How the sensational royal marriages that went down in history ended

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The story is filled with many royal couples who got married and did not live the way they would like. As a rule, all marriages that were concluded between famous representatives of their families were based on political, military, religious or other beliefs, but not on love. This often led to the fact that husband and wife lived like a cat and a dog - from simple squabbles to real hatred for each other. To your attention - the brightest marriages in history, which can not be called happy at all.

1. George I and Sophia Dorothea of Braunschweig-Zell

Before he became King of Great Britain, George I was an Elector of Hanover in what is now Germany. In 1682, his mother insisted that he marry a very wealthy girl, Sophia Dorothea, whose family belonged to the highest German nobility. The marriage from the very beginning could not be happy, especially considering the fact that Georg made himself many mistresses, whom he did not hesitate to show to his young and attractive wife.

But things got even worse when Sofia, seeing such an attitude of her husband, wanted to find a loved one for herself, having entered into a relationship with Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, a famous Swedish count. At the moment when Georg found out that his wife was in a relationship, their family life deteriorated significantly. So, it is noted that at the moment when Georg found out about the betrayal of his wife, he pounced on her and beat her well.

In 1714, George the Cruel left Hanover and went to Great Britain, where he took her throne. However, he did it without his wife. In fact, the couple divorced in 1694, and Sophia Georg herself was left to rot in prison for the rest of her days. And the fact that Philip Christophe was killed because of his love for Sophia only makes this story even more tragic.

2. Isabella and Edward II

Queen Isabella of France was only twelve years old when she barged with King Edward II of England in 1308. At first it was a very happy relationship, until Edward became interested in several of his favorites - first Pierce Gaveston, and then Hugh Despencer, which put their marriage at risk.

In revenge, Isabella began an affair with Roger Mortimer, and with his help she managed to make a successful coup, throwing her husband off the throne. Soon Edward was imprisoned, and in 1327 he died as a result of mysterious events.

3. Carolina Matilda and Christian VII

The princess from Great Britain was the younger sister of George III and married the Danish king Christian VII at a very young age, namely, at the age of fifteen in 1766. However, this marriage was initially doomed to failure, since Christian suffered from a mental illness - schizophrenia, which pushed their marriage to the abyss.

Among the behavioral problems of Christian, his aggression, as well as rather strange actions, stood out. For example, everyone who had the honor of seeing Caroline found her very attractive and innocent. Because of this, Christian hung the most disgusting portrait of his wife in the most conspicuous place in the bathroom, thereby making it clear what he thought of her. He was also known for his unusual sexual preferences and paranoia. Dr. Johann Friedrich Struensee undertook to treat the young king, however, despite this, he resolutely seized the reins of government, becoming the favorite of the young queen and actually making decisions instead of the king. However, Frederick was soon overthrown and executed, and the young queen was sent into exile, where she died at the age of 23.

4. Henry VIII and Catherine Howard, Anne Boleyn

If there was one person in history who could not know happiness in marriage, it was King Henry VIII, who ruled in England from 1509 to 1547. He literally divorced his two wives, killed two more, and one died during childbirth. His saddest marriage, perhaps, can be called the relationship with Catherine Howard.

He married Catherine when he was 49, and she was only 16. Such a huge age gap often made itself felt, because the couple had different views on absolutely everything and nothing in common. At the time when he was married to Catherine, he became a shadow of the king he was before: he significantly gained weight, and also became weak due to an earlier wound. Katherine, on the other hand, was in the prime of her youth, and therefore it is not surprising that she preferred romantic adventures on the side. Soon she was accused of having an affair with Thomas Culpepper, after which the king achieved her beheading in 1542.

However, this was not the only wife who literally lost her head. Just a few years later, the same fate befell another of his spouses - Anne Boleyn.

5. George IV and Caroline of Braunschweig

The eldest son and heir of George III was more interested in conquering love peaks, multiplying debts due to gambling, as well as building new, pompous buildings, completely oblivious to royal duties. Therefore, the father went to an agreement with his son: he offered him to pay all his debts if he went on a short enough trip and found a worthy wife there. In the end Georg agreed.

The marriage that later took place was a real disaster. George's chosen bride, Caroline of Braunschweig, was his first cousin. Perhaps it was not love, but rather hatred at first sight. It is believed that on their first married night, April 8, 1795, Georg was so drunk that he could not complete everything.

However, they stayed close long enough until Caroline finally became pregnant. After which she gave birth to Princess Charlotte, and soon the couple broke up, because George became king in 1820, a little later shocking the whole of Great Britain with the news that he was trying to divorce his wife.

6. Henry II Plantagenet and Alienora (Eleanor) Aquitaine

The greatest novel of the Middle Ages can be safely called the story of King Henry II of England and Alienora of Aquitaine. When they first met, a spark flared between them: Henry was the young and ambitious future king of England, while Eleanor was the beautiful and charming wife of the King of France. Their love was so strong that they did everything possible so that nothing stood in their way, not even Alienora's marriage. Therefore, soon, in 1152, they achieved its annulment, and then got married after just a couple of weeks.

