The Queen - or, as she would prefer to be remembered, King - Hatshepsut was a remarkable woman. In an exceptional manner, she defied tradition and became the female embodiment of a male role, dressing in male attire and even wearing a false beard. Forgotten until the hieroglyphs were deciphered by Egyptologists in the 1820s, she has since been the subject of intense speculation regarding her actions and motivations. Combining archaeological and historical evidence from a wide range of sources, Joyce Tyldesley's brilliant work reveals the myths and misconceptions and ultimately restores the position of the female pharaoh.