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Tutankhamen never won a great battle and never built a colossal monument yet this Egyptian King is the best known today. He died in 1340 B.C. but his name will not be forgotten. This is almost as accidental as the discovery of his tomb.

Egypt in the days of the young boy was a rich country and their life depended on the flooding of the Nile. In order to prepare for the flood they studied the river and the stars. They became the primitive worlds most successful astronomers. Then Akhenaton decided to change the way they believed and as a visionary ordered his followers to pray to one god only, Amon-Re. He made his home at Tell el Amarna and here he lived with Queen Nefertiti and his daughters. The worship of the new god brought happiness to all it seemed.

In the capital a boy was born. Tutankhaton whose name would later change. Back in the palace there were only girls and since the Pharaoh was more concerned worshipping the Aton than managing the country, the country was slipping into economic chaos. His brother married his daughter Merytamen and helped rule the country. Nefertiti took up residence in her own palace and soon the heretic Akhenaton died.

The situation was that at least Smenkhkare rules part of Egypt while the young princess Ankhesnamen played and went to school most of the time. Then one morning at age 13 she was informed that her uncle had died and that she and her boy friend Tutankhaton, now age ten, had to get married. In a few days the boy would suddenly become the Pharaoh of Egypt and his name had changed to Tutankhamen. At age ten with his wife age 13, her name now Ankhesnamen had all the power. And when they wanted to play, Ay, the old courtier was there to help out. He stayed in the palace and was there when documents were signed. The young pharaoh and his queen grew seemed to live happily when six years later, the pharaoh, still a boy at 17, was dead.

Tragically the young queen found herself without a husband. Then, as more ironic events unfolded, at age 20, she suddenly found herself with nothing but a wreath of spring flowers in her hand and a mummy in an open sarcophagus. She placed the wreath on his forehead, turned, walked up the steps and out of history as her plan to marry quickly was derailed. The Hittite prince, on his way to rescue her was murdered. Like her mother, father, uncle, sister and husband, her entry on the world stage was brief. Ay mounted the throne and history would always wonder if it was with a great deal of blood on his hands.