10 Historical Loves That Changed the Course of Humanity — Some Were Forbidden

History is full of loves that challenged limits, broke stereotypes and changed the course of a country or even the entire world. And this feeling has been the reason for moving and passionate stories that we always want to hear, even if the lovers managed to be “happily ever after” or had a tragic end.

O awesome.club will talk about 10 emblematic couples who managed to overcome adversity and generated great changes in society.

This mythical love story was able to captivate countless people. The beautiful woman was married to the king of Sparta when she met the Trojan prince and her heart was pierced. Helen fled with Paris, triggering one of the most famous conflicts in history: the Trojan War. The couple had a sad end, as Paris died in battle and she, after several misfortunes, returned to her husband, Menelaus.

These two historical characters led lives full of revenge, romance, action and betrayal. At their first meeting, the Egyptian queen impressed Mark Antony so much that he fell madly in love with her. So he decided to divorce his wife, Octavia the Minor, Octavian’s sister, to return to his beloved in Alexandria.

Later, this rupture was the cause of a series of misadventures. As a result, Roman troops ended up invading and defeating Egypt. Although this love story had an extremely tragic ending, as the lovers did not end up together, the couple is remembered as much for their great love as for their accomplishments and conquests.

Henry VIII’s reign was filled with stories of love and heartbreak. When he ascended the throne in 1509, he was immediately married to Catherine of Aragon, the youngest daughter of the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and Aragon. Despite the advantageous political marriage, the English king asked the Pope to annul the union in order to marry Anne Boleyn, one of Catherine’s maids of honor.

The Pope refused to annul the marriage and Henry VIII made the risky decision to break with Rome and marry his mistress. This union gave rise to the Anglican Church.

It is one of the most powerful couples in history. Isabel I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon decided to get married when they were just 18 and 17 years old, respectively. The marriage bond gave rise to the Hispanic Monarchy, consolidating the power of the so-called Catholic Kings in almost the entire peninsula. Also, during his reign there was the discovery of America.

Interestingly, this important event took place, according to legend, thanks to a chess match. When Christopher Columbus proposed his voyage to Isabel, Ferdinand II was playing. To get her husband’s attention and thus gain his approval, the woman recommended a move that he won. In the end, his good humor made him approve of the expedition.

Shah Jahan met the love of his life, Mumtaz Mahal, and the two became engaged in 1607. But it took five years for the marriage to be formalized. The Emperor was already married to three women, so she became his fourth wife and, shortly thereafter, his favorite. Mumtaz Mahal bore her husband 14 children, but died in the last birth.

The Emperor, heartbroken by this loss, had a series of buildings built in honor of his late wife to remember his love. The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in the world. In 2007, it became part of the seven wonders of the modern world.

The Florentine poet met his muse at the age of 9, being captivated by her grace and beauty. Although they rarely saw each other, their love was so great that she became his inspiration. Sadly, Beatriz died at the age of 24, leaving Dante devastated. As a souvenir, he wrote two masterpieces of universal literature: New Life and Divine Comedy.

The couple went to Washington DC to be able to get married, as in Virginia, USA, laws prevented interracial marriage. They then returned to that state to start a family, until they were arrested at night by several police officers for the “crime” of having married. They were sentenced to one year in prison, but the judge suspended the sentence on the condition that they not return together or at the same time to Virginia for a period of 25 years.

The Loving family, which means “loving” or “lover” in English, accepted exile and returned to Washington DC In 1963, the two began a legal battle that allowed them to be “husband and wife” in their home state. This event was so significant that on June 12, 1967, the ban on interracial marriage in Virginia and many other US states was lifted.

The Curies had a marriage “united” by science. The scientists met in 1894 and developed a beautiful relationship that quickly evolved into Pierre proposing to Marie. But the request was refused, as she considered him just a friend. A year later, in 1895, Marie and Pierre were finally married. They were best friends, married and co-workers.

The couple did several experiments that resulted in the discovery of two new chemical elements, polonium and radium. In 1903, Marie became the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics. Sadly, Pierre died in an accident in Paris years later. Although Marie was devastated by the loss, she continued her studies and, in 1910, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Who would renounce the throne for love? Seretse Khama would assume the role of chief of the Bamangwato tribe, of the then British protectorate of Bechuanaland (present-day Botswana), in Africa. Before his coronation, he went to study law at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom, where he met Ruth Williams.

The African prince fell madly in love with the British woman, but when they wanted to get married, they faced several obstacles because of their respective skin colors. But the love between them was so great that they resolved to face adversity and were married in 1948. However, Seretse had to renounce his rights as the next heir, so he did not become king.

The relationship between the Dukes of Windsor is worthy of a novel. In 1930, Prince Edward fell in love with Wallis Simpson, a divorced American actress. He ascended to the throne after the death of his father, George V, in 1936. But both the Anglican Church and the Crown of the United Kingdom were against the relationship, so they prevented the marriage.

The young king surprised everyone by abdicating, leaving the throne to his brother, Albert, father of Elizabeth II, the current British queen. In 1937, Edward and Wallis were married in France, but their happy ending was overshadowed by his brother’s decision to send him into exile. Despite everything, the couple spent the rest of their lives in Paris.

What other historical love could be included on this list? How did you meet your partner or current partner?