Hatshepsut was one of a very few females who ruled in ancient Egypt. The other women ruled because they had no choice, there was no man to do the job. In the 3000 years of ancient Egyptian history, Hatshepsut was the only woman who made the decision to be Pharaoh.
History is like a puzzle. Historians study written records, ruins or works of art — whatever has survived. From these scraps of information, they put together the story that we call history. There are always bits missing. Historians fill these gaps with what they think might have happened. Sometimes they don’t agree.
The records of Hatshepsut’s life had to survive more than the usual wear and tear of time. The Pharaohs who followed her tried to erase her name from history. Her inscriptions were chipped away and her statues were smashed to pieces on purpose. That means her story is a puzzle with many pieces missing.
Over the years historians have argued and changed their minds about Hatshepsut. Some think that she was a power-hungry woman who seized the throne. Others think that she just did what she had to do for the good of Egypt.