Amenhotep III was a pharaoh from the 18th Dynasty (1382-1344 BC) who was a prolific builder and a relatively benevolent ruler. His reign lasted almost 40 years and was both stable and prosperous. He took the throne of Egypt at the early age of 12. His grandfather was Thutmosis III.
Amenhoptep had many wives, one chief wife was Tiye, daughter of Yuya and Thuya.
Amenhotep III &
Queen Tiye
(1382-1344 BC)
Queen Tiye was a queen of the 18th Dynasty, married to Amenhotep III. The daughter of Yuya, high official under Thutmose IV. Her mother was Thuya. Queen Tiye was of Nubian extraction.
Tiye likely married Amenhotep while he was a prince. She is believed to have been only 11 or 12 years old at the time of the marriage. She was intelligent and diligent, the first queen of Egypt to have her name on official acts, including the announcement of the king's marriage to a foreign princess.
After giving birth to Akhenaten and a number of royal daughters, (Sitamen, Henuttaneb, Nebetiah, and Aset) Tiye urged her oldest daughter, Princess Sitamun, to marry the king. It is believed that she did this in order to ensure royal heirs to the throne. Her son, Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti also ruled Egypt. Kheperkheprure Ay was Queen Tiye's brother.
There is considerable archaeological and textual evidence indicating that Tutankhamun's probable grandmother was Queen Tiye.
