This groundbreaking book illuminates the lives of some 1,300 kings, queens, princes, and princesses of ancient Egypt, unraveling family relationships and exploring the parts they played in politics, cultural life, and religion.<br /><br />The authors begin with a basic summary of the structure of the pharaonic state, including the nature of ancient Egyptian kingship itself, and then introduce key members of the royal family. This is followed by a chronological survey of the royal family from c. 3100 BC to the last Cleopatra. For each dynasty, or significant part of a dynasty, the authors provide an historical overview of the period,a summary listing of the kings, and a discussion of their families' relationships.<br /><br />This superb biographical history of ancient Egypt is handsomely illustrated with hundreds of photographs, line drawings, and genealogical trees.