The Tragedy Of Love

Being in love is a beautiful thing most of the time. However, there are times when love could end in disaster. Here are some of the most painful love stories in history.

Cleopatra and Mark Antony

Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Photo_ Filthy Media

Being an Egyptian queen, Cleopatra fostered a romantic relationship with the already married Roman general in 41 B.C. One of her goals was to help create a political alliance between the two nations. The alliance fell apart when the future emperor, Octavian, persuaded the Roman senate into believing that Marc Antony was bewitched by Cleopatra and had become power-hungry. This led to war and Anthony and Cleopatra both committed suicide during the war for the sake of their love.

Ines De Castro and King Pedro

Ines De Castro and King Pedro. Photo_ Reishonger

Ines de Castro was the lady-in-waiting for Princess Constance of Portugal in 1340. She stole the heart of Prince Pedro, the heir to the throne, and had three children for him. When Constance died in 1349, Pedro wanted Ines to become his rightful queen, but his father, the king, revolted. He banished Ines and later had her killed, creating a rift between father and son. This eventually led to a civil war which Pedro won. He exhumed her body, built her a royal tomb and made Portugal swear allegiance to Ines as queen.

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Photo_ Life Untraveled

The Taj Mahal in India was built in the 17th century by Shah Jahan—the ruler of India at the time—as a resting place for his wife. Mumtaz Mahal, who he named “Jewel Of The Palace”, was his third wife but he loved her more than the others. When she died during childbirth, he grieved her loss and began work on the Taj Mahal which took 23 years to complete.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Jenna Coleman And Tom Hughes as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the UK series <em>Victoria</em>. Photo_ Daily Mirror

Queen Victoria loved her husband, Prince Albert, obsessively and his untimely death in 1861 left her devastated. She spent the rest of her life wearing black in seclusion, loathing her nine children. She passed away in 1901 and was laid in their mausoleum with these words inscribed on the door: “Farewell best beloved, here, at last, I shall rest with thee, with thee in Christ I shall rise again.”

Heloise and Abelard

Heloise and Abelard. Photo_ Tétékás Nyúz – ELTE

Heloise and Abelard were desperately in love in the mid-12th century France. Abelard was her live-in-tutor and was 20 years older than her. Their relationship angered her uncle and he had Abelard castrated after they were caught. They both entered the monastery and wrote letters to each other until their deaths.