Egypt During the Reign of Akhenaton

Amenhophis III

Son of THUTMOSIS 1st and his first wife Mutenwiya (or Moutemouia)
(Hias second wife was Artatama, a princess of the Mitanni ).

Three sons were born to Mutennwija - two died very young,
the third became : Amenophis III.

Amenhophis III was the first Egyptian King to be worshipped as a god in his own lifetime. He seems to have hoped that by being worshipped as 'Nebmare' (Great God), he would hold the allegiance of his many peoples without the need of force.

Marriages and harem of AMENOPHIS III or Amenhotep III
1st wife: the queen Tiye - mother of Amenophis IV (Akhenaton) and of
4 girls : Sitamon, Isis, Nebeptah, Henouttaounebou,
The other wives of Amenophis III : GILUKHIPA, princess
of the Mitanni, daughter of Sutarna II and his 317 wives ...
(excerpt from the fourth set of engraven scarabs.)
the 2 Henout princesses, NebetNouhe and Tiaha and he married at the age of 44 years (about 2 years before his death) the princess Tadukhipa, daughter
of King Tushratta of the Mitanni.

Children of Amenophis III, and stepbrothers of Amenophis IV :

In his 30th year of reign, during his sed festival, he appointed Amenhophis IV co-regent .

As late as year 36 - when the Amarna revolution was in full operation - he felt free, from the more liberal city of Malaka, to sacrifice to Amun, and to the Goddess Hathor in Sinai.

His palace at Akhematon was called ''the Splendor of Aton'.

As he lay dying (and for the months previous to this, he had lost all interest in anything that went on around him). The priests of Amon became arrogant. The correspondence from foreign capitols to Amenhophis and his co-regent remained unanswered. Did it ever reach Amarna?

He had always been naturally indolent, never really caring about the condition of the empire, but accepting it as his right.

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