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Eleanor had already shown that she would determine her own future but now in her second royal marriage, she found she wasn't the strongest female influence in her husband's life. That role went to her new mother-in-law, Matilda. We don't know anything about the relationship between these two formidable women. But what we do know is that while Eleanor did her duty as Henry's Queen, producing eight children in 15 years, it was Matilda who was the elder states woman in his government. That was to change in 1167 when Matilda died less than a year after the birth of her last royal grandchild. Now, at the age of 43, Eleanor's political career was about to begin in earnest. |