Despite the fact that their marriage began with love, it soon went downhill. Heinrich could not resist the temptation, and his gaze now and then clung to another attractive woman. Therefore, it is not surprising that by 1170 he had already got himself several mistresses on the side. A proud, intelligent and courageous woman, Eleanor convinced her sons to rebel against their father in 1173. Henry managed to suppress this rebellion, however, having lost confidence in his wife, he was forced to lock her up for the last sixteen years of her life. Soon, when her sons, Richard and John, inherited the throne, she became the queen mother and served as an advisor to her sons until her death in 1204.

7. Tamara and Yuri Bogolyubsky

Marrying someone, especially a person she did not choose, was a real disaster for the cruel and just Georgian queen Tamara. She ruled with her father until his death, after which she was recognized as his official heir. However, not everyone was delighted with the new queen: both the nobles and her family members insisted that she get married and find a man who would rule with her.

Under such pressure, the queen was forced to marry Yuri Bogolyubsky in 1185. And this was the greatest mistake, given Yuri's attachment to alcohol and an immoral lifestyle. Soon, the queen, unable to tolerate this, annulled the marriage and in 1187 expelled Yuri from Georgia. The enraged former spouse could not endure such humiliation, and soon raised a rebellion against his crowned wife. Which she, however, easily suppressed, and then calmly continued to rule until 1213.

8. Peter I and Evdokia

The Russian Tsar Peter I is remembered by many as the "Great", but he was definitely not like that for his first wife. Evdokia married Peter in 1689, because his mother insisted on this marriage and organized the celebration on her own. Despite the fact that the couple had several children in the marriage, Peter soon became bored with his young wife. In 1698, after nine years of marriage, he suddenly felt that he wanted to move on without her.

Therefore, he divorced Evdokia and sent her to a monastery. After his first wife disappeared from his field of vision, he secretly married his peasant mistress just a few years later, who soon became known as Catherine I. However, according to another version, in fact, Evdokia took part in the rifle revolt, from - for which Peter was forced to abandon it and exile to the monastery.

9. Marguerite de Valois and Henry IV

Perhaps the wedding of Princess Marguerite de Valois and Henry IV had the most dire consequences for the world around. Margaret was the daughter of the calculating king of France Henry II and his wife Catherine de Medici, and Henry IV was the Protestant king of Navarre.

They were married in Paris on August 18, 1572, due to which there was a mass gathering of both Catholics and Protestants in the city who planned to celebrate this event. However, Christian unity did not last long. On the night of August 24, which was eventually nicknamed Bartholomew's, by order of King Charles IX and Catherine de Medici, the streets of Paris turned red as a result of the massacres of Protestants.

Margarita's husband barely managed to avoid death, and such events were definitely not the best way to start a family life. As a result, the couple broke up in 1599.

10. Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Ernst I

The son of this couple, Prince Albert, at one time married young Victoria, and their marriage was quite happy, promoting the correct family values. However, Albert's parents could not boast of the same in their married couple.

Princess Louise married Ernst I when she was barely sixteen years old. Despite the fact that Ernst himself was a noble Casanova, he did not allow his wife the same, even considering that his adventures had a very negative effect on their marriage. Louise even bore him two sons, but this did not bring the couple closer in any way.

When Louise despaired and got herself a lover, Ernst simply could not stand it. He divorced her in 1826, after which he forbade the woman to see all her children. However, Louise so desperately wanted to keep in touch with her children that she once even dressed in peasant clothes in order to mingle with the crowd and at least observe them from close range. Louise passed away in 1831 when she was thirty, unable to cope with the loss of her family.

11. Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones

The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, the charming Princess Margaret was quite popular during the reign of her older sister. Therefore, her marriage ceremony with photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones, which took place on May 6, 1960, was a real event.

Unfortunately, the marriage was a real disappointment for both of them. Both Margaret and her husband were vain people, quite tough and principled, and therefore during their quarrels, they awakened exceptionally worse qualities in each other. The royal couple eventually became so tense that Anthony began to leave this called "hate notes." The most ridiculous thing he wrote was: "You look like a Jewish manicurist and I hate you." Therefore, it is not surprising that their marriage did not last long and broke up in 1978.

12. Princess Diana and Prince Charles

When 20-year-old Diana Spencer married Charles, the eldest son of Elizabeth II, that day, July 29, 1981, was considered truly fabulous. However, their marriage soon became a real disaster. Diana later says that their wedding day was the worst day of her life.

Why? Because it was the day that led to the most destructive relationship that changed both lives. Diana was under constant pressure from strict royal protocols, which forbade her to live her life. At the same time, Charles was having an affair with his mistress, which is why Diana also soon had her own favorites. The couple did not even hesitate to show the whole world the dirty seamy side of their relationship.

When the couple broke up in 1992 and later divorced, it was clear proof that not every royal couple is destined to live happily ever after.

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