Cleopatra married Ptolemy XIII when he was 10, and she was 18, per History. Their marriage devolved into the worst kind of sibling rivalry. Ptolemy's advisers conspired against Cleopatra, forcing her to leave Egypt (via Live Science). Cleopatra, however, did not give up easily. She seduced Julius Caesar, who came, saw, and conquered her brother. Smithsonian Magazine explains how these events unfolded. Cleopatra fled to Syria but knew that Caesar, who happened to be visiting her former palace, could help her win back the throne. Although her brother had barred her from entering Alexandria, legend has it that a servant rolled her up in a carpet and smuggled her back into the palace.
According to Live Science, 13-year-old Ptolemy XIII thought he had defeated his sister once and for all. He was shocked to learn Cleopatra had returned home and convinced Caesar to support her claim to the throne. Caesar enforced Ptolemy XII's will, which clearly stated that brother and sister would rule together. Ptolemy XIII later attempted but failed to overthrow his sister a second time.
Britannica reports that Ptolemy XIII decided to leave Alexandria but drowned in the Nile. With his death, History Hit notes that Cleopatra subsequently married her 12-year-old brother Ptolemy XIV when she was 22. By this point, Cleopatra and Caesar had become lovers and had a son named Caesarion (per HistoryExtra). Their marriage was short-lived, as Cleopatra likely had him murdered — the only fate harsher than puberty. She then ruled Egypt with her son Caesarion by her side.
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