Cleopatra was born in 69 BCE in a city called Alexandria, in Egypt. Her family, called the Ptolemies, had ruled Egypt for almost 300 years. They were originally from Greece. Cleopatra's father was King Ptolemy XII. Her family often married close relatives to keep power in the family.
Cleopatra was very smart. She could speak many languages. She was the first ruler in her family to learn the Egyptian language. This made the Egyptian people like her more, because most rulers before her only spoke Greek.
When Cleopatra was young, her father lost his throne and had to leave Egypt. He later came back with help from Rome. When he died, Cleopatra became queen. She was only about eighteen years old. She was supposed to share the throne with her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII, but she wanted to rule by herself.
Cleopatra's brother had powerful helpers who did not like her. They forced her to leave the capital city. Around this time, a famous Roman leader named Julius Caesar came to Egypt. Cleopatra wanted his help to get her throne back. She snuck into the palace to meet him secretly. Caesar decided to help Cleopatra become queen again.
Caesar and Cleopatra's soldiers fought against her brother's soldiers. Her brother died in the battle. Cleopatra became queen again, ruling with another younger brother. Cleopatra and Caesar also became close, and she had a baby boy named Caesarion. Many people believed Caesarion was Caesar's son.
Later, Cleopatra even traveled to visit Rome. She brought her son with her. A gold statue of her was even put up in a Roman temple. This made some Romans nervous, because they did not like the idea of a powerful foreign queen.
Sadly, Julius Caesar was killed by his enemies in Rome. This was dangerous for Cleopatra, because she lost a strong friend. She made her son Caesarion her new co-ruler to keep her family in power.
After some time, Cleopatra met another powerful Roman leader named Mark Antony. She arrived to meet him on a beautiful, fancy boat to impress him. Cleopatra and Antony became close partners, both in politics and in love. They had three children together.
Antony gave Cleopatra more land to rule, making her kingdom bigger and stronger. But this made another Roman leader, Octavian, angry and worried. Octavian and Antony began fighting for power in Rome.
In 31 BCE, Antony and Cleopatra's ships fought Octavian's ships in a huge battle at a place called Actium. They lost the battle. Their army grew weaker, and Octavian's soldiers marched toward Egypt.
Antony believed a false story that Cleopatra had died, so he hurt himself very badly and died. Cleopatra tried to make a deal with Octavian to save her kingdom, but it did not work. She did not want to be captured and paraded through Rome as a prisoner. So, in August of 30 BCE, Cleopatra ended her own life.
After she died, Egypt became part of the Roman Empire. Cleopatra's son Caesarion was killed, but her other children were taken to Rome and raised there.
Today, people remember Cleopatra as a brilliant, powerful queen. She spoke many languages, ran a whole kingdom, and made important choices that changed history. She is one of the most famous women who ever lived.
