Hillertiti

After reading "Akhenaten" by Nicholas Reeves and seeing the statues and artwork of the royal family, I was struck by how Hillary resembles Nefertiti. Now you might say, "No way, Nefertiti was beautiful. And Hillary... well..." But you have to remember that the famous bust of Nefertiti was done when she was in her 20s, probably. And I have seen shots of Hillary where she didn't look too bad.

All that aside tho, I think it is the look of determination and power that is so similar.

And get this. It has long been known that Pharaoh Akhenaten had a co-regent and successor named Smenkhkare. Akhenaten is shown in some fairly intimate and affectionate poses with this co-regent, leading to questions about his sexual leanings. In the 1970s however, Egyptologists started noticing cartouches that indicated this co-ruler, Smenkhkare, is none other than Nefertiti herself.

Sound familiar?

But wait... the plot thickens. After Akhenaten's death, a letter was received by Suppiluliuma, the Hittite king, from a "Queen of Egypt", saying, "My husband died. A son I have not. But to you, they say, the sons are many. If you were to give me a son of yours, he would become my husband..." and in another letter "... To me he will be husband, but in Egypt he will be king!" (from Akhenaten p175)

Suppiluliuma was amazed. Never had an Egyptian ruler offered a daughter to a foreign king in marriage, let alone an oportunity for a foreigner to rule in Egypt. Through much research John R. Harris has come to the conclusion that this "Egyptian Queen" is Nefertiti.

So again we have similarities. A wife who becomes almost an equal in power with her husband, and when he is no longer in power she will do almost anything to keep her hold on the throne... even to the point of weakening, some would say betraying, her country.

There is nothing new under the sun, as the wise king once said.