Sitting at his right and left hands

Matthew
It seems kind of crazy that a mother would ask Jesus to have her sons seated at his right and left hand.  Perhaps she just thought he would somehow come into an earthly kingdom?  That would make sense, and Jesus's reply that she didn't know what she was asking fits with that scenario.  It was easy for me to read this passage with my own biased lens and assume that she was asking about his heavenly throne, because that is the kingdom that Jesus was ushering in, a spiritual and heavenly one.  But that's not how most people saw the Messiah back in his day.  He was going to be a king and set up a new political reign.