The religion of Ancient Egypt was a polytheistic (many gods) religion with one short period of monotheism (one god). Their religion hosted about 700 different gods and goddesses. In addition, it was not uncommon for deities to be combined to form a new deity.
http://historylink101.com/n/egypt_1/religion.htm
3b. Egyptian society was structured like a pyramid. At the top were the gods, such as Ra, Osiris, and Isis. Egyptians believed that the gods controlled the universe. Therefore, it was important to keep them happy. They could make the Nile overflow, cause famine, or even bring death. In the social pyramid of ancient Egypt the pharaoh and those associated with divinity were at the top, and servants and slaves made up the bottom. The Egyptians also elevated some human beings to gods. Their leaders, called pharaohs, were believed to be gods in human form. They had absolute power over their subjects. After pharaohs died, huge stone pyramids were built as their tombs.
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/3b.asp
Ancient Egypt in World History. The clearest evidence for the legacy of Ancient Egypt can be seen in architecture. The later Egyptian temples look very similar to early Greek temples; and it has been suggested that the Ancient Greeks got the very idea of monumental building in stone from the Egyptians.
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Egypt
The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt were the supreme leaders of the land. They were like kings or emperors. They ruled both upper and lower Egypt and were both the political and religious leader. The Pharaoh was often thought of as one of the gods. The name Pharaoh comes from a word meaning great house describing a palace or kingdom. The Pharaoh's wife, or Queen of Egypt, was also considered a powerful ruler.
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_egyptian_pharaohs.php
There were many great Pharaohs throughout the history of Ancient Egypt. Here are some of the more famous ones: Akhenaten-Akhenaten was famous for saying there was only one god, the sun god. He ruled with his wife, Nefertiti, and they closed many of the temples to other gods. He was the father of the famous King Tut.
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_egyptian_pharaohs.php
The Pharaoh was associated with Horus, son of Re the sun god. Later it was believed that at death he became Osiris, or an Osiris, and would help the Egyptians in their afterlife. Due to their beliefs, the Pharaoh held an immense amount of power. In addition, the priests in Ancient Egypt were also very powerful.
http://historylink101.com/n/egypt_1/religion.htm
Egypt was a leading Middle Eastern power again between 612 and 525 BC, and the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great felt the need to have himself crowned as pharaoh in 332 BC-which suggests that the civilization of the pharaohs still had life in it.
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Egypt
Pharaoh: Lord of the Two Lands. The most powerful person in ancient Egypt was the pharaoh. The pharaoh was the political and religious leader of the Egyptian people, holding the titles: 'Lord of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple'. As 'Lord of the Two Lands' the pharaoh was the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt. He owned all of the land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended Egypt against foreigners. As 'High Priest of Every Temple', the pharaoh represented the gods on Earth.
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/pharaoh/home.html
Because of this, mummification was performed to preserve the body. In addition, large pyramids were constructed as tombs for the pharaohs in the Old Kingdom. Later, rock cut tombs were used to bury the pharaohs. Click on the items below for more information about Egyptian religion.
http://historylink101.com/n/egypt_1/religion.htm
As can be seen, as well as being one of the earliest, Ancient Egypt was one of the longest lasting civilizations in world history. The great days of Ancient Egypt fell between c. 3000 BC and c. 1000 BC, but the civilization remained very much a going concern for centuries after this.
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/Ancient-Egypt
what were the egyptian political and religious leaders called?
The Egyptian political and religious leaders were called the Pharaoh. The Egyptian political and religious leaders are called the pharaoh.