What were Egyptian kings called?

The story behind the answer

Pharaohs is correct because the rulers of ancient Egypt were known by this title. The word comes from the Egyptian per-aa, meaning “Great House,” originally referring to the royal palace and, by the New Kingdom, to the king himself. Unlike sultans (an Islamic title), emperors (heads of vast empires like Rome or China), or chieftains (tribal leaders), pharaohs were sacred monarchs who embodied divine authority.

Pharaohs were seen as the earthly Horus and sons of Ra, charged with maintaining ma’at—cosmic order. They wore the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt and wielded the crook and flail as symbols of care and power. Memory tip: P is for Pyramids—and for Pharaohs, the kings who commissioned them.