Queen Ankhesenamun who was the third daughter of Akhenaton and Nefertiti, was only thirteen years old when she married King Tutankhamun and he was only eight years old. About 3 years on the throne the royal couple changed their names from Tutankhaten and Ankhesenpaaten to Tutankhamen and Ankhesenamen. After Pharaoh Akhetaten died, the royal couple moved back to their palaces in Thebes and Memphis.
Why the Royal Couple Changed Their Name
During the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten, Tutankhaten and his beautiful bride, Ankhesenpaaten, ascended to the throne of Egypt. They were young and full of promise, and the people of Egypt had great hopes for their reign.
However, as they began their rule, they found themselves faced with a difficult decision. Pharaoh Akhenaten had introduced a new religion to Egypt, one that worshipped the sun god, Aten, above all others. And as the new rulers of Egypt, Tutankhaten and Ankhesenpaaten were expected to uphold this religion and follow in the footsteps of their predecessor.
But as they looked out over their kingdom, they saw a people who were confused and divided. Many still clung to the old gods of Egypt, and they longed for a return to the traditional ways of worship.
And so, Tutankhaten and Ankhesenpaaten made a bold decision. They decided to break with tradition and reject the religion of Aten. Instead, they chose to honor the old gods of Egypt, and to restore the temples and shrines that had been neglected under Pharaoh Akhenaten's rule.
To mark this change, they also decided to change their names. Tutankhaten became Tutankhamen, which means "the living image of Amun," the god of creation and fertility. Ankhesenpaaten became Ankhesenamen, which means "she who lives for Amun."
Their new names were a sign of their commitment to the traditional ways of Egypt, and a rejection of the radical changes that had been introduced by Pharaoh Akhenaten. And although their reign was short-lived, their legacy lived on, as their decision to embrace the old gods helped to heal the wounds of a divided nation and ushered in a new era of prosperity and stability for Egypt.