King Khufu “2589-2566 BC“, whose name means Khunum protects me, was known as Cheops to the Greeks. He was an ancient Egyptian monarch, who ruled Egypt through the fourth dynasty during the 26th century B.C as a second king. He was the one who was responsible for building the great pyramid that you can visit during your Cairo day tours. Here all information you need to know about King Khufu:
King Khufu
Interesting Facts about King Khufu
King Khufu married many times in his life from Queen Meritites, Queen Henutsen, and others. Queen Meritites was his main wife, who gave birth to Khufu’s heir to the throne, Prince Kawab but prince Kawab died before Khufu and had never got the chance to take the leadership of the throne. It is believed that Kawab was murdered by one of his brothers, Djedefre. Khufu had nine sons and fifteen daughters. Meritites was buried in one of the great three pyramids inside his own pyramid. His two sons Khafre and Redjedef succeeded him after his death instead of Kawab.
Khufu was somehow a cruel king with the Egyptians and there are many rumors that the king treated the Egyptians as slaves to build the Great Pyramid of Khufu. There is no evidence for such a thing and the major belief suggests that the Egyptians were being paid for their work. The reign of Khufu and Khafre were described by the Greek historian Herodotus as the most miserable and oppressive 106 years. There is only one completed portrait for Khufu that is only about three inches high, which was found in a temple ruin in 1903. All Khufu’s other statues and reliefs were broken and many of his temples were lost.
King Khufu Family Tree
His father was king Sneferu, who was the first king of the fourth dynasty and his mother was queen Hetepheres I, who was Sneferu’s half-sister. King Khufu was more ruthless and cruel despot than his father was. He was famous during his lifetime and he still had a funerary cult as late as the Senate Dynasty did.
Brothers and Sisters of King Khufu
- Hetepheres: the wife of Ankhhaf.
- Ankhhaf: The eldest brother and his nephew would later become pharaoh Khafra.
- Nefermaat: Half-brother; buried at Medium. He was the owner of the famous “Mastaba of the Geese“.
- Rahotep: He was an elder brother or half-brother. He was the owner of a life-size double statue portraying him and his wife Nofret.
Sons of Khufu
- Kawab: was the eldest son of Khufu and his future heir but he died before Khufu’s own end of the reign and that’s why he did not follow Khufu on the throne.
- Djedefra: became the first throne successor.
- Khafre: was the second throne successor.
- Djedefhor: was known as Hordjedef.
- Babaef I: Khnum-baef I.
- Khufukhaf I: Kaefkhufu I.
- Minkhaf I.
- Baufra.
- Horbaef.
Daughters of King Khufu
- Nefertiabet: was known for her beautiful slab stelae.
- Hetepheres II: was the wife of prince She married pharaoh Djedefra.
- Meresankh II.
- Meritites II: was married to Akhethotep.
- Khamerernebty I: was the mother of Menkaura.
King Khufu’s Name Meaning
The name of Khufu was dedicated to the earth deity, Khnum and he was a great religious symbol. Many believe that Egyptian pharaohs wanted to show their divine origin by dedicating their names to some deities. Khufu believed himself a divine creator. His royal family was big and we are not sure if Sneferu was his father or his stepfather.
King Khufu Reign
There isn’t clear information about the reign period of king Khufu but The Royal Canon of Turin from the 19th dynasty gave Khufu 23 years of rulership. Khufu’s name appears in local quarries at Hatnub and Wadi Hammamat. There is a rock inscription at the Wadi Maghareh in Sinai, which depicts Khufu wearing two crowns. Many expeditions were sent by Khufu to Byblos as an attempt to trade cooper tools and weapons for Lebanese wood. This type of wood was essential for him as he used it in building funerary boats. The boats that were discovered inside the pyramid were made of this kind of wood.
King Khufu Pyramid
Khufu Pyramid is considered to be the oldest and most important wonder of the world. It needed about twenty years to be built and it was covered with limestone to make its surface smooth. It was actually built as a tomb of the king but it appeared to be the largest construction that has ever been built by a man. Hemiunu, Khufu’s nephew was the one who designed and constructed this magical construction. It needed about 2.3 million blocks and it consists of three chambers, the biggest one belongs to the king and the other one belongs to the queen. There is something very strange about the pyramid, which is there is no any writing or Hieroglyphics found inside the Pyramid.
