This is the period when kings and rulers were commonly called pharaohs. Many of Egypt's highly recognized leaders came from this era of Egyptian history. From about 1500 BC to 1490 BC, the Egyptian pharaoh Tuthmosis I expanded the already large size of the Egyptian empire to the Euphrates River, Syria, and Nubia. His successor brought greatly expanded trading markets to the dynasty. These peaceful and grand times in Egypt lasted until around 1400 BC, when Amenhotep IV ascended the throne. He is better known as Akhenaten which means “living spirit of Aten”. He believed in only one god, which is at odds with the beliefs of many Egyptians. Despite opposition, he forced the Egyptians to become monotheists. He also moved the Egyptian capital from Thebes to Amarna to further his monotheistic drive. His time on the throne is known as the Amarna period. He was also known for being the first ruler to request the construction of a temple for him and his wife. Akhenaten's successor was none other than his son Tutankhamun. He is the best known pharaoh in Egyptian history. Many know him as “King Tut”. In the short period of his tenure, he removed all of his father's monotheistic customs and returned the capital of Egypt to