Were the rulers of ancient Egypt always men?

Answer 1

Not true. Famous female pharaohs included Nefertiti and Cleopatra.

Answer 2

The rulers of ancient Egypt, Pharaohs, were almost all men, but there are a few women who were either actually Pharaohs, or effectively were - and ruled ancient Egypt. Those believed to have been female rulers are:

• Cleopatra VII - Became Pharaoh when she was about 17 years old. She had no son at the time; she married a much younger brother. There is no known to female Pharaoh in Egypt for more than a millennium before Cleopatra. She is the one who is famous for her liasons with the Romans Mark Antony and Julius Caesar. Cleopatra tried to keep Egypt's independence during a time of Roman domination by allying herself romantically, matrimonially, and militarily with these Roman commanders. She had a son, Caesarion, supposed to be fathered by Julius Caesar, for whom she was regent.
• Cleopatra I - Consort of Ptolemy V Epiphanes of Egypt. They were married in 193 BCE and, because the Ptolemy tradition was for the ruler to marry his sister, she was given the title of sister. Ptolemy appointed her as vizier in 187. Ptolemy V died in 180 BCE, with his son by Cleopatra I his heir -- and so Cleopatra I was appointed regent for her son, and ruled as sole ruler until her son came of age.
• Tausret (Twosret, Tausert, Tawosret) - Chief wife of Seti II. When Seti II died, Tausret served as regent for his son, Siptah (Rameses-Siptah, renamed at some point Menenptah Siptah). Siptah was likely the son of Seti II and a minor wife, so Tausret was his stepmother. There is some indication that Siptal may have had some disability. He died about six years into his reign, and Tausret seems to have served as Pharaoh for two to four years, using kingly titles for herself.
• Nefertiti - May have ruled after the death of her husband, Akhenaton. This is based on the theory that she assumed the name Smenkhkare after his death. Even if she did not rule, during her husband's reign she was accorded more honor than usual for a Great Wife, and is sometimes depicted as a co-equal officiant at ceremonies.
• Hatshepsut (Maatkare) - Widow of Thutmosis II, she ruled first as regent for his minor stepson and heir, and then as Pharaoh. Her titles include "King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Daughter of Re."She is depicted in a fake beard and with the objects that a Pharaoh is usually depicted with, and in male attire, after a few years of ruling in female form.
• Ahmose-Nefertari - Served as co-regent during her son's minority and co-regent with her grandson Thuthmosis I during his minority.
• Ashotep - Mother of the founder of the 18th Dynasty and New Kingdom, Ahmose I, himself the pharaoh who defeated the Hyksos (foreign rulers of Egypt). Ahmose I credited her in an inscription with holding the nation together during his minority, when she seems to have been regent for her son.
• Sobeknefru (Neferusobek or Nefrusobek or Sebek-Nefru - Meryetre) - Ruled Egypt for a few years. She was the daughter of Amenemhet III and half-sister of Amenemhet IV and, perhaps, also his wife. She claimed to have been co-regent with her father. She was depicted in female clothing but wearing male objects related to kingship, and was sometimes referred to in terms using the male gender, perhaps to reinforce her role as Pharaoh.
• Neithhikret (Nitocris or Neith-Iquerti or Nitokerty) - Known only through a story in Herodotus and several brief mentions of her name elsewhere, but there is no other historical or archaeological evidence for her existence, much less ruler-ship. She is mentioned on one king list (Turin) and not another (Abydos).
• Ankhnesmeryre II or Ankhesenpepe II or Ankh-Meri-Ra - May have served as regent for her son, Pepi II, who was about six when he assumed the throne when Pepi I (her husband, his father) died.
• Wife of Djedkare-Izezi - In the 1950s, a mortuary temple was excavated, though the excavation remains unpublished. Reportedly, royal insignia were found related to the wife of Djedkare-Izezi. She may have had no son and ruled as king. But the temple was destroyed so completely that the details are not clear, and her name cannot even be identified.
• Khentkaus - Characterized in an inscription as the mother of "Two Kings of Upper and Lower Egypt," presumably Sahure and Neferirke, Fifth Dynasty. She may have served as a regent for a time. In an inscription she may have a kingly title -- but there may have been two women of the same name, and a later regent of the same name may be confused with the earlier queen, their stories conflated.
• Nimaethap (Ni-Maat-Heb) - Identified as "King's Mother" of Djoser, who was probably the second king of the Third Dynasty, the builder of the step pyramid at Saqqara. She may have served as regent for him.
• Meryt-Neith or Merytneith or Merneith - Buried with honors usually used for kings including a boat to travel to the next world, and her name is found on a seal with the names of other First Dynasty Pharaohs. But on that seal, her symbol is that of a King's Mother and the other names have the sign of Horus, for a Pharaoh.