History: Why would a Pharaoh marry his own sibling??

Question

I need to know the answer for a project.
i can't seem to find it anywhere!

Answer 1

Because the Pharaoh's thought that they were of a higher class (descended directly from the gods) and so they didn't want to make the bloodline impure, which meant that there had to be lot of marriage between siblings. It's the same principle as why other monarchical families (like European royalty) all interbred...they thought their blood was better and had to be kept free from the impurities of common folk

Answer 2

Pharoahs, like most monarchs, usually were subjected to arranged marriages. Their spouse may have been chosen by thier parents, other family members, or even their advisors.

In ancient Egypt, pharoahs frequently married siblings becaause it preserved the royal lineage in the most definate way, didn't involve any complicated multi-national alliances and it wasn't known at the time that such relationships can produce unhealthy children.

Also worth consideration is the idea that the pharoah was a descendant of Ra, the sun god. Since his sister was also such a descendant, it would raise no issues about whether or not their offspring were less so.

Answer 3

A couple of reasons, really. One, an heir to the throne was considered a living god, so he/she had to marry someone of pure blood, Often the only way to be sure of this was for the king and queen to be of the same father. Another reason was for maitaining the purity of the dynastic blood line. And a third might have been the simple fact that there simply weren't enough people of royal blood to make more distant matches. The Egyptians had somehow managed to "reproduce themselves" into a pigeon hole, and were reluctant to make unions with royals of other kingdoms-- they preferred to keep to themsleves.

Answer 4

easy question my friend.
in ancient times it is more acceptable to marry within the family.
it keep the bloodlines pure. brothers and sister and cousins played around with each other when they were young in a confine palace, so it was natural that their parents and themselves would approve of the marriage.

Even in myths, the Greek god Zeus married his sister Hera.

Today incest is condemn by modern society, courtesy of the Roman Catholic Church.

Answer 5

Land was passed down through the daughters so if a brother married his sister, he could keep the family lands.

Answer 6

The pharaoh was considered a god and therefore the family was divine. Therefore it wouldn't be appropriate for him to marry a mere mortal.

Answer 7

Because its commen sense. They would marry siblings because of the bloodline. If a mate with a suitable bloodline could not be found they would marry tjhemselves (relatives).

Answer 8

To keep the lineage in one family. By marrying someone from another family, you risk a take-over or YOUR family being wiped out.

Answer 9

In order to ensure that the family dynasty never left the family. Kind of disturbing to me though.

Answer 10

Because it's found in human nature. It's sick. Even perverse. But the love of power and privilige suffuses all moral qualms if that morality is not cultivated ... take it from there.