Thutmose I: A Commoner and a Military Man on the Throne
Thutmose I (also read as Thutmosis, Thutmosis I and Thothmes) was the third pharaoh in the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt. Some historians believe that he reigned for 11 years, from 1504 BC to 1493 BC.
He was one of the most important rulers of the New Kingdom, despite being born a commoner and receiving rigid training in the military. Read this article for a comprehensive look on his life, achievements and lasting legacy.
What Was Thutmose I Known For?
In his 11 years as the pharaoh, Thutmose I was able to bring triumphs that contributed to the development of Egypt. He was known for expanding the empire of Egypt to Nubia, now identified as Sudan.
Aside from these astounding military achievements, as an avid builder, he was also responsible for outstanding building projects, including temples and tombs, during his reign. The expansion of the Temple of Karnak was one of his most notable achievements.
Even upon his death, he made himself memorable by being the first commoner royal member to be buried in the sacred place designated for kings and their families, which is called the Valley of the Kings. It was an honor for King Thutmose I to lay to rest in that burial tomb.
Who Was Thutmose I?
Pharaoh Thutmose I was the third pharaoh in the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt. His birth name Tuthmosis means “Born of the God Thoth” in Greek, and in Egyptian, he was named Djehutymes I. He was also called Thutmose I or Thutmosis I, and his titular name was A-Kheper-ka-re. He inherited the throne at a late age.
Lineage
It was presumed that his father was Amenhotep I, his predecessor. However, he was also closely related to Ahmose-Nefertari, Amenhotep I’s mother. He was in charge of her tomb and burial.
Some historians believed that Thutmose I was a co-regent with Amenhotep I in his last years, which was attested by a chapel found in Thebes. He was further considered one of the most influential commanders under his predecessor.
Meanwhile, his mother Senseneb (also known as Seniseneb), was a commoner. Despite being the son of a nonroyal, he was able to strengthen his claim to the throne by marrying into the royal bloodline through Princess Ahmose. She was the daughter of Ahmose I and Queen Nefertari. Ahmose, now the Queen, held the title of Great Royal Wife of Thutmose I.
Children
Tutmoses the First’s son with Ahmose was Amenmose. He was also a father to another son named Wadjmose and two daughters, Nefrubity and Hatshepsut. Wadjmose died young, and Nefrubity died when she was still an infant.
King Thutmose I also had a son with his other wife, Mutnofret. This son later became Thutmose II, his successor, and married his fully royally born sister Hatshepsut.
A royal’s marriage with his kin was mostly done to further solidify his claim to the throne. Hatshepsut was also known for her immense reverence to her father, so to show her veneration, she ordered the construction of a chapel in his honor in her mortuary temple.
Thutmose I’s Reign
Thutmose I’s prowess was immediately tested when Nubia revolted against Egyptian rule during his first coronation. He led the most incredible Nubian campaign all the way to the fourth cataract. Here, he victoriously conquered two tribes of the Bedouins, which were also known as desert nomads.
Ahmose, an admiral during Thutmose I’s reign, said that a campaign into Nubia was highly successful. As a warrior himself, Thutmose I traveled up the Nile River and fought in the battle. He killed the Nubian king in a face-to-face combat and presented the king’s body by hanging it from the prow of his ship as they were returning to Thebes.
Again, Egypt’s centralized government was victorious against the Nubian tribe. Nubia did not become centralized until the 25th dynasty. With this, Egypt never encountered any issues with conquering Nubia. It was also said that Nubians were skilled bowmen, so they were used as mercenaries in the Egyptian army.
Thutmose I as a Leader
In the second year of Thutmose I’s reign, he had his second campaign in the north, the farthest that any Egyptian had ever campaigned. It was said that he apparently built a stele when he crossed the Euphrates River, although the remnants have not been found up to this day.
The Syrian princess declared her allegiance during the campaign, but she discontinued the tribute when Thutmose returned to Egypt. With this, the Syrians focused on fortifying against future incursions instead.
Thutmose I continued showing his brilliance as a leader when he spearheaded a second expedition against Nubia by dredging the first cataract built under Sesostris III of the 12th dynasty of the Egyptian empire. In this way, the travel upstream from Egypt to Nubia would be much easier.
