|
Having a family of her own meant that Matilda's loyalties were now split. The arrival of his grandsons was a dynastic triumph for Henry. But Matilda's new role as the mother of two young sons left her caught in the middle, between her husband's ambition and her father's refusal, even at the age of 67, to relinquish any part of his hold on power And in 1135, as political disagreement escalated into the flexing of military muscle, Matilda stayed in Anjou with Geoffrey, standing shoulder to shoulder with her husband. But just as Matilda was fighting for power for her husband, she was suddenly offered power in her own right. Her father, Henry, was taken ill on a hunting trip in November 1135. Knowing that his grandsons were not yet old enough to succeed him, as Henry lay dying he insisted that the nobles abide by the agreement they'd made eight years earlier to allow Matilda to rule. |
