Africa has had her fair share of inspiring queens, from women who led armies into battle to those that built empires to rival that of the Egyptians. The Kingdom of Kush, modern-day Sudan and Nubia, was no exception and her mighty queens are known to this day as some of the fiercest women to rule over the ancient lands.
Known as Kandakas, or Candaces, the Queens of Kush have left behind quite a legacy; keep scrolling to learn about the warrior queens that helped build one of the world’s earliest civilizations.
Shanakdakhete
The earliest known Queen to rule the Kingdom of Kush, Shanakdakhete ruled from 177 BCE to 155 BCE, and did so without a king by her side. In the above image, you can see a young man – possibly an heir – next to the queen holding her crown, yet another sign of the power and respect Shanakdakhete commanded. Not only did she help build an empire, but Shanakdakhete also played an important role in the development of the Meroitic language and religion.
Amanirenas
Amanirenas, Qore and Kandake of Kush, ruled from 40 BCE to 10 BCE, naming herself both king (qore) and queen (kandake). The one-eyed warrior queen led the Kushite armies into battle against the Romans – who had by this time taken control of Egypt – in the 3rd century B.C. in a war that lasted around 5 years and saw the Kushite kingdom capture many of the Roman forts in southern Sudan. The Romans, at the time one of the world’s most powerful empires, and with a highly-trained army no less, did not take this lightly, and launched a brutal attack on Kush that seemed to mark the end of the Nubian kingdom. But Amarineras retaliated and retaliated hard, quickly, repeatedly and violently; some reports mention war elephants and pet lions that were fed captives. Fighting side-by-side with her soldiers, the one-eyed warrior defeated Rome, a feat that even the Egyptians could not do, and ensured that the Romans never again tried to invade the lands of Kush.
Amanishakheto
Reigning over Kush from 10 BCE to about 1 CE, Amanishakheto was both a warrior and a builder. This queen is known until today for her impressive jewelry collection, now on display at the Egyptian Museum of Berlin and that of Munich, as well as the construction of Meroe’s ancient pyramids. Amanishakheto can be seen on the walls of the Amun Temple of Kawa, the palace of Wad ban Naqa, and on the stela of Qasr Ibrim in Upper Egypt, and on another in Naqa.
Amanitore
Ruling until about 20 CE, Amanitore was one of the great builders of the ancient world, overseeing a period of great expansion and prosperity. Amanitore commissioned the building of almost 200 pyramids, water reservoirs, and the restoration of temples destroyed by the Romans.
Amanikhatashan
Ruling over Kush from 62 CE to 85 CE, not much is know about Amanikhatashan today save that she provided military support to Rome during the Jewish-Roman war of 70 CE. Some sources say she sent the legendary Kushite archers, so accomplished that Kush was often called “The Land of the Bow”.