Was King Tutankhamun a powerful Pharaoh?
It depends upon your definition of powerful he ruled during Egypt’s Golden Age, but as a “boy king,” he probably had a lot of assistance from his advisors. During the 18th Dynasty (the era in which Tutankhamun’s family ruled) Egypt reached the summit of its military and artistic dominance. Tutankhamun would have reigned over an enormous and exceedingly wealthy empire. However, as a ten-year-old pharaoh, he would have needed guidance from older, more experienced officials. Tutankhamun’s primary advisors appear to have been General Horemheb and Commander Aye (who was probably his step-grandfather). These men likely took principle responsibility for major decisions until Tutankhamun grew older. Interestingly, both of these men later ruled as pharaohs after Tutankhamun’s death, although they were much older by then and their reigns were quite short.
