Horus’s family tree centers on his parents, Osiris and Isis, with his most famous role being the son who avenged his father’s death and inherited the kingship of Egypt. He is also closely tied to his uncle Set, his murderer, and his wife Hathor, with whom he fathered the god Ihy. This article lays out the major relatives, the variations between different Egyptian cult centers, and how the family tree changed over time.
Horus’s Parents: Osiris and Isis
In the most widespread version of the myth, Horus is the posthumous son of Osiris and Isis. Osiris, the first king of Egypt, was killed and dismembered by his jealous brother Set. Isis, using her magic, reassembled Osiris’s body and briefly revived him, enough to conceive Horus. This story appears in the Pyramid Texts (c. 2400–2300 BCE), where Horus is called the son of Osiris and Isis, and is later told in full by the Greek writer Plutarch in De Iside et Osiride (c. 100 CE).
Some early texts complicate this. In the Coffin Texts (c. 2100–1800 BCE), Horus is sometimes called the son of Osiris and Isis, but in other spells he is the son of Osiris alone, or of Isis alone, or even of Osiris and his sister Nephthys. However, the standard family tree for most of Egyptian history is Osiris + Isis = Horus.
Siblings and the Osiris Myth Cycle
If we take the Ennead of Heliopolis (the nine great gods), Osiris and Isis are siblings, and they are part of a larger family. Their parents are Geb (earth) and Nut (sky). Their siblings are Set, Nephthys, and sometimes Horus the Elder (a separate, older Horus). So Horus the Younger (the son of Osiris and Isis) has two uncles and two aunts: Set, Nephthys, and Horus the Elder (if counted).
In the Osiris myth, Set kills Osiris, and Horus fights Set to avenge his father. The Contendings of Horus and Set, a tale from the New Kingdom (c. 1185–1070 BCE), describes a series of trials where Horus defeats Set and becomes the rightful king. This makes Horus’s family tree not just a genealogy but a story of kingship and order (ma’at) triumphing over chaos (isfet).
Horus’s Wife and Children
Horus’s principal wife is Hathor, the goddess of love, music, and fertility. In some texts, Hathor is also his mother (in the form of Isis-Hathor), but in the standard family tree, she is his consort. Together they had a son named Ihy, who is the god of music and the sistrum (a rattle used in temple rituals). Ihy is often shown as a child with a side-lock of hair, holding a sistrum, and his name means “musician” or “calf.”
In some local traditions, Horus had other children. At Edfu, Horus was paired with Hathor and their son was Harsomtus (Horus the Uniter), a god who united Upper and Lower Egypt. In other regions, Horus was associated with the Four Sons of Horus (Imsety, Hapy, Duamutef, and Qebehsenuef), who protected the organs of the dead, but these are not usually called his biological children—they are more like his attendants or manifestations.
Horus the Elder vs. Horus the Younger
A major confusion in the family tree is the distinction between Horus the Elder (Heru-ur) and Horus the Younger (Heru-sa-Aset). Horus the Elder is a sky god, often depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon head. He is sometimes said to be the son of Geb and Nut, making him a brother of Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. In this version, Horus the Elder is not the son of Osiris and Isis, but their sibling.
By the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1650 BCE), the two Horuses were often merged into one. The merged Horus is the son of Osiris and Isis, but he also carries the sky-god attributes of Horus the Elder. So when you see a family tree, check which Horus is meant. Most modern references use Horus the Younger as the central figure, but the Elder is still present in some texts.
Regional Variations in the Family Tree
Different Egyptian cities had their own local theologies, and this affected Horus’s family. At Heliopolis, the Ennead placed Horus as the son of Osiris and Isis. At Memphis, the god Ptah was the creator, and Horus was sometimes said to be the son of Ptah and Sekhmet, or of Ptah and Bastet. At Thebes, Amun was the supreme god, and Horus was often subordinated to Amun, but his family with Isis and Osiris remained.
In the Osiris cult at Abydos, Horus was the son of Osiris and Isis, and the myth of Osiris’s death and resurrection was reenacted annually. At Edfu, Horus was the main god, and his temple is one of the best-preserved in Egypt. There, he is married to Hathor of Dendera, and they have a son, Harsomtus. This shows that the family tree was flexible, adapting to local needs while keeping the core of Osiris, Isis, and Horus.
Horus in the Royal Family Tree
The pharaohs of Egypt identified themselves with Horus. Each king took a “Horus name” as the first of their five royal names, declaring that they were the living Horus on earth. This made the king a direct descendant of Osiris and Isis in a symbolic sense. When a king died, he became Osiris, and his son became the new Horus. So the family tree of the gods was mirrored in the royal succession.
For example, the pharaoh Seti I (c. 1290–1279 BCE) built a temple at Abydos where the Osiris myth was carved, showing Horus presenting offerings to his father Osiris. The king’s own son, Ramesses II, is shown as Horus, continuing the cycle. This is not a literal genealogy but a theological claim to legitimacy.
Common Misconceptions About Horus’s Family
One common misconception is that Horus married his mother Isis. This is not in the standard myth. Isis is his mother, and she protects him, but she is not his wife. Another is that Horus and Set were brothers. In the standard myth, Set is Horus’s uncle, not his brother. However, because Horus the Elder is a brother of Set, and the two Horuses are merged, some texts call Horus a brother of Set. This is a source of confusion.
Another misconception is that Horus had a son named Anubis. Anubis is actually the son of Osiris and Nephthys in some versions, making him Horus’s half-brother. In other versions, Anubis is the son of Set and Nephthys. So Anubis is not Horus’s son.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Horus’s parents?
Horus’s parents are Osiris and Isis. Osiris was the first king of Egypt, and Isis was his sister-wife. Horus was conceived after Osiris’s death, when Isis revived him with magic.
Is Horus the brother of Set?
In the standard myth, no. Horus is the son of Osiris and Isis, and Set is Osiris’s brother, so Set is Horus’s uncle. However, Horus the Elder, a separate sky god, is sometimes called a brother of Set, and because the two Horuses are merged, some texts call Horus a brother of Set.
Who is Horus’s wife?
Horus’s wife is Hathor, the goddess of love and music. They had a son named Ihy, who is a god of music and joy. At Edfu, they also had a son called Harsomtus.
Did Horus have any children?
Yes, Horus had a son named Ihy with Hathor. In some traditions, he also had a son Harsomtus. The Four Sons of Horus are not usually his biological children, but rather protective deities associated with the canopic jars.
Why are there two Horuses in Egyptian mythology?
There are two main Horuses: Horus the Elder, a sky god who is a sibling of Osiris and Set, and Horus the Younger, the son of Osiris and Isis. Over time, they were merged into one god, which is why Horus has attributes of both a sky god and a king.
Is Horus related to Anubis?
Yes, Anubis is Horus’s half-brother. Anubis is the son of Osiris and Nephthys (in one version), or of Set and Nephthys (in another). Since Osiris is Horus’s father, Anubis and Horus share the same father in the first version.
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