Nefretiri silver head piece In The Ten Commandments

In Cecile B. Demille’s 1956 film, The Ten Commandments, Anne Baxter plays an Egyptian queen named Nefretiri, who is based on a real queen named Nefertari, who is not to be confused with Nefertiti, who was like the mother-in-law of King Tut.

Nefertiti was the principal wife of the pharaoh Amenhotep IV (later Akhenaten), and lived in the 14th century BC. Written records providing concrete historical facts about her origins, her marriage, her family life, political status and death are scarce.

Nefretiri was the Egyptian throne princess during the reign of Pharaoh Sethi, and later Queen of Egypt as the wife of Pharaoh Rameses II, Sethi’s son and heir.

Biography

Life in the court of Sethi

Nefretiri held the title of “throne princess” when Sethi was Pharaoh. Nefretiri enjoyed considerable wealth and luxury. She had her own boudoirs with balconies in the royal palace in Thebes. She was also the owner of a large barge on the Nile River. She was often referred to as “Royal One“^[3] or “Great Lady.”

Romance with Prince Moses

Nefretiri lived a short love life with Prince Moses, since he arrived upon conquering Ethiopia. Moses, being the prime choice for successor by Sethi I, was envied by Rameses, who at the time wished to inherit the Royal Crown of United Egypt.

The romance abruptly broke when slave-servant Memnet revealed Moses’ true race to Nefretiri. In between their conversation, Memnet pulls out of her bosom the piece of Hebrew Levite-patterned cloth that Moses was wrapped in. Nefretiri, in an act to show no mercy, snakes Memnet into the balcony area of her bedroom and drops the cloth on the bedroom steps. Moses later learns about this and heads to Yochabel‘s hut to investigate the matter further. The truth is revealed: Moses is Amram and Yochabel’s youngest son. This concludes Moses’ and Nefretiri’s short-lived romance.

Bethrothal to Rameses II

When Sethi learned that Moses killed an Egyptian in order to save a Hebrew, he deposed Moses of his right to the throne and betrothed Nefretiri to Rameses. Nefretiri was very upset, and did not love Rameses.

Reign as Queen of Egypt

As Queen of Egypt, Nefretiri was heartless and shown to be a loving mother to her son who dies at the last plague. When she orders Ramses II to go and kill Moses she comments that he is a coward.