Margaret of Anjou was Queen of England during the period known as the War of the Roses. As a fifteen year-old bride she had many difficulties to face. She brought no dowry to her adopted land, which was still at war with her native land. Not least of all, her husband was reluctant to come to her bed. With a weak and ineffective king on the throne, rival parties tilted for power. When the struggle escalated into war, Margaret realized she had no choice but to suppress the feminine side of her nature in order to protect her feeble-minded husband and helpless son. Leading her party, dictating policy, dealing with foreign princes, she became, in fact, king in all but name.