The Great Chief Wife was the primary wife of the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. She was typically the most senior and influential of the king's multiple wives, and was often the mother of the heir to the throne. The Great Chief Wife held a number of important roles and responsibilities, including overseeing the royal household, performing religious rituals, and acting as a regent during the king's absence or illness. Some well-known Great Chief Wives include Nefertiti, the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, and Hatshepsut, who ruled as pharaoh herself after the death of her husband Thutmose II.