Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) was one of the Kings from the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom of ancient Kemet. Akhenaten's reign as Amenhotep IV lasted only five years. During those five years under the title Amenhotep IV, Akhenaten followed the policies of his father Amenhotep III and the religious traditions of ancient Kemet. However, towards the end of that fifth year, in an attempt to regain power from the Amen priesthood, Amenhotep IV went through a dramatic religious transformation, changing his devotion from Amen (the hidden one) to Aten. This transformation also explains his name change from Amenhotep IV to Akhenaten.
He also banned all images of the creator by saying there is only but one image of the creator (Aten) which was symbolized by the sun.
Because of this, many Eurocentric scholars have mistakenly credited Akhenaten as the "farther of Monotheism." This is not true, because the ancient Kemities always believed in one true living God from which all things flowed out.