Matriarchal Line of Descent
Ancient Egypt was a matriarchy wherein descent to the throne is through the female line , and this Egyptian system was formal and legitimist from the beginning to the end of Pharaonic history.

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"Because of the need to ensure that the next king was born to a woman of the purest royal blood and because the role of the Great Royal Wife was of the greatest importance to the succession, the ruling king was usually married to the Great Royal Daughter (who was customarily his sister and the eldest daughter of the previous king and his Great Royal Wife). Inheritance thus passed through the female line; to substantiate his claim to the throne and gain acceptance of his own son as the next heir, each royal heir presumptive had to marry the Great Royal Daughter...Even claimants who had only tenuous links with the main royal line could legitimatize their kingship if they married the royal heiress.
--Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt, p87 by Rosalie David, Oxford

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The way to trace and record the Egyptian dynasties is to identify the succession of Queen Mothers.
-- Who was the Queen Mother of the Eighteenth dynasty, whose daughter would be married to Ahmose I;
-- Tutankhamen's legitimacy would necessarily be traced back to this woman as well.
and so on...
Anomalies, such as the illegitimate ascension to the throne of Rameses I, are the rare exceptions which proves the rule of this Egyptian law.

Nsu, Nsuten, Suten: Southern Legitimacy
The basis of the Egyptian line of descent and legitimacy was for the female line to be descended from the South (the Sudan). This is expressed in the very meaning of these words and in the title of Pharaoh -- Nsu Biti -- that the matriarchy and legitimacy were derived from the "Khentu hon Nefer" or "the founders of the excellent order"-- Sudanese Africans.
This is illustrated, for example, that when the alien Hyksos invaded and occupied the Delta region, Egyptian royalty retreated to the heartland to regroup and to launch a counter-attack to expel these foreigners, a process which, incidentally, took several centuries. The concept was clear, Egyptian royal legitimacy originated in the South and therefore could only be re-instated from the South. (This ideology makes laughable the designation of the 25th dynasty as the "Kushite dynasty" which was simply a re-enactment of the process of the "Hyksos" era - the restoration of Egyptian royalty and legitimate rule.)

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Originally posted by Wally:
Anomalies, such as the illegitimate ascension to the throne of Rameses I, are the rare exceptions which proves the rule of this Egyptian law.

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Originally posted by Kem-Au:
How so? Did Ramses I ascend to the throne without taking a Great Royal Wife?

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Rameses I was appointed Pharaoh by General Horemhab, following the general's political coup against the 18th dynasty royals (Ikhnaton/Tutankhamen/Ay). In fact, the Ramessids were a Lower Egyptian mercenary family that had gained favor with the general.

Rameses' wife's name was Satrê and there seems to be some evidence that she was, like the wives of his successors, a member of the same mercenary clan from which Rameses sprang.

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Originally posted by Wally:
Rameses I was appointed Pharaoh by General Horemhab, following the general's political coup against the 18th dynasty royals (Ikhnaton/Tutankhamen/Ay). In fact, the Ramessids were a Lower Egyptian mercenary family that had gained favor with the general.

Rameses' wife's name was Satrê and there seems to be some evidence that she was, like the wives of his successors, a member of the same mercenary clan from which Rameses sprang.

There's still far too little information on the women who legitimized the throne of Egypt...

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This goes back to the heiress theory. Most Egyptologist have abandoned this position,but some still hold on to it. The 18th dyansty might have been matrilineal as suggested by Donald Redford because of its Nubian origins.

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Originally posted by Djehuti:
I really don't think that the Egyptians were matrilineal. They were most likely patrilineal. I understand that you're trying to find another cultural aspect to connect to Africa, but you must understand that matrilineacy is not just unique to Africa and that there were many patrilineal cultures in Africa as well.

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With all due respect brother, I'm not quite sure you understand what is meant by a matrilineal culture, which Egypt most certainly was.

Lineage of Pharoahs

Ancient Egypt's lineage was traced through women and property was passed through women. For this reason, Ancient Egypt originated as a matriarchy. The pharoahs were trustees of the property passed down and their reign was decided by their matrilineal status. Because of the matrilineal structure, husbands would lose their property and status if their wife died. The property was passed down to the daughters and granddaughters. Many incest relations began with fathers and daughters and granddaughters because the men wanted to stay with the property. There were also numerous brother/sister incest marriages.
http://www.bigeye.com/sexeducation/ancientegypt.html

There are many who don't seem to get the concept, for example:
http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/royal_women.htm

There is no need to seek a political agenda. We only need to look for truth. I have not read Robin Gaye's text, but a matrilinial culture is often confused. You can do a google search and see exactly how it works. But once you understand it, you'll understand, for example, strange scenarios like Ramses II marrying his daugter so he could remain king after his Royal Wife died.

