Cleopatra VII, the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, is one of the most famous women in history. Her life is shrouded in myth and legend, and her romances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony are the stuff of legend. But who was Cleopatra's first husband? Let's take a closer look.
Cleopatra's Early Life
Cleopatra was born in 69 BC in Alexandria, Egypt. She was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes, the Pharaoh of Egypt, and his wife Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Cleopatra was the third of six children, and she was raised in the royal palace in Alexandria.
Cleopatra was a highly educated woman, fluent in several languages including Egyptian, Greek, and Latin. She was also a skilled politician and diplomat, and she was deeply involved in the affairs of Egypt from a young age.
Cleopatra's First Marriage
When Cleopatra's father died in 51 BC, he left the throne to Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy XIII. However, Ptolemy was only 10 years old at the time, so Cleopatra became the de facto ruler of Egypt.
However, Cleopatra's reign was short-lived. Ptolemy's advisors, including his tutor Pothinus and the general Achillas, staged a coup and ousted Cleopatra from power. Cleopatra fled to Syria, where she began to gather an army to retake the throne.
While Cleopatra was in Syria, Ptolemy married his sister in an effort to solidify his claim to the throne. However, the marriage was purely political and Ptolemy soon began to resent Cleopatra's influence.
Cleopatra's Return to Egypt
In 48 BC, Cleopatra returned to Egypt with her army and began a civil war against Ptolemy. Her forces were victorious, and Ptolemy was killed in the fighting.
After the war, Cleopatra married her younger brother Ptolemy XIV in order to consolidate her power. However, the marriage was once again purely political, and Cleopatra had no real affection for her husband.
Cleopatra's Later Relationships
After the death of Ptolemy XIV, Cleopatra began a romantic relationship with Julius Caesar, the Roman general and politician. The two had a son together, Caesarion, and Caesar's support helped Cleopatra maintain her grip on the throne of Egypt.
After Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, Cleopatra aligned herself with Mark Antony, another Roman general and politician. The two had a passionate romance and had three children together. However, their relationship was ultimately doomed, and both Cleopatra and Antony committed suicide in 30 BC after their defeat by the forces of Octavian, the future Roman Emperor Augustus.
Conclusion
So, who was Cleopatra's first husband? Technically, it was her younger brother Ptolemy XIII, whom she married in a purely political arrangement. However, the marriage was short-lived and Cleopatra's subsequent relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony are much more famous and well-known.