The Queen Behind the War of the Roses
Margaret of Anjou was only 15 years old when she was married off to King Henry VI of England. Although she was young, she was not to be underestimated. Her husband suffered from an untreated mental illness and experienced mental breakdowns that left him awake but unresponsive for months on end. He failed to even respond to the birth of his son.
England needed a ruler, so Margaret stepped up and became the true power behind King Henry’s crown. History has painted Margaret as an evil, ruthless queen, but in reality, she was just doing what any other king would do in her situation. She was trying to keep the throne for her son while navigating the politics of the time. Her political maneuvering would start off the famous Wars of the Roses, which Game of Thrones is based on.