08/01/2026
Known by many names, Khufu, whose full name was Khnum-Khufwy, means “Khnum Protects Me.” Khnum was the ancient Egyptian ram-headed god of procreation, water and fertility. The Greeks gave Khufu the name “Cheops” and he is probably best known throughout history by this name.
King Khufu is also known under his hellenized name Cheops (or Khêops).
Khufu’s father, Snefru, first king of the 4th dynasty, was granted kingship through marriage, instead of like most kings who were declared kingship through birthright. Khufu’s mother was Queen Hetepheres, who was likely Snefru’s half sister. Khufu married Queen Meritites and Queen Henutsen. It was Queen Merities (his principal wife) who gave birth to Khufu’s heir to the throne, Prince Kawab. However, Prince Kawab died before Khufu and was never able to assume his kingship. It has been suspected that he was the victim of foul play, perhaps murdered by Djedefre, one of his brothers. Khufu had nine sons and fifteen daughters, and every one of them was somehow placed in the royal court with impressive positions.
A Famous Pharaoh and an Infamous King
Thousands of years after his reign, Khufu is widely believed to have been a cruel king to the Egyptian people. However, there is not a lot of evidence to support this. Rumors have existed for millennia that the king forced people as slaves to build his pyramid (The Great Pyramid of Giza) but there is evidence to suggest that the laborers not only called themselves “friends of Khufu” but they were also paid for their work. It is widely believed, however, that Khufu exchanged the life of a criminal to allow a magician to test his skills of resurrection. It is because of these rumors that Khufu is not just a famous pharaoh, but an infamous one, as well.
The Great Pyramid at Giza
Also known as the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the great pyramid is Khufu’s best known legacy. It remains today as one of the seven wonders of the world. At the time and through the millennia, the remarkably advanced technology and insight lent to Egypt’s reputation as being a highly sophisticated civilization to the rest of the world.