History's pages are often filled with tales of tragedy, loss, and despair. In some cases, though, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of star-crossed lovers who never give up on true love. Kings and queens, emperors and empresses, mistresses, concubineslove does not recognize titles or prefixes. Some love stories are so powerful that they even shaped a nation's history.
10Pericles And Aspasia For centuries, Sparta was thedominant military power in ancient Greece. Their rigorous training and battle-hardened discipline made the Spartan phalanx the envyand downfallof rival states. However, it only took one slight innovation to finally break the myth of Spartan invincibility. The land of Thebes lay on the warpath, and what it may have lacked in the lifelong rigidity of the Spartan military, it more than made up for with its Sacred Band. The Sacred Band of Thebes was a group of elite soldiers,all of whom were gay. Theban general Gorgidas formed the group knowing that 'a band cemented by friendship grounded upon love is never to be broken,' and no man would wish to be shamed in battle in front of his lover. In 371 B.C.,the Spartans met the Thebans and the Sacred Band on the plains of Leuctra. Rather than distributing his forces so that the men formed ranks of equal depth, the Theban armys leader, Epaminondas, made the left wing more packed and numerous. This left wing, which included the Sacred Band, punched through the Spartan right and kept going until they fatally wounded the Spartan king. The myth of Sparta's invincible phalanx was no more.
8Frederick And Anna Murray Douglass TheTaizong emperor ruled China's Tang dynasty for over two decades. During this time and for centuries to come, he was a revered figure not only among the Chinese but also the Japanese, Koreans, and even neighboring steppe tribes that were usually hostile toward the Middle Kingdom. Upon his death in A.D. 649, the mandate passed to his son,Emperor Gaozong. One day, the new emperor passed a convent and met the gaze of a woman named Wu Zetian (sometimes known as Wu Zhao). She was a formerjunior concubine to the previous emperor and had once been a beautiful young lady, but her head was now shaven in the tradition which dictated that once an emperor dies, his concubines must shave their heads and spend the rest of the lives in a convent. Undeterred by this, Emperor Gaozong bade her to come back to the palace andbecome his concubine as well. The scandalous nature of this quasi-incestuous relationship was not lost on the more conservative statesmen in China, and her arrival at the imperial palace was met with disdain. Other concubines vied for the emperor's affection, but Wu Zetian outlasted them all, eventually being proclaimed Empress in 655. As the emperor's health deteriorated, Wu Zetian proved to be ashrewd and ambitious empress, becoming China's de facto ruler. Gaozong allowed her to run the affairs of state in his name for
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the next few decades until his death in 683. Seven years later, Wu Zetian herself ascended to the throne without revolt, becoming China's only female emperor. Her rule, in Gaozong's name and her own, was aglorious period in Chinese history. Government positions were earned by merit rather than birthright, peace and order prevailed, and women became more liberated. The empress even introduced some semblance of democracy to the Chinese government, openly seeking criticism and suggestions.
6Justinian And Theodora Very few in India's rich history and culture have rivaled the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, which culminated in thecreation of the Taj Mahal. Whats lesser known to people who dont live in the country, however, is the story of theMastani Mahal. Though its now only a reconstruction of its former self, it still bears the wishes of two people whose love transcended strict traditions and religion, one Hindu and the other Muslim. Baji Rao I was a Hindu peshwa, the equivalent of a prime minister. The peshwa ruled the Maratha Confederacy, India'slast bastion of Hindu rule before it was taken over by the British. The Marathas achieved their zenith under Rao, an unyielding and highly skilled commander who was undefeated in multiple engagements. Away from the field, however, he was a hopeless romantic. Though his marriage to Mastani, a beautiful and alluring Muslim woman, wasmet with criticism from his family and society in general, they were desperately in love. Even historians understated their romance,describing Mastani as simply a 'Muslim dancing girl that influenced the peshwa.' Raos family conspired tokeep Mastani away from him whenever they could, partly out of jealousy and partly because of their conservative beliefs. According to historian Kusum Choppra, the constant separation drove Rao to drink, and upon learning of Mastanis untimely death, he drank himself to his own early grave. In 2009, miscreantsdug up Mastani's grave, perhaps hoping to discover hidden treasure. If there's one thing that can heal centuries of hate and prejudice, though, it's a good love story, and the areas Hindus and Muslims united to protest the act.