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Originally posted by Djehuti:
I really don't think that the Egyptians were matrilineal. They were most likely patrilineal...

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There's really no need to speculate on this:

based on the Mdu Ntr:

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Posted by Wally (21 November 2004);
Revised 20 May 2005:
The Kemetian's strong reverence for their ancestors (Ikhu) and the female's unquestioned link to them led to the Satut Kemé (Women of Kemet) being esteemed within Kemetian society. This led to, among other things, the matrilineal descent to the throne - by legitimate ancestral descent from the southern or Upper Egyptian royal line (via Isis/Osiris).

A)Your "surname"
In the Kemetian matriarchy, the offspring belonged to their mother's clan or line. (IE, if your mother's clan were "Smith," you would belong to the "Smith" clan and not that of your father's.)

B) The Bride Price
In the Kemetian matriarchy, it was the groom who paid the dowry. It was called 'Shep en Shimé' or "payment for a wife."

C) Equal rights to education
Both boys and girls were able to receive a formal education. For example, there were female as well as male scribes...

D) Wife's Equal Status with the husband
--Neb per (Neb pr): "Lord of the house;" the husband
--Nebé per (Nebt pr): "Lady of the house;" the wife
--Nebé ta Himé (Nebt t3 Hmt): "Lady, The Wife;" a title of status; i.e., the main wife and definitely not a concubine!

E) Some important rights of the Satut Kemé; guaranteed by Law
--the right to own land and property
--the right of inheritance
--the right to engage in commerce and business
(and Ausar added)-- women could also divorce without the consent of a male
Note: The Satut Kemé were very active as produce merchants. Compare this to the Market Women of modern West Africa, especially Ghana.

You can also gain a better understanding of the African Matriarchal System by reading some cultural anthropological studies of various African ethnic groups who still use this traditional system, the Akan for example...

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The most detailed/documented example of the Kemetian matriarchal political system is in the struggle against the Hyksos and the restoration of Pharaonic legitimacy. The whole drama of the 18th dynasty is worth researching in one's spare time for this alone...

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I'm not quite sure you understand what is meant by a matrilineal culture, which Egypt most certainly was.

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Actually, I do understand what a matrilineal culture is!

As I said, matrilineage is not just found in Africa but in many parts of the world in places like southern India among the Dravidian peoples and among many peoples of Southeast Asia like the Minangkabau of Indonesia. Even many Native American peoples were matrilineal. There were many other peoples that were once matrilineal until foreign conquests and assimilations by patriarchal forces put an end to it!

The matter is I have read various sources that are to the contrary and say the Egyptians traced descent from the male line. Robin Gaye was just one but there were several others that mentioned the same. I am not implying that it was somehow impossible or even improbable for Egyptians to be matrilineal I'm just stating what I've read!

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Originally posted by Djehuti:
Actually, I do understand what a matrilineal culture is!

As I said, matrilineage is not just found in Africa but in many parts of the world in places like southern India among the Dravidian peoples and among many peoples of Southeast Asia like the Minangkabau of Indonesia. Even many Native American peoples were matrilineal. There were many other peoples that were once matrilineal until foreign conquests and assimilations by patriarchal forces put an end to it!

The matter is I have read various sources that are to the contrary and say the Egyptians traced descent from the male line. Robin Gaye was just one but there were several others that mentioned the same. I am not implying that it was somehow impossible or even improbable for Egyptians to be matrilineal I'm just stating what I've read!

[This message has been edited by Djehuti (edited 20 May 2005).]

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My brother...
You don't accept the Mdu Ntr and you don't accept the Oxford source; let us now try your own common sense and reasoning:

If becoming Pharaoh was based on the male line of descent, what could possibly be the reason(s) for all of those Pharaohs marrying their sisters and cousins?
A fetish perhaps?

PS: You're correct, of course, about Matriarchy not existing exclusively in Africa...

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Originally posted by Wally:
My brother...
You don't accept the Mdu Ntr and you don't accept the Oxford source; let us now try your own common sense and reasoning:

If becoming Pharaoh was based on the male line of descent, what could possibly be the reason(s) for all of those Pharaohs marrying their sisters and cousins? A fetish perhaps?

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As I understand it, the Pharaonic custom of marrying siblings and such was done to imitate the gods of mythology in which the royalty symbolically were.

But you probably have a point. If the Medu-Neter really makes it clear that they were matrilineal, so be it! I am not arguing against anyone. I am merely stating what some source I've read say.

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Originally posted by Djehuti:
As I understand it, the Pharaonic custom of marrying siblings and such was done to imitate the gods of mythology in which the royalty symbolically were.

But you probably have a point. If the Medu-Neter really makes it clear that they were matrilineal, so be it! I am not arguing against anyone. I am merely stating what some source I've read say.

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