Monuments and Statues of King Khufu
There is only a small statue that depicts Khufu in ivory figurine, which was known as Khufu statuette. In that statue, Khufu wears the red crown of Lower Egypt seated on a throne with a short backrest. We can find this artifact in the Egyptian Museum in room 32. Khufu’s face is unusually squat and chubby. It shows no emotional expression. Surprisingly, there is another statue of Khufu beneath a pair of terracotta statues depicting a lion goddess, which is located now in Altes Museum. There are also many reliefs of Khufu, which are made of limestone. There is a relief of Khufu with the sentence “Building of the sanctuaries of the deities“.
Kingdoms of King Khufu
Khufu had many unique mortuary cult during the old Kingdom of Egypt. There were about 67 mortuary priests and 6 independent high officials serving at the necropolis at the end of the 6th dynasty. King Khufu witnessed a magical wonder and received a prophecy from a magician named Dedi according to a literary masterpiece of the middle kingdom of Egypt. The necropolis of Khufu was reorganized and Giza became an important economic and cultic destination through the Egypt new Kingdom.
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FAQ
What Should I Wear While Being in Egypt?
You should wear whatever you want. It is advised to wear something light from cotton or linen, comfortable and put on sunblock during your time in Egypt in the summer and wear comfortable footwear like a closed-toe shoe to sustain the sandy terrain.
What to Pack for Your Egypt Tour?
You should bring a brimmed hat and sunglasses if you not used to the Egyptian sun &pack everything you could ever need and put in a small bag so you could move easily between your destinations.
Are All Nile Cruises Available at Any Time?
Yes, it is available all years. as the Nile from Aswan to Luxor takes three to four days of sailing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the total cost of 600$ and the Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan take four to five days in Saturday, Monday and Thursday for the coast of 650$.
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We have experience in vacation planning for more than 10 years & our staff consists of the most professional operators, guides and drivers who dedicate all of their time & effort create the perfect vacation. All of our tours are customized by Travel, Financial & Time advisors to fit your every possible need during your time in egypt. we always keep in mind that your safety & comfort are our main priority until you return home.
Is it safe to travel to Egypt?
Yes, it is absolutely safe to travel to egypt, You will feel secure in Egypt as the current atmosphere of the country is very peaceful after the government took powerful measures like restructuring the entire tourist police to include all the important and tourist attractions in Egypt and construct an entire environment dedicated for ensuring the lives of all tourists.
What are Egypt's Visa Requirements?
They are very simples, If you want to apply for a Visa On Arrival that lasts for 30 days then you should be one of the eligible countries(check the link), have a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining and pay 25$ USD entry fee in cash. As for the E-Visa for 30 days, you should have a valid passport for at least 8 months, complete the online application, pay the e-visa fee then print the e-visa to later be presented to the airport border guard. You could be one of the countries eligible for a free visa for 90 days.
What is the Weather is Like?
The temperature of Egypt ranges from 37c to 14 c, Summer in Egypt is somehow hot and winter is cool and mild but sometimes it becomes cold at night. The average of low temperatures vary from 9.5 ¡ÆC in the wintertime to 23 ¡ÆC in the summertime and average high temperatures vary from 17 ¡ÆC in the wintertime to 32 ¡ÆC in the summertime while the temperature is moderate all along the coasts.
What is the Best Time of Visit Egypt?
It is known the best time to travel to Egypt is in the winter from September to April as the climate becomes a bit tropical, a warm atmosphere with a winter breeze. You will also be notified a week before your trip if the weather is unsafe or if any changes have been made.
Should I Give Tips in Egypt?
It is totally up to you, but if you choose to you can tip the servers at your restaurant 5-10% by handing it to them directly and 5 Egyptian Pounds as a general tip of anyone.
Can I Enter the Pyramids?
Yes, you can enter the pyramids for the small fee of 20$.
How to Enjoy Egypt During Ramadan?
Ramadan is a special time of year for Muslims that should be celebrated by non-Muslims and feel the essence of the Islamic culture. You can fast with the Muslim or just observe but you are always welcome to join the celebrations and festivals.
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