Pharaoh Akhenaten Accomplishments

Pharaoh Akhenaten was a controversial ruler, too uninvolved with public interest to be popular among his subjects. Whether it be forcing new ideas upon the people or his complete disregard for their safety and well-being, Akhenaten’s approval rating was so low that the pharaoh was all but erased from history by his successors. Little is known about Akhenaten himself. His reign was short-lived- only lasting sixteen years. His main wife, Nefertiti, was likely seen by him as an equal. The two had six daughters together, before Nefertiti’s passing twelve years into his reign. It has been confirmed that another child, one who would later call himself Tutankhamun, was spawned with a sister. Based on the odd proportions of surviving statues, it …show more content…
Under this religion, only the pharaoh could present offerings to the God. Before this was established, a priesthood held authority, controlling the temples and their vast wealth. With Atenism, however, only the pharaoh held religious power. Akhenaten’s control was made more absolute, providing another reason to be disliked. Under his rule, Akhenaten paid little attention to outlying territory. There is record of city officials writing to Akhenaten, pleading for assistance with military operations and much needed resources, but no evidence of any reply from the pharaoh. In fact, Akhenaten was so caught up with his own ambitions that there is little evidence of regard to any cities except one of his construction, which was dedicated entirely to Atenism. Very little is known about Akhenaten after his passing. There is evidence he was originally buried in a royal tomb constructed in the city Akhenaten, with statues of himself kept within the tomb. Followers of Atenism likely feared his mummy’s purposeful destruction by those against the religion and moved him, probably to the Valley of the Kings, however his mummy has yet to be positively