Tjuyu
Encyclopedia
Tjuyu was an Egyptian noble goddess, and the mother of queen Tiye
, wife of pharaoh Amenhotep III
. She is the grandmother of Akhenaten
, and great grandmother of Tutankhamun
.
, and she held many official roles in the interwoven religion and government of Ancient Egypt
. She was involved in many religious cults and her titles included, 'Singer of Hathor' and Chief of the Entertainers of both Amun and Min. She also held the influential offices of Superintendent of the Harem
of the god Min
of Akhmin and of Amun of Thebes
. She married Yuya
, a powerful Ancient Egyptian courtier of the eighteenth dynasty
.
, who became the consort and Great Royal Wife
of Pharaoh Amenhotep III
. The great royal wife was the highest Egyptian religious position, serving alongside of the pharaoh in official ceremonies and rituals.
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Yuya and Thuya also had a son named Anen
, who carried the titles Chancellor of Lower Egypt, Second Prophet of Amun, sm-priest of Heliopolis and Divine Father.
They also may have been the parents of Ay
, an Egyptian courtier active during the reign of pharaoh Akhenaten
, who eventually became pharaoh, as Kheperkheprure Ay, however, there is no conclusive evidence regarding the kinship of Yuya and Ay, although certainly, both men came from Akhmim
.
, in KV46
, where their largely unpillaged remains were found in 1905. It was the best-preserved tomb discovered before that of Tutankhamun
, Tjuyu's great-grandson.
Tiye
Tiye was the daughter of Yuya and Tjuyu . She became the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III....
, wife of pharaoh Amenhotep III
Amenhotep III
Amenhotep III also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty. According to different authors, he ruled Egypt from June 1386 to 1349 BC or June 1388 BC to December 1351 BC/1350 BC after his father Thutmose IV died...
. She is the grandmother of Akhenaten
Akhenaten
Akhenaten also spelled Echnaton,Ikhnaton,and Khuenaten;meaning "living spirit of Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV , was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
, and great grandmother of Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...
.
Biography
Tjuyu is believed to be a descendant of Queen Ahmose-NefertariAhmose-Nefertari
Ahmose-Nefertari of Ancient Egypt was a Queen of Egypt. She was a daughter of Seqenenre Tao II and Ahhotep I, and royal sister and the great royal wife of pharaoh, Ahmose I. She was the mother of king Amenhotep I and may have served as his regent when he was young...
, and she held many official roles in the interwoven religion and government of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
. She was involved in many religious cults and her titles included, 'Singer of Hathor' and Chief of the Entertainers of both Amun and Min. She also held the influential offices of Superintendent of the Harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
of the god Min
Min (god)
Min is an Ancient Egyptian god whose cult originated in predynastic times . He was represented in many different forms, but was often represented in male human form, shown with an erect penis which he holds in his left hand and an upheld right arm holding a flail...
of Akhmin and of Amun of Thebes
Thebes, Egypt
Thebes is the Greek name for a city in Ancient Egypt located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the river Nile within the modern city of Luxor. The Theban Necropolis is situated nearby on the west bank of the Nile.-History:...
. She married Yuya
Yuya
Yuya was a powerful Egyptian courtier during the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt...
, a powerful Ancient Egyptian courtier of the eighteenth dynasty
Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt
The eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt is perhaps the best known of all the dynasties of ancient Egypt...
.
Children
Yuya and Thuya had a daughter named TiyeTiye
Tiye was the daughter of Yuya and Tjuyu . She became the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III....
, who became the consort and Great Royal Wife
Great Royal Wife
Great Royal Wife or Chief King's Wife is the term used to refer to the chief wife of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. While most Ancient Egyptians were monogamous, the pharaoh would have had other, lesser wives and concubines in addition to the Great Royal Wife...
of Pharaoh Amenhotep III
Amenhotep III
Amenhotep III also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty. According to different authors, he ruled Egypt from June 1386 to 1349 BC or June 1388 BC to December 1351 BC/1350 BC after his father Thutmose IV died...
. The great royal wife was the highest Egyptian religious position, serving alongside of the pharaoh in official ceremonies and rituals.
Anen
Anen was an Ancient Egyptian official during the late Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt. He was the son of Yuya and Tjuyu and the brother of Queen Tiye, the wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III...
, who carried the titles Chancellor of Lower Egypt, Second Prophet of Amun, sm-priest of Heliopolis and Divine Father.
They also may have been the parents of Ay
Ay
Ay was the penultimate Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 18th dynasty. He held the throne of Egypt for a brief four-year period , although he was a close advisor to two and perhaps three of the pharaohs who ruled before him and was the power behind the throne during Tutankhamun's reign...
, an Egyptian courtier active during the reign of pharaoh Akhenaten
Akhenaten
Akhenaten also spelled Echnaton,Ikhnaton,and Khuenaten;meaning "living spirit of Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV , was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
, who eventually became pharaoh, as Kheperkheprure Ay, however, there is no conclusive evidence regarding the kinship of Yuya and Ay, although certainly, both men came from Akhmim
Akhmim
Akhmim is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. Referred to by the ancient Greeks as Khemmis, Chemmis and Panopolis, it is located on the east bank of the Nile, 4 miles to the northeast of Sohag.- History :Akhmim was known in Ancient Egypt as Ipu, Apu or Khent-min...
.
Tomb
Together with her husband, Tjuyu was buried in the Valley of the KingsValley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings , less often called the Valley of the Gates of the Kings , is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom .The valley stands on the west bank of...
, in KV46
KV46
Tomb KV46 in the Valley of the Kings is the tomb of Yuya and his wife Tjuyu, the parents of Queen Tiye, the wife of Amenhotep III, and King Ay, and grandparents of Nefertiti. It was discovered in February 1905 by James E. Quibell. Quibell was sponsored by Theodore M...
, where their largely unpillaged remains were found in 1905. It was the best-preserved tomb discovered before that of Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...
, Tjuyu's great-grandson.