8 love triangles that changed the course of world history

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

History is full of various kinds of events: from the rise and fall of powerful empires and states to dizzying amorous affairs, around which such passions raged that the scriptwriters of modern melodramas can only envy. But as they say, when it comes to love and power, then all methods are good here. And it is not at all surprising that history textbooks are silent about how many love triangles there were in the lives of historical figures throughout different centuries.

1. The love triangle that created the new church

It's no secret that Henry VIII was the king of England and the lord of love triangles. He made every effort to get away from his first wife and in the end he succeeded.

Catherine of Aragon (Spanish princess) was a devout and loving wife who for a long time turned a blind eye to her husband's love affairs. However, everything changed when Henry fell in love with Catherine's maid of honor, Anne Boleyn. Since Catherine did not succeed in giving birth to a male heir, the smart and cunning Anna arranged everything so that the king would marry her, and not just keep her in his mistresses.

Henry sought a divorce from the Pope, but he refused him. Partly out of a desire to get rid of Catherine and marry his true love, the king broke with Rome and founded the Anglican Church. As the head of the Church, he could give himself a divorce, which he did. As a result, he married Anna, they had the future Queen Elizabeth I, and the rest is history, but alas, not with a happy ending.

2. The Sun King and his two beloved

There were many loves in the life of the French king Louis XIV, but among them two especially vivid ones can be distinguished: his mistress, Madame de Montespan, and his last wife, who looked like a nun, Madame de Maintenon. His brother Philip I's wife, Elizabeth-Charlotte, called them "the two worst women in the world." So what have they done to deserve such a nickname?

Originally married to his cousin Maria Theresa of Spain, Louis (the hottest king in Europe) constantly cheated on her. His number one favorite for decades was Françoise-Athenais, the Marquis de Montespan. A greedy, ambitious aristocrat who bore him seven children and continued to bewitch the king until she was accused of having ties with witches and she lost his favor.

In the end, Louis' wife died and he felt a little morally lost. He was also tired of the temperament and passion of Montespan, turning his attention to Madame de Maintenon, the governess of his children from Montespan, and fell in love with her calm, godly nature.

The ladies were once friends, but everything changed when Louis, against the will of his ministers, secretly married the widowed Françoise d'Aubigne, the Marquis de Maintenon, and their union lasted about thirty years.

3. American President and Duel

Andrew Jackson took the life of a guy who insulted his beloved wife Rachel. Formally, they were not married for a long time, since Rachel was still married to her first husband (Lewis Robards), but this did not stop her from having an affair with Andrew.

Andrew was known for his loyalty to Rachel and was furious when his political opponents called her a religious redneck. One guy, Charles Dickinson, dared to mention the scandal with a married woman, accusing Jackson of cowardice and baseness. He even published an essay in which he insulted his rival, calling him various obscene words. An outraged Andrew challenged Dickinson to a duel.

In 1806 they met in a duel. Jackson was hit during the first round (meaning he technically lost). But that was part of his strategy. He reloaded and fired again, killing Dickinson, thus breaking the rules of the duel. Jackson was not prosecuted for taking Dickinson's life, as dueling was considered a legal form of settlement at the time.

4. The trio that ended the Roman Republic

Everyone is surely aware that the last Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII was in love not only with Julius Caesar, but also with his protege Mark Anthony. But the real love triangle arose between Cleopatra, Antony, and Antony's wife / grand-niece of Caesar (and sister of his main rival), Octavia. Some say that it was because Antony left Octavia that Antony and Octavian (later known as the first Roman emperor Augustus) fought for the last time and the Roman Empire was created.

In 40 BC. NS. Octavian and Antony were at enmity among themselves for full power over Rome. To smooth over the rough edges, Antony married Octavian's sister, and a few years later, Octavia even helped to conclude a truce between them. But this did not last long. Anthony went on a campaign and resumed his romance with Cleopatra, leaving his wife and children, and then divorced his wife altogether. But Octavia did not become a victim, but turned into a legitimate political rival of Cleopatra, thereby initiating a conflict between her own brother and her ex-husband, which led to another war, which Mark Antony and Cleopatra lost, paying for their love with their lives.