4Giuseppe And Anita Garibaldi accompanied her beloved on his revolutionary adventures, oftentimes in military engagements. Aboard Garibaldi's ship, Anita even took up arms when they met a hostile vessel. Later on, she took care of the transport and nursing of the wounded rebels and even went on her own solitary travels in hostile territory. During one battle in July 1840, Anita led Giuseppe's cavalry forces despite being eight months pregnant. Two years later, while the two were aiding Uruguayans against Argentina, Anita learned of her husband's death. The couple immediately tied the knot. In 1847, they sailed across the Atlantic back to France, where Giuseppe roused patriotic Italians
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to fight for unification. Anita aided him with the recruitment of men and the procurement of weapons. When the short-lived Roman Republic collapsed, Giuseppe and Anita led the volunteers in anarduous retreat from Rome. Tragedy struck on August 4, 1849, when Giuseppe's ever-present partner and comrade-in-arms fell ill and died. Although Giuseppe Garibaldi would remarry and eventually become one of the founding fathers of Italy, Anita's death grieved him until his dying day on June 2, 1882.
3Vladimir Lenin And Inessa Armand Inessa Armand, Lenin's mistress. Armand had been one of Lenin's most ardent followers and lieutenants for many years. During Lenin's exile, she was instrumental in garnering support for the Bolshevik cause and coordinating all related groups in Western Europe. She was a lover of music, especially the works of Beethoven, which Lenin also enjoyed. She was fluent in five languages, and Lenin trusted her tospeak on his behalf in conferences with the likes of Rosa Luxemburg and Leon Trostky. Armand also advocated a greater role for women within Communist society. Three years after they arrived in St. Petersburg, with Lenin now firmly holding the reins of power in Russia, Armand contracted cholera and died on September 24, 1920. Her death shocked Lenin to the core and may have hastened his own demise. Itwas said that during her lavish state funeral, Lenin 'was unrecognizable . . . his body expressed so much sorrow and he seemed to have shrunk, his eyes drowned in tears.'
2Hernan Cortes And La Malinche most poignant caricatures of La Malinche expressed by modern-day nationalists is as a seductress, a traitor who gave away the independence of the natives to a foreign power. What we do know is that she was one of the 27 womenoffered as tribute to the Spaniards after a local tribe was bested in battle. Cortes recognized La Malinche's worth, for she was able to speak Mayan and Nahuatl, the dominant languages of the land. As his interpreter, guide, and eventually, his lover, La Malinche aided Cortes in his various dealings with the natives, be it the solicitation of food, asking for directions, or even negotiating peace bargains and alliances. La Malinche was baptized and became known as DoĂąa Marina. She gave birth to a son, Martin, one of the firstmestizos (people of half-Spanish, halfNative American ancestry).
1Ferdinand And Isabella disguised himself as a lowly merchant, while Isabella deceived King Enrique by telling him that she was to visit their brothers crypt. When the two finally met, it was said that they talked for hours. Small talk led to an immediate wedding on October 19, 1469 in Valladolid. At once, the king of Portugalwho had a claim to the Castilian thronedeclared war against Isabella, but Ferdinand was by her side. He sent news of a massive Portuguese defeat that
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greatly demoralized their opponents, while Isabella personally rode out to negotiate with the rebels during a local revolt. Isabella ascended to the throne of Castile, as did Ferdinand to the throne of Aragon. Their union saw the end ofthe Reconquista when the Muslim kingdom of Granada became a Christian dominion, securing their place in religion and history as 'The Catholic Monarchs.' Their romance and marriage led to the unification of modern-day Spain, and the ensuing period of peace and prosperity attracted a certain Genoese explorer named Christopher Columbus. When Columbus spoke of a westward journey to India, Ferdinand wasinitially unenthusiastic about the idea until Isabella gave Castile's full support. The discovery of the New World filled Spain's coffers, and Christianity spread from the cathedrals of Toledo to the villages of Mexico and Argentina to the shores of the Philippines half a world away. All of that was possible because a prince and princess decided to meet and make things work against all odds. Read more:http://listverse.com/2014/07/29/10-great-romances-that-shaped-history/ 10 Great Romances That Shaped History
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