Sobekneferu

Sobekneferu or Neferusobek () was the first confirmed queen regnant (or 'female king') of ancient Egypt and the last pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty and of the Middle Kingdom. Her reign was brief, lasting three years, 10 months, and 24 days according to the Turin Canon in the 18th century BC. She distinguished herself from any potential prior female rulers by adopting the full royal titulary which were often had modified to acknowledge her womanhood such as by the titles 'daughter of Re' and 'female Horus'. She was also the first ruler to be associated with the crocodile god Sobek in her nomen and to have associated herself with him through her praenomen.

Sobekneferu ascended to the throne following the death of Amenemhat IV, her presumed brother and husband, albeit the relationship is unsubstantiated. The reasons for her accession are debated. One possibility is that her predecessor had no male heir to bestow the throne to, thus leaving his sister to take the mantle of king. Yet, there are two candidate sons, Sobekhotep I and Sonbef, that are stated through their filiative nomen to be 'Amenemhat's son'. If Amenemhat IV is meant, then it may be that she usurped the throne from them, perhaps because she perceived them to be illegitimate. She also never associated herself with Amenemhat IV, instead asserting her legitimacy through their presumptive father, Amenemhat III. It appears though, that Sokebhotep I modelled his praenomen after Sobekneferu's Nebty name, indicating that he may have sought legitimacy from his predecessor and also demonstrating the esteem she was held in.