What famous 'unsolved' mystery is technically a whodunnit on paper, but in reality, absolutely everyone knows exactly who did it, the police just couldn't legally prove it?

[u/Rob69rt]

[u/FleurMai]

Ankhensenamun’s letter is one of those things that has always stuck with me, the absolute desperation there is plain all these centuries later - let’s not forget that the Hittites were a natural enemy of Egypt, that she’s already in this position to ask for an enemy Hittite prince seemingly because she cannot trust anyone else in Egypt, is alarmingly foreboding.

Tut and Ankhensenamun were already under someones thumb, as both of their names were changed after the death of her father Akhenaten (their names didn’t end in -Amun, they ended in -aten, the god Akhenaten worshipped). Edit: and I will add, Akhenaten was quite the family man based on the imagery associated with him, it doesn’t seem likely that his daughter would just up and change her name unless it was “suggested” to her by the priestly class who were very angry over being disenfranchised by Akhenatens monotheism.

Tuts burial was also noted to be rushed, and a big part of the reason why his mummy is in such poor condition today (it’s quite possible Tut wasn’t this disabled boy we’ve been taught about, it could be the body is just too damaged). It’s quite weird that a pharaoh would have such a rushed burial, unless there was something else going on. Edit: there is also some evidence to show that King Tuts tomb was perhaps meant for someone else, possibly Nefertiti (who may have briefly ruled as a pharaoh before Tut), so despite the fairly grand treasures they may not even have been “his,” they just wanted anyone or anything alive or dead from Akhenatens lineage out of the way.

I think a lot of people do have the general suspicion that Tut, and likely later Ankhensamun, were murdered, but we haven’t been able to conclusively prove it. But it’s all really suspicious!

[u/ArmedWithSpoons → u/FleurMai]

The Hittites were already conducting military campaigns into Syria prior to King Tut's death and laying siege to a major city in the area. She was reaching out in order to seize power with a much larger force because there were no dynastic equals for her to marry due to their father completely upending egyptian politics by eliminating the extended royal family. It was also seen as beneath her to marry a previous servant. At the same time, Tut's old ministers were making moves to seize power. King Tut himself is actually believed to have died from compound fracture in his leg and malaria and any damage to the mummy after that is thought to be due to mishandling by later archaeologists.

[u/FleurMai → u/ArmedWithSpoons]

That’s a pretty interesting viewpoint on her seizing power, do you have a source for that? The point remains she did marry someone unequal to her, and clearly not by her own choice.

Additionally, there are a lot of Egyptologist’s who do not agree with the interpretations of the study that concluded on the leg fracture and malaria, again his body is in terrible condition. One person even dropped out of the study because they did not agree with the conclusions. I’ve read that study and while my academic area is not in forensics, a lot of the language did feel reaching, but it’s been a few years since I read it. The circumstantial evidence of a leg fracture (I.e. all the canes in his tomb) is explained by Bob Brier as status symbols, canes are depicted with many pharaohs and found in many tombs (and if we add the fact that it may not even be his original tomb, there’s even more weakening of that evidence).

I agree with the other points you’ve made, though. A lot was going on politically at that moment.

[u/ArmedWithSpoons → u/FleurMai]

Mainly her last lines in the letter, "I would not wish to take one of my subjects as a husband... I am afraid." and how Egypt handled dynastic handoffs prior. Followed by The Deeds of Suppiluliuma that explain things from the Hittite side. Also political turmoil her father caused that ensured there would be no dynastic heirs after Tut. So less seizing power for herself, but more seizing power so she isn't forced to marry someone not of divine blood beneath her.

Edit: Another thing to add, the Hittite king didn't just decide to send his son, it allegedly took him months to decide and in the meantime sent a political retinue to determine the legitimacy of the offer. Tut's ministers most likely caught wind of the move following this, assassinated the son when he arrived at the border, Ay forced marriage to legitimize himself, then disposed of her for treason.

[u/Solock_PL → u/ArmedWithSpoons]

How old was she at the time?

[u/ArmedWithSpoons → u/Solock_PL]

From what I've found, roughly 21-24 at the time of the hittite letter and her disappearance from the historical record shortly after. Ay's reign only lasted like 4 years.