February is here, meaning that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Valentine’s Day is a day that is intended to celebrate the love that people have for one another and each person’s love story. History is full of love stories that are sweet, tragic, beautiful, sad, and wonderful. In honor of this month’s loved-up holiday, Heritage Consulting has compiled a list of some of the world’s greatest love stories that have stood the test of time.
Love Stories From History & Literature
There are many love stories out there that can be found in every storybook, song, or movie. In history, love was often written about and used as the base material for poems and plays, as demonstrated by the many sonnets about love written by William Shakespeare. Most of the world’s most famous love stories have turned into legends and myths at this point, but they still demonstrate the power of showing another person love.
Romeo & Juliet
Perhaps one of the most famous love stories ever recorded was that of Romeo and Juliet. This is a story that most people know by heart that expresses the consequences of a family’s disapproval of the love of a young couple. While the story might have ended tragically, Romeo & Juliet will always be remembered as a story of the lengths a person will go to be with the person that they love. In addition to the famous play written by William Shakespeare in the 1590s, there have been extensive movie, film, and television adaptations based on this well-known love story.
Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
As portrayed in the movie The Young Victoria, the love story of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was one of the sweetest and kindest love stories of all time. This real life couple ruled Great Britain for 21 years together in the 1800’s before Albert’s death in 1861. It seems based on memoirs and letters that were written that Victoria and Albert fell in love at first sight after being introduced to each other as a potential match. Victoria proposed to Albert (as no person could propose to a reigning monarch according to the law) and after they were married they had nine children. During their reign there was much industrial expansion and educational advancement.
Cleopatra & Mark Antony
Cleopatra was known for being one of the most beautiful and calculated rulers of all time. She ruled ancient Egypt and is known for protecting her claim to Egypt and Egypt’s goals. This was a difficult task at the time because of Rome’s growing power and influence. Because of this, Cleopatra ended up getting involved with Mark Antony (who had a ton of power in Rome) to protect Egypt.
However, they ended up falling in love, got married and had three children together. Sadly, their story ended in tragedy with Antony being killed and Cleopatra committing suicide thereafter. However, their story is so wrapped up in time and scandal, that much of this story has become a myth and the exact events involved in their love story are hard to know for sure.
Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal
This story may be less well known to those in the Western Hemisphere, but the story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal is one of true love and great expressions of love. Shah Jahan was a Mughal emperor who was known for his intellect. Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan fell in love after they were married. She was not his only wife, but their love continued even after her death. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal after Mumtaz Mahal’s death and it still stands as a testament of their love.
Learn About Your Ancestors’ Love Stories
Each generation has different challenges and experiences, but what permeates every time period is lives filled with beautiful love stories. We at Heritage Consulting offer a way for you to learn more about your ancestors and their personal stories, including how they fell in love. We believe that love is what should be the foundation of every family. What better way to spread the feeling than to learn more about your ancestors’ lives? For more information or to get in touch with our talented genealogy experts, feel free to reach out to us today.
