In anticipation of Valentine's Day, we take a spin through history's greatest lovers—star crossed, cursed, life-long, and everything in between.
Love is a powerful emotion. Throughout history couples in love have caused wars and controversy, created masterpieces in writing, music, and art, and have captured the hearts of the public with the power of their bonds. From the allure of Cleopatra to the magnetism of the Kennedy's, these love affairs have stood as markers in history. Prepare to swoon over these love stories of the centuries.
We've heard of the Wall—no, not that one, the 2nd Century AD one stretching across England—but what about Emperor Hadrian's heart? He lost it to Antinous (far left), an intelligent and sports-loving Greek student. The emperor displayed "an obsessive craving for his presence." The two traveled together, pursuing their love of hunting; Hadrian once saved his lover's life during a lion hunt. The emperor even wrote erotic poetry. While visiting the Nile, Antinous drowned mysteriously, but some say he was murdered by those jealous of the emperor's devotion. The devastated Hadrian proclaimed Antinous a deity, ordered a city be built in his honor, and named a star after him, between the Eagle and the Zodiac.
The first Plantagenet king of England had a rich, royal wife in Eleanor of Aquitaine and mistresses galore, but the love of his life was "Fair Rosamund," also called the "Rose of the World." To conceal their affair, Henry built a love nest in the innermost recesses of a maze in his park at Woodstock. Nonetheless, the story has it that Queen Eleanor did not rest until she found the labyrinth and traced it to the center, where she uncovered her ravishing rival. The queen offered her death by blade or poison. Rosamund chose the poison. Perhaps not coincidentally, Henry kept Eleanor confined in prison for 16 years of their marriage.
In 1730, a Parisian prophetess told a nine-year-old girl she would rule the heart of a king. Years later, at a masked ball, Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, dressed as a domino, danced with King Louis XV, dressed as a tree. Within weeks, the delicate beauty was maîtresse-en-titre, given the title Marquise de Pompadour. "Any man would have wanted her as his mistress," said another male admirer. The couple indulged in their love of art, furniture, and porcelain, with Madame de Pompadour arranging for her jaded royal lover small dinner parties and amateur theatricals in which she would star (of course). While watching one play, Louis XV declared, "You are the most delicious woman in France," before sweeping her out of the room.
Abigail Smith married the Founding Father at age 20, gave birth to five children (including America's fifth president, John Quincy Adams), and was John Adams's confidante, political advisor, and First Lady. The more than 1,000 letters they wrote to each other offer a window into John and Abigail's mutual devotion and abiding friendship. It was more than revolutionary political ideals that kept them so united; they shared a trust and abiding tenderness. Abigail wrote: "There is a tye more binding than Humanity, and stronger than Friendship ... and by this chord I am not ashamed to say that I am bound, nor do I [believe] that you are wholly free from it." As for John, he wrote: "I want to hear you think, or see your Thoughts. The Conclusion of your Letter makes my Heart throb, more than a Cannonade would. You bid me burn your Letters. But I must forget you first."
The talented young Mexican painter Kahlo paid a visit to the studio of famous muralist Rivera in search of career advice. "She had unusual dignity and self-assurance and there was a strange fire in her eyes," he said. Theirs was a volatile relationship, yet Rivera knew from early on that Kahlo "was the most important fact in my life and she would continue to be until she died 27 years later." As for Kahlo, she said, "You deserve a lover who listens when you sing, who supports you when you feel shame and respects your freedom; who flies with you and isn't afraid to fall. You deserve a lover who takes away the lies and brings you hope, coffee, and poetry."
In the wedding of the century, American film star Grace Kelly left Hollywood behind at the height of her career to wed Prince Rainier and become Princess of Monaco. Prince Rainier was immediately taken with Grace, whom he met when she filmed To Catch a Thief in the French Riviera. He courted her through letters for some time before the couple announced their engagement in the Kelly family's Philadelphia home and married in 1956. Prince Rainier never remarried after Grace's tragic death in 1982.
"Brilliant to look upon and to listen to, with the power to subjugate everyone." That was the description of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt. She could have had anything or anyone she wanted, but she fell passionately in love with the Roman General Mark Antony. As Shakespeare depicts it, their relationship was volatile ("Fool! Don't you see now that I could have poisoned you a hundred times had I been able to live without you," Cleopatra said) but after they risked all in a war on Rome and lost, they chose to die together in 30 BC. "I will be a bridegroom in my death, and run into it as to a lover's bed," said Antony. And Cleopatra followed, by clasping a poisonous asp to her breast.
When you think of the greatest love stories of all time, there are probably a few classics that pop into your head immediately.
Whether they're from more modern books and movies like "The Notebook" or "Titanic," or classic tales featuring some of the most famous couples in history from plays or novels like "Romeo and Juliet" and "Pride and Prejudice". stories of romantic love are full of so much passion and are so epic that it makes you dream of your own Prince or Princess Charming sweeping you off of your feet.
If you have a special someone, think back to the memories that nearest and dearest to your heart — the moment you first met, your first date, your first kiss, the first time you said, "I love you" — all of those moments are part of your own epic love story. And you still have so many chapters to play out.
Having your own special love story is amazing, but there's something about curling up with a romantic book or snuggling in to watch sweet movie that can really make you swoon.
The passion and emotions seem to just lift off of the page and you are caught up with the characters in their story. There can be sweet pages with lots of gushy but totally heart-filled declarations of love, and pages filled with problems that the couple has to miraculously overcome in the most romantic way.
You may even fall for some of the characters. But whether you are looking for that special someone or you're already blissfully in love, these ageless classics know just how to pull on those heartstrings.
Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare
In one of William Shakespeare's most celebrated works, this tale of "star-crossed lovers", first written and performed as a play in 1597, has been told and interpreted time and time again — from Broadway and film classic "West Side Story" to 1996 teen flick "Romeo + Juliet."
A story all lovers can relate to, Romeo and Juliet focuses on the tragedies that accompany the loss of true love. Lovers Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, two of the most famed clans in literature, come from opposite sides of the Verona tracks and their family's disapproval of their love eventually leads to their demise.
Casablanca" by Murray Burnett
Made famous in 1942 by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, this love story was based on a never-produced play called "Everybody Comes to Rick's," written by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. The script was reshaped into a screenplay by writers and brothers Julius and Philip Epstein and their friend Howard Koch.
In the story, American Rick Blaine is the owner of a gambling club "Rick's Café Américain" in the Moroccan city of Casablanca. Set during World War II, Rick is a bitter man, having been scorned by ex-lover Ilsa Lund. When she walks back into his life suddenly, now married and with her husband in tow, Rick is forced to come face-to-face with well-aged heartache.
A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare
A romantic comedy by William Shakespeare first performed in 1605, this play takes place in Athens, as Duke Theseus plans a large festival around his marriage. During this time, Theseus' daughter, Hermia, is refusing to marry her fiancé due to her secret true-love-in-the-wings, named Lysander.
Against her father's wishes, she flees the nuptials for the woods. And guess what? While there, they befriend fairies who cause a bit of mischief. Cue a new love triangle and surprise ending!
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