Ay

Ay was the brother of Queen Tiye and therefore the uncle to Akhenaten, and great uncle to Tutankhamun. He was married to Tiy, the wet nurse of Nefertiti, which has led some to speculate Nefertiti was his daughter by a former wife.

Ay was the penultimate Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 18th dynasty.

He held the throne of Egypt for a brief four-year period from 1324 – 1320 BC or 1327 – 1323 BC, depending on which time chronology is followed.

He was a close advisor to Pharaohs who preceded him but was best known as the advisor to the boy king Tutankhamun.

Tutankhamun's died at just 18, without producing an heir.  His chief advisor Ay was quick to step up to the breach despite the fact that Horemheb had been officially desinated as Tutankhamun's successor.

Horemheb was usurped in part by Ay marrying Ankhesenamun, the widow of Tutankhamun.  This legitimized his claim to the throne.

Ay ruled Egypt for only four years, after which Horemheb was finally declared King.
 

Horemheb was the last Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty from 1319 BC to late 1292 BC.

Before he became pharaoh, he was commander in chief of the army under the reigns of Tutankamun and Ay. During the reign of Tutankhamun (1334 BC -1325 BC) Horemheb was designated as the Boy King's "Deputy" and was the officially recognised as heir to Tutankhamun. However, the boy king died young but Ay became Pharaoh and reigned for 4 years between 1325 BC -1321 BC. When Ay died, Horemheb, at last, became Pharaoh of Egypt

His chief wife and consort was Queen Mutnedjmet, a daughter of Ay.

After he became Pharaoh, he reformed the state, demolished the monuments of Akhenaten and resued their remains to create his own building projects.

He appointed his deputy Paramesse as his successor, and it was he who assumed the throne on his death, as Ramesses I.