the fashion of the dynasty and himself
depicted as the result of a divine union between Amun-Re and
his mother Tiaa. Throughout her son's rule Tiaa was known as
the "King's Mother", and "Great Royal Wife"
(Tiaa was only referred to as the 'Great Royal Wife' of Amenhotep
II in monuments dating to the reign of Tuthmosis IV - there is
no evdence to suggest that she held this title under Amenhotep
II).
Nefertiry, wife of Tuthmosis IV, from non-royal origins.
Iaret, wife and sister of Tuthmosis IV following the death of
Nefertiry.
(LEFT: statue of Tuthmosis
IV and Tiaa - unusually mother and son sit apart).
Tuthmosis
IV and Amenhotep III
Two tombs from Thebes (Sobekhotep TT63, and Hekarnehhe TT64)
show the young Prince Amenhotep in a favoured position before
Tuthmosis IV, but of Amenhotep III's mother Mutemwiya there is
no mention. Indeed there is no mention of her at all during Tuthmosis
IV's reign which would suggest that she was a member of the harem.
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Officials
of Tuthmosis IV
Amenemope - Vizier - TT29
Sennefer - Mayor of Thebes (brother to Amenemope, TT29) - TT96
Qenamun - Steward of the Royal Palace at Memphis - TT98
Kaemheryibsen - 3rd Prophet of Amun (brother to Qenamun) - TT98
Meri and Amenemhat - Chief Priests of Amun - TT97
Menkheperraseneb - Chief of the Granaries - TT79
Userhat - Royal Scribe and Tutor - TT56
Kha -
TT8
Nebamun - Standard Bearer - TT90
The Tomb
and mummy of Tuthmosis IV
Tuthmosis
IV was buried in the Valley of the Kings - KV43 - which was discovered
by Howard Carter in 1903. The tomb had been robbed in antiquity,
two graffiti in the tomb give the dates of restoration (by the
official Maya and his assistant Djehutymose) during the reign
of Horemheb. The King's body had been moved to KV35 for safety
by High Priests of the 21st Dynasty, the tomb did still contain
a large amount of funerary furniture, ushabtis, provisions of
food and a chariot.
The mummy
of Tuthmosis IV was found as part of the cache of mummies
in the tomb of Amenhotep II - KV35. The mummy was of an extremely
emaciated man who died in his thirties - it also possible to
see a resemblence between the mummy of Amenhotep II.
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