5. Queen Victoria's daughters quarreled over a German prince

Queen Victoria of Great Britain was a domineering mother, especially when it came to keeping her youngest daughters close to her after her husband's death. She insisted that her youngest girls - Elena, Louise and Beatrice - were her personal assistants and secretaries. And the only way to escape from your own mother was to get married, or so they thought.

A famous beauty, Louise was freedom-loving (for example, she took sculpture lessons and married a Scottish nobleman, not a member of the royal family). Her younger sisters were jealous of her, perhaps because she went to live with her husband in Scotland, and then to Canada, and did not stay at home. When the obedient Helen and Beatrice chose their husbands, Queen Victoria made them promise to stay in Britain.

Helen married a younger Danish prince (a much older, rather boring Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein), and Beatrice chose Prince Heinrich of Battenberg (a second-rate German prince). Serving as a support for her mother, Beatrice became suspicious of her husband and her sister Louise, who hung around Henry every day, forcing Beatrice to think about what was happening. It is difficult to say whether the romance between Heinrich and Louise really was, or whether it was simply the speculation of an upset Beatrice, but one way or another, their relationship was significantly shaken, and the sisters finally drifted away from each other.

6. Love triangle, which became part of Dante's poem

This love triangle was a relatively minor episode in Italian history, but was retold in Dante's Divine Comedy and Tchaikovsky's opera. As a result, it became a notorious dramatic episode in literature and art.

Real story? In 13th century Italy, a lady from Ravenna (young Francesca da Rimini) was engaged to another nobleman named Gianciotto (Giovanni) Malatesta. It was rumored that Francesca was in love with Gianciotto's younger brother, Paolo, and they had a whirlwind romance. As a result, Gianciotto took the life of his wife and brother.

Despite the fact that the people were real, their adultery was not proven, but artists, writers and other creative people happily picked up this obscene story, elevating it into a kind of cult.

7. The story of Sofonisba

Meet the Carthaginian lady Sofonisba, who became a stumbling block between the two great enemies of Ancient Rome. Engaged at some point to Masinissa, king of the eastern Numidians, she was married off to Sifak, king of the western Numidians.

Sifak and Masinissa both opposed the Romans, but then these rival monarchs came into conflict with each other. When the Romans captured Sifak, Sofonisba came under the protection of Masinissa and did everything possible and impossible to make him fall in love with her. As a result, they got married, but their love story ended sadly. Not wanting to become a Roman prisoner, Sofonisba committed suicide. This epic novel became a popular subject for tragic plays during the Renaissance and beyond.

8. Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine is considered one of the most desperate women in history. She went on the Crusade, married two different monarchs, and ruled over her own duchy. But who were the men who fought over her?

Eleanor was a sensual, beautiful young woman, and her first husband was a bit of a prude. King Louis VII of France was once destined to become a monk, and, apparently, he observed celibacy, which Eleanor did not like. But they enjoyed a rather happy marriage with each other until they returned from the Crusade, after which Eleanor's playful and slightly lecherous behavior began to make Louis jealous. In March 1152, Louis finally let her go and their marriage was annulled.

But Eleanor was not alone for long. So who became Louis's main rival? The young king of England and Duke of Normandy, Henry II, who controlled almost as much modern France as the French king himself. It is clear that Henry wanted to gain the lands of Eleanor in order to confront his rival monarch. Eleanor was delighted with this. They got married and had a bunch of children, thereby angering Louis.

This sparked an epic rivalry that lasted for years. The cunning son of Louis from another marriage, the future Philip II, turned the sons of Henry against his father and caused not only scandals and disagreements in the family, but also a full-scale royal uprising, which entailed a series of deplorable and tragic events.

Continuing the topic, read also about which of the famous women in history connected their lives with menwho were much younger than their companions.