One of the most controversial rulers in ancient Egyptian history, Akhenaten (formerly Amenhotep IV) was never meant to be king. The second son of pharaoh Amenhotep III (and grandson of Thutmose IV), he was preceded in the line of succession by his elder brother Prince Thutmose. After Thutmose's untimely demise, however, Prince Amenhotep found himself in the royal spotlight, and following Amenhotep III's death in 1353 B.C.E., he was crowned pharaoh. Over the course of his 17-y