The first female Pharoah, Sobekneferu (Neferusobek) reigns in the mid-18th century BCE. Her name means 'beauty of Sobek', a reference to the Crocodile God of the Nile. She's the last ruler of the Twelfth Dynasty in Egypt.
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Sobek is a god of kingship, military power and fertility. He's shown either as a crocodile or male figure with crocodile head. He protects the Nile and its travelers. He can also guard against enemies and the evil eye.
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Sobekneferu (Neferusobek) identifies with the crocodile, a symbol of Pharaohs and warriors. Taking Sobek as her patron is a bold move. She's assertive, usurping traditional roles of men and woman. Usually, women are not placed on king lists.
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She's an exception, though not all kings are willing to include her. Mentioned on the Karnak list of early Egyptian kings, the Saqqara Tablet and Turin King List, she's excluded from the Abydos list in the tomb of Seti I and snubbed by Rameses II.
After the death of her father, the brother of Sobekneferu takes leadership. When he also goes to sacred Aaru, the afterlife. Sobekneferu legitimizes her ascendence to the throne through the royal line of her father.
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A powerful ruler, the Pharoah sets the standard for his strong-minded daughter. Among other massive projects he builds a temple to Sobek the crocodile god in ancient Faiyum, central Egypt, to boost the town's image. Faiyum later becomes known as Crocodilopolis.
In c. 1750 BCE Sobekneferu is the first woman to become a Pharaoh herself. She's also the first woman to associate her name with that of Crocodile God Sobek. Her tutelary deities are Sobek, Ra (Re) the Sun God and Horus the falcon-headed god.
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Through Ra, Sobekneferu is also connected to the Eye of Ra, the War Goddess Sekhmet. In Egyptian history women come to the throne as wives, mothers and regents. Sobekneferu has strong options about this and they are not always well received.
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Other famed women rising to reign in Egypt include the later Hatshepsut (r.1479-1458 BCE), who wears the false beard in statuary akin to male rulers. Merneith, Nefertiti, Tawosret, and Cleopatra are also women who rule Egypt in their own right.
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Sobekneferu has a powerful warrior spirit. She's vocal about women's rights. She describes how women are elevated to the throne during crises to guide civilization and keep social order. This power, she says, is illusory.
She points to the role of women as temporary replacements for a male leader. Their reigns are regularly targeted for erasure by their successors. Overall, she asserts, Egyptian society is oppressive to women.
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Although information about her reign is incomplete, Sobekneferu appears on several king lists, attesting to her status as Pharaoh. Sobekneferu rules for almost four years. Her tomb has yet to been found.
Evidence points to the Northern Mazghuna pyramid of Dahshur in north Egypt. The pyramid is unfinished and it's not known for whom it was built. The architectural style is similar to that of the tomb of her father, so it might have been meant for Sobekneferu.
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If so, it's missing a body. No burial has ever taken place there. Another site called Sekhem Sobekneferu (Scepter of Sobekneferu) is mentioned on a papyrus found in Faiyum, which may be the name of her pyramid.
Sobekneferu is the last ruler of the 12th Dynasty in Egypt. Her reign is less than four years. She influences later royal women, and is one of the most significant figures of the ancient world.
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