History’s Greatest Love Stories

You’ve probably heard of the fictional Romeo and Juliet, but what about all the real people who had heart-wrenching and soulful romances of their own? Throughout history, there have been dozens of couples who defied the odds and risked everything in the name of love. From ancient figures to conniving kings to humble paupers, these are history’s greatest love stories.

John William Waterhouse on Wikimedia

1. Paris and Helen

It’s unclear how much of this story is true and how much is myth, but Paris and Helen have one of the most enduring love stories of all time. Helen was the most beautiful woman, a daughter of Zeus and Queen Leda. She was married to another man, but when Paris laid eyes on her, their love took over. She ran away with him to Troy, leading to the Trojan War as her husband chased after them. She is now remembered as the face that launched a thousand ships.

Antonio Canova on Wikimedia

2. Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

You know how the Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and is in all means an absolutely incredible piece of architecture? Well, it was made for one lady. Emperor Shah Jahan adored his wife Mumtaz, and despite his previous marriages, she was his favorite wife and also a friend. After her passing, he created the Taj Mahal as her mausoleum.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

3. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco

It’s an interesting thing when an actress becomes royalty, but that’s exactly what happened to American film star Grace Kelly after she caught the eye of Prince Rainier. He met her when she filmed To Catch a Thief and began courting her through letters. When she passed away in 1982, Rainier never remarried.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer on Wikimedia

4. Cleopatra and Mark Antony

Most people are familiar with the iconic love story between Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and Mark Antony, a Roman general. Together, they plotted against Rome only to end up losing their war. Realizing their time was up, the two decided to pass away together, making their love the stuff of legends.

Fox Film Corporation on Wikimedia

5. Mary Godwin Shelley and Percy Shelley

Percy Shelley was a romantic poet who first met Mary Godwin when she was enamored with the ideas of feminism. Intrigued by her mind, the two hit it off and found they had much in common, with Percy later writing, “soul meets soul on lovers’ lips.” They ran away together to Europe, hung out with Lord Byron, and Mary even wrote Frankenstein. After Percy’s passing, Mary refused to remarry as no man could ever compete.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

6. Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was told from an early age that she would rule the heart of the king, and as she grew, she became the affliction of many men’s hearts. Despite her numerous admirers, she would have an opportunity to dance with King Louis XV at a masked ball, and he was instantly smitten. She remained his mistress, and the two happily enjoyed everything from dinner parties to the theatrical arts.

François Boucher on Wikimedia

7. Emperor Nero and Poppaea

Sometimes love is all-consuming, and that was clearly the case for these dark figures. Emperor Nero was known for his cruelty and chaotic nature, but before all that, he was merely a Roman emperor in love with a woman who wasn’t his wife. To get rid of his wife, he accused her of cheating, divorced her, and then went on to banish her to a land in which she mysteriously passed. Then he and Poppaea ran up the Roman economy with overindulgent, lavish parties. This love affair ended with Nero kicking his wife while pregnant, leading to her passing.

kladcat on Wikimedia

8. Hadrian and Antinous

Emperor Hadrian is best known for his wall, but he’s no stranger to the matters of the heart either. Antinous was a Greek student, and the two quickly found themselves drawn to each other. They both enjoyed hunting as well, and on one visit to the Nile, Antinous was drowned. It is believed this was a crime of passion or jealousy, and Hadrian never quite recovered.

Jim Kuhn on Wikimedia

9. Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti

Nefertiti is another famous name from Egyptian history. She was known as a captivating beauty and would go on to marry Akhenaten, who is known for introducing monotheism in Egypt. Their love was built on their shared vision for religious reform, and numerous temples were adorned with depictions of their love.

Philip Pikart on Wikimedia

10. John Keats and Fanny Brawne

John Keats is another well-known poet, and when he met Fanny Brawne, he was inspired to write his most famous poem, Bright Star. Their relationship was a bit jealousy-filled, as Brawne was flirtatious and Keats was overzealous. They did manage to get engaged, but as Keats had little money and was sickly, their love remained unrequited, as he eventually ended the engagement and went to Rome to try to get better.

