Pharaoh
Pharaoh, the title by which the kings of ancient Egypt were known. The term was derived from Egyptian for “great house.” According to mythology, the pharaohs were descended from gods; then they came to be regarded as gods themselves, and great temples were built for their worship. During much of Egyptian history the pharaoh was required to marry a half-sister or sister, an arrangement believed necessary to maintain the legitimacy of the royal line. Women did not inherit the throne. However, Hatshepsut, half-sister and wife of Thutmose II, declared herself pharaoh after her husband's death and ruled for many years.