Also, according to the two separate inscriptions by the king’s son, Thure, Thutmose overthrew Kush, and the king sailed the canal in victory. All of these events happened during his third year as the king.
An elephant hunt near Apamea in Syria had also been held in celebration of the victories of Thutmose I. The Egyptians would then come back telling bizarre stories about the Euphrates. Given that the river, which flowed from the north to the south, was the first major river that Egyptians encountered, it became known as the “inverted water” to Egyptians.
Military Contributions
Thutmose I encountered one more military threat when Nubia rebelled in his fourth year as the king. Consequently, his influence became eminent across the lands even farther south as there were writings about his rule that had also been found in Kurgus, which was located south of the fourth cataract. During his regime, he instigated projects that led to the end of Nubian independence for the next 500 years.
Throughout the leadership of Thutmose I, two crown princes predeceased him. The first one became the army commander and was assigned to Memphis. Thutmose I set the standards for later kings, who also assigned their crown princes to Memphis to be trained in the military.
Moreover, his victory in Nubia was a significant part of history. It is a region adjacent to the Valley of the Kings, which was the place that was allotted as burial chambers for the royal members. This achievement made Egypt more prosperous.
His Triumphs
Adding to the list of Thutmose I’s extensive achievements was his triumph against the Syrians. His military campaign extended from the Euphrates to Sudan. As an excellent warrior, Thutmose I brought victory after victory to Egypt, which led to the rapid expansion of the empire.
His triumphs in Nubia gave much significance to his influence that expanded to the south. Inscriptions found by historians revealed his power and authority. He even made an enormous tableau located 1,200 miles away from the Nile River, which served as proof of the impact of Egypt everywhere.
Would you believe that he also did projects that wrapped up the independence of Nubia for 500 years?
He initiated several religious rites with Turi, his appointed viceroy of Kush. These rites were effective because after the organization was made, the Nubians then lived in peace, avoiding any revolt against the Egyptian army.
The King’s Accomplishments
Thutmose I accomplishments paved the way to an advanced Egypt. His leadership proved to be the answer to what the country needed at that time. Although he was not born in a royal family, he acted like a most decent and respectable royal member. Hence, he emerged as the best pharaoh Egypt has ever had.
Thutmose I made significant contributions to the construction of infrastructure within Egypt during his administration. With the help of his chosen architects, he was able to modernize the temples.
He added more embellishments to the temples, which made them more fitting to the royal taste. His achievements can not be denied because of their elegance and immense contributions to the culture of Egypt.
In particular, Thutmose I considerably contributed to the establishment of the Temple of Karnak. He was the very first king to enlarge the said temple drastically with the help of his architect, Ineni. Before Thutmose, it was described that the temple consisted only of a long road to the central platform, with several solar shrines lined up along the road.
Monumental Gates of Karnak
In addition, Thutmose I ordered the construction of two additional monumental gates to the Temple of Karnak, also known as pylons. The fifth pylon was built along the said road, with a wide wall around the inner sanctuary. He also constructed a fourth pylon and another division for the enclosure.
Between the said pylons was the Hypostyle Hall with columns specially made with cedarwood. Through this, one can see the king’s attention to details. Aside from using specific wood, he also had colossal statues made along the edge of this hall, each alternately wearing the crowns of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.
Outside the fourth tower, he erected two obelisks. One of them fell and was only inscribed 50 years later during Thutmose III‘s reign. The cedarwood columns were replaced with ones made with stone. Thutmose I’s daughter, Hatshepsut, also had her obelisks erected inside the hall.
More Constructions During His Time
Thutmose I was not only a warrior. He was also a trained builder and planner. With his leadership, he rebuilt the temple of Amon located at Thebes, driven by his desire to create exemplary work. It was later considered the standard design of temples in that era.
As a visionary, he obtained the best place for the burial of royal leaders. The Valley of the Kings was developed for the final resting place of deceased royal members. He also initiated the construction of the necropolis staff.
Thutmose I had more remarkable building projects. For instance, he constructed statues of the Ennead at Abydos, as well as buildings at Armants, Ombos, el-Hiba, Memphis and Edfu. He also did minor expansions of buildings in Nubia, particularly at Semna, Buhen, Aniba and Quban. He created an axial temple, which became the standard for the New Kingdom.
