Amenhotep IV - Akhenaten

Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) was the second son of Amenhotep III and his wife head, Tiye. It is uncertain if Amenhotep IV shared the throne with his supposed brother, Thutmose, who is supposed to have died young for some controversial reasons. It wasn't long before of Amenhotep IV has announced its new name, Akhenaton, which meant "Servant of the ATEN" probably in the fifth year of his reign.

As his mother Tey, wife Nefertiti Akhenaton was not of royal blood, it was just a girl from a vizier AY, who reigned probably after the death of her grandson, Tutankhamun. Amenhotep IV created with at least four daughters Mekytaten, Merytaten Merytaten tasheri Akhesenpaaten. but it will also be one of the most famous names in ancient history, Tutankhamun.

Amenhotep IV as Akhenaton

Amenhotep IV was probably smarter and more willing to take measures, as his father. Since he noticed that the power growing priests of Amun, he decided to propose a better philosophy that unite the people of the Egypt and take some considerable amount of power in the hands of priests are.

Akhenaten, as he chose was called then, took the time and trouble to spread a new religion. He built a new city Akhetaten and dedicated to the God new ATO, and it is even believed by some Egyptologists that he used the power of his army to relocate people this newly created, city, making his popularity in dubious times.

Amenhotep IV has not only changed his own name, he gave daughters names that all paid dedication to his God, Aton. It believed also have forced all priests to close the temples and to renounce their Egyptian, gods to worship a God by the Egyptians. Closed temples, the town of Akhenaten only became larger and, located in the middle of Memphis and Thebes, site of the city was stopped even by any other religion or Pharaoh.

All this problem had not been to many, it is clear that religion did not really very powerful during his reign, not talk about that does not completely after his death, that very few embraced his new philosophy and practise his religion, these rare were basically the Government and people of high class which might even have some hidden behind embracing the Pharaoh, their beliefs.