Final answer:
Option (B), Hatshepsut initially served as a regent for her stepson, but eventually proclaimed herself pharaoh and ruled in her own right for about 20 years, maintaining Egypt's prosperity and initiating significant building projects and military campaigns.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hatshepsut's Role as Regent and Pharaoh
The student has asked about the role Pharaoh Hatshepsut started out with as she ruled on behalf of her son until he was old enough to rule, but then never gave up the throne. The correct answer to the question is B) Regent. Hatshepsut began her rule as regent to her stepson but later proclaimed herself co-regent and then assumed the title of pharaoh.
Despite traditional gender roles, she depicted herself in pharaonic headdress and ceremonial beard. These masculine features signified her official capacity as ruler, though she continued to acknowledge her femininity, evident from inscriptions using feminine word endings. She conducted military campaigns, oversaw massive building projects, and ruled over a prosperous Egypt for about two decades. After her death, her stepson Thutmose III ultimately took the throne and later attempted to erase her from historical records, potentially to prevent any future female assertion of power over his lineage.