The Pharaoh: Life at Court and on Campaign

The pharaoh is the iconic ruler from the ancient world, immortalized in stone and gold and celebrated today in countless films and books. But how did these monarchs--mortals who lived and died like anyone else--spend their days? How did they become pharaoh? How did they govern and how were they entertained? In this vividly written and authoritative account, Garry Shaw conveys the full experience of what it was like to be pharaoh, from birth to death, in private and in public, at court and on campaign, and shows how a uniquely Egyptian vision of kingship, with its complex ideology and regalia, evolved. We follow daily events, from waking up in the palace to evenings spent banqueting; in between, the king acted as lawmaker, judge, and priest. The most important ceremonies are compellingly described, including accession, coronation, and the royal funeral, as well as the pomp and protocol of an audience before the monarch. Supplemented by numerous box features, from the internal decoration of pyramids and the women who became pharaoh to pharaonic pets, as well as quotations from contemporary sources and a king list with brief biographies of all the major pharaohs, this beautifully illustrated volume provides a comprehensive insight into the Egyptian pharaoh and his world.

"In this delightful and lavishly illustrated guide, Egyptologist Shaw (Royal Authority in Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty) introduces the fascinating lives and times of the pharaohs in elaborate detail, recreating in stories what it was like to be one. Pharaohs, who were treated as gods, were not all alike, nor did they all face the same circumstances during their reigns. As Shaw points out, the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom built the pyramids and then watched their power wane, despite a long period of artistic experimentation and territorial expansion. But with the death of Amenenhat IV, the 12th dynasty fragmented, as did Egypt, and the Hyksos came to rule the all-important Nile Delta. The outsiders were expelled eventually, and a new prosperity characterized the New Kingdom, where now-famous pharaohs such as Thutmose III and Rameses II walked tall in the halls of power. Drawing on archeological and literary evidence, Shaw reconstructs the lives of pharaohs, detailing everything from their inheritance of the throne to their elevation to divinity, from their lives of luxury in the palaces to their favorite pastimes: hunting, horsemanship, opulent festivals, and musical performances. The author helpfully provides brief biographies of most of the pharaohs, such as Hatshepsut, a strong female pharaoh who established important trading relations with one of Egypt's neighbors, and Amenhotep IV, who briefly established monotheistic worship. Shaw's captivating study is the perfect introduction to these fabled rulers." Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A highly illustrated look at what it was like to be the pharaoh of Egypt, revealed through the king's role as husband, lawmaker, judge, priest, builder, and warrior

Garry J. Shaw completed his doctorate in Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, and has taught at the at the American University in Cairo.