King (pharaoh) of ancient Egypt of the 18th dynasty (
c. 13531335
BC), who may have ruled jointly for a time with his father Amenhotep III. He developed the cult of the Sun,
Aton, rather than the rival cult of Amen, and removed his capital to
Akhetaton.
Akhenaton's favourite wife was Nefertiti, and two of their six daughters were married to his successors Smenkhkare and Tutankaton (later known as Tutankhamen).
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