Akhenaten

Akhenaten, born Amenhotep IV, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who ruled during the Eighteenth Dynasty. He is famous for abandoning traditional Egyptian polytheism and introducing worship centered on the Aten (the sun disk). Initially crowned as Amenhotep IV, he changed his name to Akhenaten ('Effective for Aten') in his fifth regnal year. Born to Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, he married the renowned Queen Nefertiti and had six daughters with her. His radical religious reforms effectively made the Aten the only god of Egypt, leading to what many scholars consider the world's first recorded monotheistic religion. He moved the Egyptian capital from Thebes to a new city he built called Akhetaten (modern-day Amarna). Under his reign, artistic conventions were dramatically altered, creating what is now known as the Amarna art style, characterized by elongated figures and more naturalistic representations. His reign saw significant diplomatic, artistic, and religious changes that dramatically impacted Egyptian society, though most of these changes were reversed after his death.