Spanglej on Wikimedia

11. Johnny Cash and June Carter

Johnny Cash is known for his illustrious country music, but his love story deserves some attention, too. They met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, where Carter told him she felt like they already knew each other. They decided to tour together, won two Grammys, and had their own independent career success as well. They stayed together forever and passed within four months of each other.

Columbia Records on Wikimedia

12. Henry II and Rosamund Clifford

King Henry II of England had a busy love life, with both a wife and plenty of mistresses to keep him occupied. But he was absolutely smitten when it came to Rosamund. He even built a maze in which they would secretly rendezvous away from prying eyes. But the queen found out and made quick work of Rosamund, and in response, Henry locked her away for 16 years.

Raymond Monvoisin on Wikimedia

13. Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine

Napoleon is best known for his influential military career, but as he was rising through the French military, he fell for a widow with two children named Josephine. He married her a year later in 1796, and she would rise alongside him. Still, Napoleon continued to wage his wars and would leave her to her own devices. During their time together, they tried constantly for an heir, only for Napoleon to divorce her when she couldn’t have a child. He may have left her to try and secure his dynasty with another, but the two continued to send letters back and forth, indicating his devastation and heartbreak.

Chapkol on Wikimedia

14. John and Abigail Adams

John Adams is known for his role as a founding father of America, and the couple would even have a child, John Quincy Adams, who would become the country’s sixth president. They wrote each other thousands of letters and were absolutely devoted in love. Considering how a bunch of these stories go, a nice wholesome married couple is cool to see.

Christian Schussele on Wikimedia

15. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is best known for her exceptional work as a painter, and at one point, she went to Rivera, who was a famous muralist, for some advice. Rivera was immediately enamored, and although their relationship would be full of bumps, their passion for each other was clear. Rivera even described her as the most important fact in his life.

Guillermo Kahlo on Wikimedia

16. Dante and Beatrice

Dante Alighieri is best known for his poetic works, writing epics like The Divine Comedy, which includes Dante’s Inferno. When it came to love, he met Beatrice first when they were both children. When they reacquainted as adults, they once again caught a mere glimpse of each other before exchanging greetings. Dante would never see her again, but that didn’t stop him from writing about her in his work and proclaiming her the glorious lady of his mind.

Ezio Anichini on Wikimedia

17. Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas

Gertrude and Alice were best known for hosting one of the most famous literary salons in Paris. This salon was frequented by big literary names, including Ernest Hemingway, Picasso, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The two were inseparable for 40 years and made a perfect little life for one another, only gaining fame after Stein wrote Alice’s autobiography.

Carl Van Vechten on Wikimedia

18. Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning

Finding love through poetry almost feels like a common occurrence during the period. As Elizabeth was an accomplished poet, her works caught the eye of Robert Browning, who wrote to her in admiration of her verses. Their families disapproved, so they courted each other in secret before striking out and getting married in 1846.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

19. Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII

Royal kings marrying American divorcees is pretty unheard of, and it led to a bit of a shocking scandal for the British monarchy. Even the church opposed their love and marriage, and in the end, Edward abdicated his throne to be with his love. He is remembered as the man who chose love over kingship, with one major caveat. Later documents revealed the two were in cahoots with the Nazis and had plans to reinstate his kingship after a U.K. invasion. Yikes.

National Media Museum from UK on Wikimedia

20. Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII

Henry VIII was a very unpopular king due to his multiple marriages, two of which ended with execution. Early on, he fell in love with a lady-in-waiting named Anne Boleyn. She refused to be a mistress, so the then-married king annulled his marriage and made Anne a queen. He never quite understood her and remarked how she was very elusive, and her true feelings were hard to read. Apparently, he couldn’t stand the waiting and had her executed.

Henry VIII is by Hans Holbein the Younger; Anne Boleyn by unknown artist. Uploaded by qp10qp. on Wikimedia