From a simple attraction that burst into burning, fiery desire, these historical love stories have changed the world as we know it.
Have you ever wondered what kind of passionate love would have to
truly exist to inspire such embellished, sexy stories like that of Romeo
and Juliet? Love has caused people to do some outrageous, sweet,
compassionate and downright crazy things over the years, with just as
many outrageous twists and turns as your favorite romance movie or
novel.
Yes, love has conquered, disrupted, and overthrown people, countries,
and beliefs over and over throughout the years. And while not all of
these loves might be considered unselfish, they certainly show the spark
of power that ignites when two people are that crazy about each other.
Historical love stories that have echoed through the ages
Ah, love. Who would have thought that the love two people had for
each other could change the course of history? These four couples have
definitely done just that!
#1 Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. “The
demonstrations of your affection are such … that they oblige me for ever
to honour, love, and serve you sincerely, beseeching you to continue in
the same firm and constant purpose, assuring you that, on my part, I
will surpass it rather than make it reciprocal, if loyalty of heart and a
desire to please you can accomplish this.” -A letter to Anne from
Henry VIII. Adorably, the initials “A.B.” can be found drawn inside a
heart at the bottom of the letter.
Alright, so being accused of infidelity and having your head chopped
off probably doesn’t quickly fall under your category of “great love
stories,” but there was something powerful and unique about the love
briefly shared between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
Anne Boleyn, famously refusing to be Henry’s mistress as her sister
had done, was a lady-in-waiting to Henry’s wife, Catharine of Aragon.
Anne was fiery, outspoken, and perfectly manipulative. Soon, the
passions between Henry and Anne became so explosive that Henry was
willing to do just about anything to have her. She allegedly kept this
charming and spoiled King out of her petticoats long enough to insist
that there would be no hanky-panky until they were married.
Henry all but begged the Pope to grant him a divorce from his wife,
Catharine, who was too old to produce a male heir. When no acceptance
was granted to annul the marriage, Henry took matters into his own hands
by setting the Reformation in motion, separating church and state by
denouncing the authority of the Catholic Church over his marriage and
his country.
Once in the hands of the people, the Reformation became largely about
the Protestant religion, something Henry was once against, and it still
stands to this day that Protestantism is the official religion in
England.
With his new religion and new declaration as “Supreme Head on earth
of the Church of England,” King Henry VIII got his divorce and his
marriage to Anne Boleyn – much to the dismay of the English people, who
had so loved their previous Queen. Anne soon gave birth to a daughter,
and one of the greatest rulers England has ever seen – Elizabeth I. With
this act of defiance, Henry began a religious revolution that spiraled
out of control throughout his entire life.
Things took a turn for the worst three years after Anne and Henry
married. Without the male heir Anne promised him, Henry VIII’s eyes
wandered to his wife’s lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, and had Anne
Boleyn beheaded on charges of adultery, incest and witchcraft. While
fleeting, the passionate love shared between the fiery, intelligent Anne
Boleyn and the all-powerful Henry VIII was enough to shake the entire
country that its effects still echo to this day.
#2 Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. “I have found
it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to
discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and
support of the woman I love.” – Duke of Windsor, Edward.
Another royal to shake up England with his love interest was Edward,
Prince of Wales. After being introduced to Wallis Simpson, an already
twice-married woman often criticized as a social climber, Edward found
her to be the perfect partner. When King George V passed away, Edward
was crowned king, but carried on romantically with Wallis and eventually
proposed.
The proposal caused such a huge scandal that the Prime Minister
himself said he would resign if the couple carried out their plans for
marriage. Instead of pulling a Henry VIII, Edward instead chose to
abdicate the throne after less than a year of ruling, and left Britain
to marry Wallis. Now that’s love!
Here’s a bit of trivia: It is said that Edward and Wallis were both
Nazi sympathizers. Now imagine what that would have meant if Edward was
allowed to marry Wallis and reign as the King of England!
#3 George Burns and Gracie Allen. “Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, and a good woman – or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle.” – George Burns
Theatre lovers George Burns and Gracie Allen met at a vaudeville
theater in New Jersey and soon became stars in vaudeville, radio, and
television. At the time of their successful partnership, Burns fell in
love with his co-star, who was already engaged to another man.
One year later, at a Christmas party, Burns made Allen cry, in which
she finally relented to his affections, saying that he was the only boy
to ever make her cry, and this must’ve meant that she truly loved him.
This famous couple defied social standards at the time, not only
marrying as a Jew and an Irish Catholic, but also by adopting two
children. Aside from that, both were known for their philanthropic
causes such as making numerous contributions to the Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center in L.A.
This on-screen/off-screen couple even adopted adorable nicknames for
one another, with Gracie calling George “Nattie” and George referring
to her as “Googie.” Let’s all say it together now: Aww!
Gracie died in 1964 and was put in a crypt with the inscription:
“Good night, Gracie” only to be replaced after George Burns’ death
whereafter the crypt read: “Together Again.”
#4 Antony and Cleopatra. “I made these wars for Egypt, and the Queen, whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine.” – William Shakespeare, Anthony & Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philophator, the last active pharaoh of Egypt and the
woman with the fabulous winged liner copied even today, did more than
just inspire a makeup look! A learned woman, Cleopatra studied religion,
language, math, and knew how to use her intellect, charm, and feminine
wiles to her advantage. In fact, she banked on it on several different
occasions!
At the time, it was the custom to marry family members, so she became
the wife of her much younger brother, Ptolemy. At the same time, she
was also mistress to Julius Caesar, Dictator of Rome, the lover who
would eventually assign her as Queen over Egypt. Within just a few
years, on the Ides of March, Julius Caesar was murdered, creating an
upheaval in Rome with many factions now vying for power over it – one
such army being that of Mark Antony, once loyal friend to Caesar.
Cleopatra was summoned to meet Mark Antony in Tarsus, and while
there, Cleopatra saw an opportunity to obtain power within Rome. Antony,
for his part, was immediately smitten by her charms. Before long the
two became lovers.
Eventually, Antony returned to Italy to discuss a settlement that
might quiet the political unrest in Rome. The solution? He married the
sister of Octavian, Caesar’s lawful heir and at the time, the Emperor of
Rome. It would be three years before he saw Cleopatra, his extremely forgiving lover and baby mama, again.
After their reunion, Cleopatra got pregnant and wiggled her way back
into controlling Rome’s eastern possessions, to the dismay of the Roman
Emperor.
Soon, war broke out, and despite the numerous sailors and sea vessels
sent out by Antony and Cleopatra, Octavian gained victory, and Antony
fell on his own sword in suicide. Hearing that her lover was dead and
her forces defeated, Cleopatra dressed in her finest and followed her
lover’s suit – committing suicide.
While tragic, the love shared between these two historic figures has
inspired movies and plays throughout the years, all trying to portray
their passionate affair and their dramatic demise by their own hands.
Love can touch people for centuries, can forgive, and in some
cases, can change a country. Let these true love stories show you just
how this one human emotion can cause the ripples that will change the
world for centuries to come.
