A commoner, Queen Tiye worked her way to royalty and power, and would be remembered as a formidable figure in ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom thousands of years later. Ti, who lived during the Eighteenth Dynasty, was of non-royal origins. Her father, Yuya, was a priest of Min in Akhmim, a chief of horses, and a commander of chariots. Her mother, Tuya, was the supervisor of the harem of Amun in Thebes and Min in Akhmim. Amenhotep III (1390 BC – 1352 BC), married her during the second year of his reign, and she became the great royal wife. For nearly 38 years, Ti stood by Amenhotep III as an equal partner. Together they oversaw a vast and prosperous empire, an era defined by stability, during which Egypt became wealthy, confident, and largely at peace with the world. A woman leader was thought to be a woman of strong personality and sharp intelligence, which may have helped her gain a seat at the table in both local governance and international diplomacy. Theodore M. found Davis, an American lawyer and businessman, on several seals bearing the royal cartouche of Queen Thi…
