5 of the most violent and scandalous love affairs in history that the world still remembers today

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

Love is a feeling that inspires and at the same time makes you lose your mind. And while some in the name of love made sacrifices and crimes, others, possessed by their own illusions, losing interest, got rid of one wife, immediately acquiring another …

1. Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin

She is one of the greatest female rulers in history, an intelligent, ruthless and ambitious empress who reigned in Russia for about thirty-four years. Having established herself as the most powerful woman of her time, Catherine the Great turned Russia into one of the most powerful centers of world politics. Catherine's reign is often portrayed as the "Golden Age of Russia".

However, the list of her many lovers is almost as famous as her accomplishments. She was famous for her sexual independence, which has given rise to several false rumors, often created and spread by her many jealous and misogynistic male rivals. The targeted smear campaign was so successful that even to this day, Catherine the Great is surrounded by gossip and rumors about her sex life - no more famous than the story of bestiality that allegedly ended her life. Despite the fact that Catherine died of a stroke at the age of sixty-seven, her enemies felt differently. They argued that the Great Empress was the victim of a horse, which simply trampled the woman during their intercourse.

And if such accusations of perversion did not have any confirmation and facts, then rumors that she had several lovers during her tenure as empress and that she used sex as a tool to collect, as well as expand her political power, have been confirmed more for those times.

After a successful coup against her unfortunate husband Peter III in 1762, Catherine realized that remarrying would mean giving up her power. Instead, she linked up with successful military generals and admirals and relied heavily on her noble minions. Her favorites became lovers, men she could trust to strengthen her power. In response, she showered them with gifts, titles, and wealth.

The first of her lovers was the Russian officer Sergei Saltykov, one of three men whom she invited to her bed while still married to Peter. Her marriage was devoid of love, it was a partnership organized purely for political reasons. Catherine later claimed that Peter was impotent, and that their child and apparent heir, Paul I, was in fact a descendant of Saltykov.

Her next lover was captured right at the imperial court, the Polish nobleman Stanislav Poniatowski. Again, it is widely believed that Catherine's next child, Anna, was Ponyatovsky's daughter, although Anna did not live to see her second birthday. Despite the fact that her romance with Poniatovsky ended after he was expelled from the Russian court, Catherine subsequently helped him to take the Polish throne. She was incredibly generous to all her lovers.

But, perhaps, the most striking love story of Catherine was the relationship with Grigory Potemkin. Gregory first attracted Catherine's attention when he was a member of the elite Horse Guards regiment. They became close after he helped her during the 1762 coup. Between 1768-1774, he distinguished himself as a great military leader during the Russian-Turkish war, and in 1774 he and Catherine finally became close.

Many of their romantic dates are said to have taken place in a private bath in the basement of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Despite the fact that Ekaterina and Potemkin often had sex, their relationship was also intellectual, it was a meeting of two minds who shared a common interest in politics.

At the imperial court, Potemkin's opinions were divided, he was either loved or hated. Some admired his impressive track record and scholarly mind, while others were repulsed by his rude demeanor, selfish nature, and reputation as a lecher. Catherine so admired and relied on his political and military abilities that Gregory enjoyed unrivaled political influence among her many lovers and she was ready to share her power with him. Also, it is rumored that they secretly got married. Although historians to this day cannot confirm such a widespread opinion.

The political alliance and shared ambitions of this empress and her subject are unmatched in history. For a passionate couple, everything did not go so smoothly, their love burned so much that Potemkin became jealous, and Catherine was afraid that he would get bored with her. The intensity of their relationship was not sustainable, and in the end, their romantic relationship only lasted two years.

2. John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Everyone knew John Lennon as the famous frontman of The Beatles. He became widely known in the 60s, but soon realized that the success of Beatlemania was not as important as true love. When John and Yoko met in 1966, sparks flashed between them and they fell madly in love with each other, despite the fact that each of them had a family and children.

They met at one of Yoko's exhibitions. And this fateful meeting once and for all turned the world of two upside down. They began to communicate closely, discussing working moments and not only, but soon, Ono turned to John with a request to fund one of her upcoming art exhibitions, and he could not refuse her.

He once invited her to his place when his first wife Cynthia was on vacation with their son Julian. That night, and the morning after it, became decisive in the life of lovers who were forced to hide from prying eyes, keeping their relationship in the deepest secret. John's ex-wife returned home and found Yoko and her husband in robes, which led to a divorce later that year.

Shortly after that night, Yoko became pregnant but lost her baby to a miscarriage. Their life was on everyone's lips, and their relationship was constantly discussed, causing a lot of condemnation and disapproval from the public. But against all odds, in 1969 the two, despite their anti-establishment beliefs, tied the knot in Gibraltar, which he sang about in The Ballad of John and Yoko.

Together they have created many films, artworks and performances. Most involved in each other's affairs, they were everywhere together, whether it was rehearsals in recording studios, filming music videos or performing on stage during concerts. Such behavior of the spouses caused friction with the rest of the group, forcing the musicians to sort things out, in every possible way showing their dissatisfaction with what was happening. As a result, this led to the disintegration of the legendary Liverpool four, and ardent Beatles fans, of course, blamed Ono for what happened.

The tension grew by the minute, and in 1973 Ono told The Telegraph that she needed a time out, so she introduced John to her assistant Mae Pang before heading to New York. But who would have thought that Lennon and May would have an affair lasting almost two years. John and Yoko got back together in 1975 and a little later, in the same year, they had their only child - a son, whom the couple named Sean.

3. Abelard and Eloise

Abelard and Eloise loved each other. However, their love affair was much more than just an act of carnal lust. It was also a relationship filled with compassion and friendship. Delving deeper into their love story, we can learn about the distant world and the feelings of people who lived at that time.

