The Ancient Egypt Site - Horus, the God of Divine Kingship

The falcon-god Horus is one of the most important gods of Ancient Egypt. He is the divine personification of the kingship and the god of the heavens at the same time.

From the Early-Dynastic Period on, Horus is associated with the (divine) kingship of Egypt. The king is a Horus, the bodily representation of the last real god to have ruled Egypt. This is reflected in the oldest title of the Egyptian kings, the Horus-name, where the king is called "Horus NN". The representations of Horus wearing the double crown confirm his relationship with the Egyptian monarchy.

As the living king was a Horus, when he died, his successor became the new living image of Horus and the dead king became Osiris, Horus' father. The cyclic renewal of the creation was thus ensured by the constantly renewing monarchy. As the heir of Osiris, Horus also represents all that is just and right. After Osiris was murdered by his brother Seth, his heritage was claimed by Seth, who tried to cast aside Osiris' legal heir. With the help of his mother Isis, Horus demands justice and attacks his uncle. When Horus emerges victoriously from his battles with Seth, Osiris' heritage is given to him, ending the chaos and uncertainty of Seth's rule. Because of his battles against injustice, Horus is also seen as a protector-god, a god who attacks and destroys evil where- and whenever he can.

As the god of the heavens, he is often represented as a falcon or as a man with the head of a falcon. As such, he is the protector of the heaven and of the sun god Re.

There are several "forms" of Horus:

Harpocrates (Horus the child) is the son of Osiris and Isis and represents Horus as a child. He is the child that needs protection from his mother Isis against his evil uncle. He is also the child-god who protects the unborn and the young children. From the Late-Dynastic Period on, he is often represented as a naked child, standing on crocodiles and holding dangerous, powerful animals in his hand. He uses the tamed power of these animals against the forces of evil that threaten children
Harsomtus (Horus who unites the Two Lands) is the son of Horus of Edfu and Hathor. He represents the divine kingship over a united Egypt. As son of Horus, this Horus also represents the cyclic and eternal renewal of the Egyptian monarchy. He is sometime indistinguishable from Harpocrates.
Harendotes (Horus who avenges his father) is the adult Horus who avenges the death of his father and who rightfully claims his heritage. He is Horus the warrior, who does battle against all the forces of evil, not just those threatening the newly born children of Egypt.
Horus of Edfu is the form of Horus which encompasses every aspect of Horus: he is the personification of the Egyptian kingship, who has avenged his father, who in turn fathers Harsomtus, that is himself as a youth, to ensure the continuous father-son cycle. He is also the god of heavens, a solar god (see below), ...
Re-Harakhte (Re-Horus of the horizon) brings together the solar god Re and the god of heaven Horus. Re-Harakhte has his solar character in common with Re, but from Horus he gets his character of a youth: Re-Harakhte represents the newly born sun at sunrise.
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