The Egyptian Royal Hierarchy is based on the set of guidelines that separate certain classes of people on several pre-specified basis and terms. Every country normally had or still has royal classes or royal families. In earlier times, these families were considered the main ruler of the country and all the major titles and ministries were preserved for members of these royal families.
They were considered royal blood and no one in the kingdom was allowed to question their rules and decisions. A royal family normally includes the spouse of the reigning monarch or surviving spouses of a deceased monarch or the children, brother, sister, cousins or even the grandchildren of the reigning monarch. In simple words, one has to be associated with the monarch by a blood relation.
Egyptians had a strong belief in the concept of death and life after death. The highest title attained in Egypt was of a king referred normally as a Pharaoh. The Pharaoh was considered the son of the God and was believed that the king even after his death would continue his journey of afterlife (life after death). It was believed that eatables were also required after death for the life force that still exists. This life force was known as Ka. The body of Pharaoh was preserved through a process called Mummification.
So the entire Egyptian royal hierarchy was centralized and revolved around the Pharaoh. The Egyptian royal hierarchy has been described below in brief with a ladder format starting from the highest rank and ending with the lowest one as below.
- The Pharaoh – The Pharaoh was the king of the entire Egypt. He was considered son of the God and was equally worshipped after the Gods of the Egypt. His decision was the final one and no man was allowed and able to deceive his decision. He was always a royal blood. In the Egyptian royal hierarchy, Pharaoh possesses the top rank. Not only in his lifetime, but even after death, the body of Pharaoh was preserved.
- The Pharaoh’s Wife – The next rank in the hierarchy is of Pharaoh’s wife. In absence of the Pharaoh due to any reason, the kingdom was ruled over by the Pharaoh’s wife and her decisions were equally considered important as of a Pharaoh.
- The Heir – The heir to the Pharaoh was always decided at an early age of kids. The heir was provided with a special training since childhood. After the death of a Pharaoh, the heir was made Pharaoh irrespective of his age.
- Royal Family – All the members of the Pharaoh’s family who were related to Pharaoh by any blood relation come under the category of royal family. All the major ministry positions were secured for royal family members.
- The Vizier – The Vizier possessed the most power except for the Pharaoh and also provided advice to the Pharaoh on all the matters of the kingdom.
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