In 1115 (according to another version in 1117), Abelard met Eloise, who lived with her uncle Fulbert on the Isle of Cite. At that time, she was less than twenty years old, and Abelard decided to seduce her by inviting her uncle to become her mentor. At the time, she was known as a brilliant scholar and was well versed in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.

He was thirty-seven years old and in his prime as a teacher of philosophy and theology. Unfortunately, their romance ended in pregnancy, and to avoid Fulbert's wrath, Abelard moved her to his family home in Brittany, where she gave birth to a son named Astrolabe. Secretly marrying her, he sent Heloise to the convent in Argenteuil to protect her.

Shortly after this incident, Eloise's uncle decided to take revenge on Pierre. He organized a group of people who broke into Abelard's room and, tying him up, castrated him. As a result, Abelard decided to become a monk and convinced Eloise to enter the religious life. Their history and what followed is known from his autobiographical Historia Calamitatum, seven letters between Abelard and Eloise, and four letters between Peter the Venerable and Eloise (three from Peter, one from Eloise). However, the story of Abelard and Héloise is also the story of how, in a medieval context, love could be much more than sex. People in the Middle Ages also knew about mercy and friendship, and the couple's writings are full of philosophical and theological reflections, as well as memories of love life and a way of thinking about love that was completely different from ours.

4. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

They are two of the most extraordinary figures in history, their romance, which has become a tragedy, is known throughout the world. But what was the true nature of the relationship between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and how did Anne lose her head?

The love story of Henry VIII and Anne is shrouded in historical myth, romantic legend, clichés and half-truths. Much of their history remains the subject of bitter controversy among historians - from why Heinrich fell in love with Anna to why he ultimately destroyed her.

- these words were written by the famous king of England Henry VIII to his beloved Anne Boleyn at the time when he courted her. Will this man in love ever think that in a few years his feelings for Anna will grow from love to hate? Most likely no.

What is so special about this love story that sets it apart from others? And why, after almost half a century, people are still inspired by the romance of such a mysterious lady and king?

Anna Boleyn will always fascinate people all over the world. She is one of the most powerful queens England has ever had. No wonder King Henry VIII fell in love with this well-educated, beautiful and intelligent young lady. After all, Anna was not afraid to express her opinion on many things, and this distinguishes her from other women who simply listened to what the man said.

Before marriage, Anna promised Henry what he desired most - a son, a male heir to the English throne and a living prototype of his father. Henry had no reason to doubt that Anna would really give him a son: she was young and could give birth to a healthy child. Imagine the king's disappointment when their first child turned out to be not a boy, but a girl. However, the couple were still happy together, and Princess Elizabeth was the beloved daughter of the monarch.

Unfortunately, Anna was not destined to give birth to a male heir. It is believed that Anna miscarried three times in a row - first in July 1534, then in June 1535, she probably gave birth to a stillborn boy. The last miscarriage occurred in January 1536, and it was also a boy. It is difficult to describe how King Henry VIII felt. He sacrificed a lot to marry Anna - first he divorced his wife Catherine of Aragon, separated from the Catholic Church and executed his friend Thomas More. He expected that soon his beloved wife would give birth to a son for him, but instead she gave him a daughter and two dead sons. Henry also expected Anna to obey him in everything. But here, too, she did not live up to his expectations. Heinrich was a man who did not like it when someone told him what to do. He was the king of England and had to give orders.

Despite a number of troubles, Anna loved Henry, and it was painful for her to see him with others, but perhaps she was afraid that one of her maids of honor would take her place, just as she took the place of the former queen.

The 16th century was a time when people got used to believing in witches and dark forces. Perhaps Henry began to wonder if Anna was cursed (she was sentenced to death for witchcraft, among other charges), and he had the right to think so - she could not have a healthy son. Perhaps the monarch could not come to terms with the fact that Anna was controlling him and trying to put pressure on him. In addition, Anna's jealousy pissed him off, because he expected her to “close her eyes and endure” like his previous wife.

And if Henry knew that Anna would not give birth to a son for him, he probably would never have married her. But what is very ironic about this story is that the daughter of Henry and Anna - Elizabeth I Tudor, and not the son Henry so desperately awaited, was a great ruler, one of the best that England has ever had.

According to some historians, their marriage and life is not a love story. This is a story of perverse obsession, cruelty and blood. But who knows if Henry VIII really regretted what he did to Anne Boleyn. He never officially spoke about it and what was going on in his soul and in his head, when he was left alone with himself and his own thoughts, will forever remain a mystery.

5. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

The relationship between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera is not your typical love story. They had indiscriminate quarrels, numerous extramarital affairs and even a divorce in 1939, which led to another marriage exactly one year later.

Rivera was an important painter in Mexico, while Kahlo was best known for her self-portraits: sixty-five of the 150 works she created portrayed herself.

They met when Frida joined the Mexican Communist Party and received advice from an experienced artist twenty years her senior.

The couple got married in 1929, and two years later, while in San Francisco, Frida painted a wedding portrait. The ribbon held in its beak by the pigeon over the couple read: They were crazy about each other, but their life resembled an endless whirlpool of not the most pleasant events.

Kahlo never had children. With Rivera, she had one miscarriage, and also had to have an abortion due to the position of the fetus. Eternal quarrels, romances on the side and a riotous lifestyle led the married couple to the fact that they began to live in neighboring houses, and then completely divorced. But a year later, Frida and Diego got married again. He stayed with her until the very end, until the day when she left this world at the age of forty-seven.

And in continuation of the theme - where sincerity and warmth are felt in every line.