His Importance
The importance played by Thutmose I in the history of Egypt can’t be understated. He initiated the building of several temples and tombs and practically enlarged the temples to show the grand masterpiece of his reign.
He climbed up the royal ladder, although he was born a commoner. That alone was an outstanding achievement of a regular palace worker at that time. Much can be told about his life, and another vital facet of his legacy was his skill at war. As a great warrior, he showed his courageous spirit in times of battles.
Historians have recorded that he only stayed nine years on the throne, but his achievements greatly benefitted Egypt. His passion for setting a higher standard in his country was unparalleled, and he worked nonstop to develop more temples, burial chambers, obelisks and military campaigns.
Thutmose I’s Influence
Historians have mentioned the biblical reference of Thutmose I, claiming that he was mentioned in the Psalms of David. They also noted that he was associated with his friend David, the king of Israel.
Some scholars have also discovered that Thutmose I was a commoner’s son, but he empowered his claim to the throne through his marriage to Ahmose. A chapel found in Thebes provided evidence of these views.
Thutmose I was probably one of the great kings who had set up a new camp at Kurgus, and historians have revealed the biographies of two soldiers from Upper Egypt who made testimonies about the campaign. Thutmose I also tried to pursue Hyksos as he made a border at the Euphrates.
Reports included his influence in Carchemish in Syria after he invaded Nubia. Historians could not find facts about his victory in his military campaign in Syria, but his deep mark in the region was documented.
Thutmose appointed two crown princes who continued his vision. One was appointed a commander of the armies and was sent to Memphis, located close to Cairo. This became the military operation center in the New Kingdom. Later, other kings followed Thutmose I’s example and also assigned their crowned princes to Memphis.
Thutmose I’s Tomb
Ineni was commissioned to dig out Thutmose I’s tomb, presumably to be transferred to his new mortuary temple. However, this temple has not been found, probably because it was demolished a long time ago upon the construction of his daughter Hatshepsut’s own mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri.
The tomb of Thutmose I was later found in the Valley of the Kings and is believed to be the first tomb dug from the area. In his tomb, a yellow quartzite sarcophagus was found bearing his name. As for his body, it might have been moved by Thutmose II to the tomb of Hatshepsut.
Thutmose I’s Mummy
The mummy of Thutmose I was found in the Deir el-Bahri Cache above the sacred mortuary temple of Hatshepsut sometime in 1881. He was interred along with his fellow kings from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Historians took care of his mummy and gave it proper interment, along with the mummies of the rest of the royal leaders of his generation. His real coffin was chosen to be reused by another pharaoh.
For a time, his mummy was believed to be lost, but Gaston Maspero, an Egyptologist, insisted that he had discovered Thutmose I’s mummy. He was supported by other historians who examined the said mummy.
The mummy was described as a person who was at a mature age when he died, and it was concluded that he was somewhere around 50 years old or above at the time of his death. The mummy was examined based on the incisor teeth, which were filled with impurities.
The body was thin and small, and the head appeared refined without hair. The mummy’s mouth resembled the appearance of a shrewd person.
Where Is His Mummy Now?
Thutmose I’s mummy is now at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. To protect the said mummy, they moved it to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in 2021. This is a place for the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade, an event presenting a collection of the mummies of kings and queens who served the throne of ancient Egypt.
Conclusion
Thutmose I was considered a military king during his time in Egypt, as he led the kingdom in victorious battles. He also took pride in the various forms of architecture that were built during his regime.
Pharaoh Thutmose I was the third pharaoh in the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt
Thutmose I ensured that the kingdom would not only expand its territories but also develop its current properties.
He set the bar high for the succeeding kings to strike a balance between military and economic growth.
Thutmose I represented the glorious fate of a commoner who was able to ascend to the throne.
He was known for expanding the empire of Egypt to Nubia, now identified as Sudan.
Thutmose I was also an avid builder and was responsible for outstanding building projects including various temples and tombs during his reign.
The expansion of the Temple of Karnak was one of his most notable achievements.
He worked relentlessly for his beloved country.
He was the first commoner to be buried in the sacred Valley of the Kings.
The glorious days of Egypt revealed Thutmose I’s intelligence and dedication to strengthening his nation.
