egyptbc.com

Ankhesenamun was probably only around 13 years of age when she married the 10 year old boy King, Tutankhamon.

The reason why Tutankhamon may have married at such an early age was a matter of tradition - the King would be expected to have a wife, or indeed many wives, to aid him in dispensing the religious aspects of his office.

Ankhesenamun was the daughter of Akhenaton, Tutankhamon’s father, and her mother was Nefertiti, his step-mother. This close blood relationship may, according to experts, explain why the only two children from the marriage were both born premature and died.

It is further believed that Ankhesenamun was previously married to Smenkhare but only for a year or two, prior to marrying Tutankhamon, who succeeded Smenkhare as Pharoah around 1333BC.

When Tutankhamon died, Ankhesenamun possibly became afraid of Horemhab who was growing in power and may, possibly, have had a hand in Tut’s death. At that time, the religion that Tutankhamon’s father had created, was much reviled amongst many of influence and Horemhab was one who was intent on ending worship of the god Aton.

Ankhesenamun sent word to the Hittites that she would give the throne of Egypt to one of the princes in return for marriage. Prince Zannanza took up the offer of what could have proved to be an interesting alliance, only to be murdered on Egypt’s borders, again possibly murdered by Horemhab or one of his agents.

Instead, she ended up marrying Ay who had been close to Tutankhamon and may have been her natural grandfather. They took the throne even before Tutankhamon was buried but Ankhesenamun disappeared from history shortly afterwards, replaced as Ay’s wife by Tey.

No-one knows for sure what Ankhesenamun’s fate was but it may be that Ay married her purely to legitimise his own position as Pharoah and then had her killed when he had cemented his position on the throne.