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Akhenaten was the second son of Amenhotep Ill and Tiye, the Great Royal Wife. He became king because of the death of Thutmose, his elder brother and heir to the throne.

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Akhenaten had at least five sisters: Sitamun, Isis, Henettaneb, Nebetah and later Bakctaten.

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​​Akhenaten’s family background

• ​He spent some of his early years in Memphis, the capital until the last decade of his father’s reign.

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• He was educated at Heliopolis, centre of the worship of the sun god, reflected in his early title of ‘First Prophet of Harakhte‘ and his later religious beliefs.

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• He later built a temple for the Aten there and some

of his officials from Heliopolis.