Actually, that is an oversimplification.

There was much upheaval in Egypt, especially in political and religious spheres in the late 18th dynasty. The issue of the ascendancy of Amun and the heresy of Akhenaten being one of th chief issues of concern. Likewise, the issue of the military being ignored/allowed to decline and the borders becoming in jeopardy from invaders from various quarters. So to simply say that these people died of normal causes and everything just transitioned peacefully is a bit of an overstatement.
The late 18th dynasty political and religious situation was anything but peaceful and the rise of Aye after a long period of being shunned is testament to the conflict, not to mention the destruction of Amarna, the return of the worship of Amun and so forth.

For example, what happened to Ankhsenamun? I mean she wrote all these letters and the disappears? Aye married Ankhsenamun and then she drops from the record books. Hardly a natural death in my books. Therefore, this was the move to overthrow the Amarna family with the marriage of Aye to Ankhsenamun and her subsequent dissappearance after his death. And even more signifigant than that, what happened to all the daughters of King Akhenaten? How come all these young princesses, along with Tut and Ankhsenamun suddenly cease to be after about 6 years? That doesn't sound to convincing of a "natural and peaceful" transition to me.

Quote

Thus begins the so called "Ankhesenamon Episode." Upon the death of Tut Ankhesenamon apparently wrote a letter to Suppilulumia informing him that she had no sons of her own and asked him to send to her one of his sons whom she would marry and make Pharaoh. Quite naturally Suppiluliuma was very suspicious and sent an envoy - one Hattusa-ziti, to Egypt to investigate.

Hattusa-ziti returned to Hatti the following spring, accompanied by the Egyptian envoy, Hani, and reported that everything was as stated. (Certainly if there had been any Princes who were the sons of a Pharaoh running around he would have heard about them.) Suppiluliuma then sent his son, Zannanza to Egypt to marry the Queen.

Unfortunately, Zannanza never made it. He died on the trip, and Suppiluliuma held the Egyptians responsible. (I personally feel that a much stronger case for murder can be made here than with Tut). He eventually launched a retaliatory attack on Egyptian territory in Syria.

Egypt had gone from late summer to early spring with no Pharaoh on the throne. When the Hittite arrangement fell through, and with the threat of war with the Hittites, something had to be done, and done quickly. Ankhesenamon married Ay, a courtier who may have been her grandfather. Ay then presided at the entombment services of Tutankhamon, now some seven or eight months after his death. Ay assumed the throne, and reigned for about four years. Upon his death, Ankhesnamon also disappears from the scene.

From: [www.museum-tours.com]

While it is not necessarily true that tut was killed, there is no doubt that there was much discord among the political and religious sectors during this time and many wanted to get rid of the Amarna crowd, one way or another.




Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2007 11:09AM by Doug M.