The stunning Queen Cleopatra of Egypt was one of the most powerful and influential women in ancient world history.
She was the last pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled ancient Egypt. According to historical records, Queen Cleopatra was not of Egyptian descent. Instead, she was of Macedonian descent. Unlike many of the pharaohs who preceded her, she was the first ruler of the Ptolemaic Empire to learn the Egyptian language.
Queen Cleopatra ruled Egypt and its surrounding areas from 305 BC to 30 BC. She initially ruled Egypt with her brother Ptolemy XIII (11 years old) after their father died in 51 BC. According to the “tradition” of the Ptolemaic dynasty, Egypt needed two people (1 man, 1 woman) to rule the country. They had to marry their siblings to maintain power and maintain pure royal blood.
Because the two eldest sisters in the family had died, Ptolemy XIII married his third sister, Cleopatra (who was 18 years old at the time), to rule the country together. Being intelligent and ambitious, Queen Cleopatra used many ways to seize power, expand her influence, and even sought to overthrow her younger brother and husband, Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII.
In the summer of 49 BC, Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII, with his eunuch and teacher Pothinus as regent, defeated Queen Cleopatra in a power struggle. As a result, the queen fled to Syria. During her exile and search for a way to return to the throne, Cleopatra met the famous Roman general Julius Caesar. She used her beauty, eloquence and charm to win the heart of the powerful Roman man.
Cleopatra, with Caesar’s help, overthrew Ptolemy XIII and became the queen who held supreme power in Egypt. In January 47 BC, Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile while fleeing. Although she returned to the throne, Cleopatra could not rule Egypt alone. She had to marry her remaining brother – Ptolemy XIV according to the “tradition” maintained every five years. However, the power remained in her hands.
With the support of her lover Caesar, Queen Cleopatra firmly held the throne. In March 44 BC, Caesar was ᴀssᴀssinated and died. Four months later, Pharaoh Ptolemy XIV died mysteriously. Some people believe that Queen Cleopatra poisoned her brother to put her 3-year-old son Caesarion on the throne, to rule with her. Accordingly, power was concentrated in Queen Cleopatra.
In 41 BC, Queen Cleopatra wanted to stabilize Egypt and not let Rome annex her, so she seduced the famous general Mark Antony. Accordingly, this queen gave birth to twins for her lover and enjoyed a life of luxury.
According to some sources, Queen Cleopatra took advantage of her lover’s power to kill her sister Arsinoe IV to prevent future disasters, leaving no siblings in the family to compete with her for the throne.
However, the love affair between Queen Cleopatra and Mark Antony was hated and turned against by the Romans because this general devoted all his efforts to protect his lover, helping her “call the wind and call the rain” in Egypt. Roman Emperor Octavian even declared war against Queen Cleopatra and the traitorous Roman general.
The war between the two sides ended in 30 BC when the Egyptian forces were defeated by Octavian’s army in Alexandria. Knowing that the situation could not be reversed, Queen Cleopatra and Mark Antony committed suicide. After that, Egypt became a province of the mighty Roman Empire.