Wisdom's Daughter

Wisdom's Daughter is a fantasy novel by British writer H. Rider Haggard, published in 1923, by Hutchinson & Co in the UK and Doubleday, Page and Company in the US.

At the end of Haggard's 1887 novel, She: A History of Adventure, the title character appeared to be killed; but promised to return.

While they are waiting, She takes the time to write out her memories and plans to rule the world, through her alchemy, and return the Ancient Egyptian cult of Isis to prominence and power.

The novel includes several historical figures of the 4th century BC as characters, including the Pharaohs Nectanebo I and Nectanebo II, Emperor Artaxerxes III, King Tennes of Sidon, Greek mercenary Mentor of Rhodes, and the Persian eunuch Bagoas.

She says that while this was at first a great source of pride among her Father's people, they soon began to resent her, and spread vicious rumours that she was cursed.

Ayesha leads her Father's people into victory, and revels in the battle, but the women envy her, and the men lust after her.

He takes an oath to serve Isis, but the Pharaoh's daughter pursues him and, seeing the way Ayesha looks at him, she determines to destroy her, as a rival.

Repeatedly, Ayesha is in danger, but even in the midst of fire and battle, Isis and her followers save her from ruin and rape.

Once there, Ayesha meets her former tutor, who has been guarding The Flame of Eternal Life, which will make a person young and powerful, for as long as the world endures.

After Kallikrates' death, the Princess flees, urging her descendants to revenge themselves on She, through the artifacts she passes down, which Holly and Leo find, in the first book, She: A History of Adventure.

Ayesha (Book Cover), from original 1905 artwork.
She is so beautiful Holly can only bear to look at her veiled, from the Graphic (1886)
A statue of a priestess of Isis, Roman, 2nd century, BCE
A temple wall painting of the Goddess Isis, circa 1360 BCE
Sir H. Rider Haggard 's recreation of the Sherd of Amenartas, now in the collection of the Norwich Castle Museum , in which the Egyptian Princess urges Leo's descendants to revenge themselves on She .