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Political figures / / Biography of Cleopatra
Cleopatra (Cleopatra VII)
Queen of Egypt (51-30 BC)
Cleopatra VII, the last queen of Egypt, was born in Alexandria in 69 BC.
Cleopatra's father was Ptolemy XII Auletes.
In total, he had six children: four daughters (Cleopatra VII was the third in a row) and two sons, who later became Cleopatra's husbands in turn.
The Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty was founded by the military commander of Alexander the Great, Ptolemy, who took possession of Egypt after the collapse of Alexander's empire.
Little is known about Cleopatra's mother, and biographers only suggest that she could have been Queen Cleopatra V Tryphena – it is precisely established that she was the mother of the eldest daughters of Auletes.
Tryphena disappeared at the beginning of 68 BC, and since bigamy was forbidden in the Hellenistic family, she was most likely the mother of the last queen of Egypt.
Cleopatra received a classical education, was brought up in the best Greek and Arabic traditions, knew several languages.
51 BC Ptolemy XII dies.
In the will, the deceased ruler declares Rome the guarantor of the Egyptian state and asks the Roman people to take care of their family.
The Roman general Pompey was appointed executor of the will and guardian of the tsar's children.
According to the custom, the eighteen year old Cleopatra should marry her own brother, the ten year old Ptolemy XIII, and rule Egypt together with him.
The actual rulers of Egypt in the first years after the death of Ptolemy XII become royal dignitaries: the teacher of eloquence Theodotus, the eunuch Pothinus, the commander of the palace guard of Achilles.
They manage to quarrel Cleopatra with her brother in law and provoke an uprising in Alexandria – it was announced to the people that Queen Cleopatra seeks to rule alone, and for this she will resort to the help of Rome.
Cleopatra flees to Syria, the dignitaries begin to rule on behalf of Ptolemy XIII.
48 BC Cleopatra manages to gather an army on the border of Egypt and Arabia.
She opposes her brother.
The troops of Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII meet at Pelusium and are ready to start a battle at any moment.
At the same time, the Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar arrives in Alexandria.
He claims that he has the right to resolve the conflict between the brother and sister as a representative of Rome.
Cleopatra realizes that she needs to meet with Caesar.
At night, she secretly arrives in Alexandria, accompanied by only a few servants.
The queen orders to wrap herself in a carpet and take her to Caesar.
The next day, Caesar publicly reads the will of Ptolemy Auletes and declares that Cleopatra and her brother should reign together.
47 BC Pothinus and Achilles cannot accept Caesar's decision.
They raise an uprising (known as the "Cleopatra's war"), secretly proclaim Ptolemy Auletes ' youngest daughter Arsinoe as the queen of Egypt.
Caesar wins this war, Arsinoe is captured and subsequently flees from Egypt to Rome.
As a result of the uprising, Ptolemy, Pothinus, and Achilles are killed.
After the victory, Caesar forces Cleopatra to marry her second brother, 16 year old Ptolemy Neoteros.
Cleopatra agrees, but in fact reigns alone in Egypt, relying on Rome.
At the same time, the love affair of 52 year old Caesar and Cleopatra from the secret becomes well known.
A few months later, Cleopatra and Caesar have a son, who gets the name Ptolemy Caesarion.
Caesar, who already has a family in Rome, is looking for an opportunity to marry Cleopatra as well, making Caesarion his heir.
46 BC Cleopatra, along with her husband, Caesarion and her retinue, moves to Rome and settles in one of the villas that belonged to Caesar.
She is officially declared a "friend and ally of the Roman people".
44 BC Julius Caesar was killed.
Perhaps one of the reasons for his death was the suspicion of his desire to marry Cleopatra, establish a monarchy in Rome and subjugate Rome to Egypt.
After the death of Caesar, Cleopatra returns to Egypt.
43 BC Cleopatra's husband Ptolemy XIV dies.
There is a version that he was poisoned on the orders of his wife.
Cleopatra declares her son Ptolemy Caesarion Philopator and Philometerus as the king and pharaoh of Egypt, as well as her co – ruler (the latter names mean "Loving father" and "Loving Mother").
After the assassination of Caesar, a civil war begins in Rome.
