Born: Unknown (1500s BCE), Egypt
Died: Unknown (1500s BCE)
Country most active: Egypt
Also known as: NA
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
She was the daughter of Thenna, a commoner, but she married into the princely family which claimed the sovereignty of Egypt. At the time when she became the wife of King Sekenenre, however, his royal domain extended over a limited portion of the country, for a dreaded foreign people, the Hyksos, held the whole land in subjection. Sekenenre was probably forced to pay tribute as well as acknowledge the overlordship of the Hyksos king. Nevertheless, before her death, Tetisheri, a child of the people, was to see her grandson ruling a united and powerful Egyptian nation. And it seems very likely from certain monuments remaining that her wise counsel contributed no small part to the change. Her husband apparently died quite early, and it was their son who set in motion the rebellion against the Hyksos. We can well imagine how the hopes of all Egypt were centered in this leader; whereas, perhaps, Tetisheri foresaw that she was giving up her big, handsome, curly-haired son as a sacrifice to her country.
He was killed when barely thirty years of age. But apparently the Dowager Queen did not falter. She turned to the two young grandsons and probably acted as regent for the elder, for he at an early date, threw down the gauntlet to the Hyksos and renewed the struggle in which he too perished. Finally, however, the tired old woman had the satisfaction of seeing the other grandson, Ahmose, succeed not only in expelling the Hyksos from Egypt, but in driving them northward into Asia, far away from the frontiers, and returning, thereupon, with the richest tribute Egypt had ever seen. To Tetisheri were given the revenues of certain estates seized from the enemy, and while she lived her grandson respectfully included her, with himself, in certain state projects. She was the first of the six great queens — mothers of the 18th dynasty of Egypt. This is the most remarkable group of women in early history. For six generations the royal family was almost a matriarchate. Beginning with Tetisheri, the queens played unusually important parts in the history of the time, either sitting in conference with the kings, their husbands, or acting as regents in emergency. After Tetisheri’s death King Ahmose erected for her splendid monuments, and this, he said, he did because “he so greatly loved her.”