Cleopatra supports in it the followers of her beloved – the triumvirate of Mark Antony, Octavian and Lepidus.
She sends Egyptian warships to help them, but this fleet was intercepted and went over to the side of the opponents.
The second fleet sent by Cleopatra in support of the triumvirate sank.
42 BC the triumvirate wins.
The new ruler of the eastern part of Rome, Mark Antony, calls Cleopatra to him to give explanations about the support of the enemy.
Antony also intends to make Egypt a dependent province of Rome.
41 BC the meeting of Antony and Cleopatra takes place in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia.
Cleopatra deliberately delays this meeting for several months.
She comes to Tarsus in the dress of Aphrodite, on a beautifully decorated ship.
Antony was received on Cleopatra's ship, and she acted as hostess.
After the meeting, Cleopatra gave a sumptuous feast in honor of Antony.
As a result, Antony falls madly in love with Cleopatra, and Egypt remains an independent state.
The same year – by the hands of Antony, Cleopatra gets rid of her enemies in Rome.
By order of Antony, her sister Arsinoe and several other rebels were executed.
Soon Cleopatra and Antony leave for Egypt.
40 BC Anthony returns to Rome.
In the same year, Cleopatra gives birth to him twins, who are called Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selena.
39 BC – an uprising against Cleopatra rises on one of the borders of Egypt.
Her troops are suppressing this rebellion.
37 BC at the request of Antony, Cleopatra goes to Laodicea to provide food for his army.
Antony's promise to marry Cleopatra became an indispensable condition of this trip.
36 BC Anthony fulfills his promise and marries Cleopatra.
They have another son, named Ptolemy.
34 BC Anthony conducts a successful military campaign in Armenia.
The triumph is celebrated in Alexandria, where the winner gives Cleopatra and all her children new Roman territories.
32 BC Rome is outraged by the distribution of Roman lands to the Egyptians.
At this time, Anthony is fighting in Media (he dreamed of implementing the plan of Alexander the Great and becoming the ruler of the lands from India to the Atlantic Ocean).
Cleopatra comes to Antony, she is ready to provide him with military support.
Because of this, many allies turn away from the latter – the Egyptian queen did not enjoy special respect from the Romans.
The beginning of 31 BC Anthony divorces his wife Octavia.
He proclaims Cleopatra the "queen of kings" and writes a will in which he declares Cleopatra and his children from her as his heirs.
The same year – Antony's will falls into the hands of his main opponent in Rome, Octavian (the brother of Antony's ex wife Octavia).
Octavian immediately publishes the will and finally sets the Romans against Antony.
War has been declared on Cleopatra.
September 2, 31 BC the decisive battle of the war took place at sea near Cape Aktion.
The fleet of Cleopatra and Antony is defeated.
Antony returns to his legions, and Cleopatra returns to Alexandria to equip new troops.
Octavian is negotiating with Cleopatra.
She offers to give up the Egyptian throne in favor of her son Caesarion.
He demands that Cleopatra kill Antony – only then can he guarantee her life.
Antony loses the battle of Alexandria.
He arrives at Cleopatra's palace, but on her orders he is informed that Cleopatra has died – the queen hoped that after hearing this news, Anthony would commit suicide.
The queen herself took refuge in her own tomb.
In general, her calculation was justified, but Antony's suicide attempt ended with his severe injury, and he died only some time later in the arms of his beloved.
After Antony's death, Cleopatra tries to starve herself to death, but Octavian threatens to kill her children, and Cleopatra is forced to continue living.
August 30 BC Cleopatra learns that she and her children will have to" decorate " the triumph of Octavian in Rome.
This meant that they would be held as prisoners in the triumphal procession.
August 31, 30 BC Cleopatra decides to commit suicide.
She writes a letter to Octavian, in which she asks to be buried next to Antony.
After receiving the letter, Octavian immediately sends a guard to Cleopatra's chambers, but it's too late – she and her two maids are already dead.
Two snake bite wounds were found on Cleopatra's body, but there was no snake in the room.
According to the most common version, the snake was brought to Cleopatra by maids in a basket with figs.
The mummy of Cleopatra is now kept in London, in the British Museum.
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