10 Historical Romances with Tragic Ends

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at real historical romances that ended in heartbreak, tragedy or death.

John Keats & Fanny Brawne

Fanny Brawne wasn’t John Keats’ first relationship, but she was the one he felt most deeply. After they met in 1818, and bonded over their shared love for literature, their relationship grew intense. Unfortunately, right from the start, their love was plagued by harsh realities. Keats was a struggling poet, making marriage impossible. Though they became informally engaged, their relationship remained unconsummated, sustained mostly through letters and longing. The poet’s lines such as “You’ve absorbed me” speak volumes of his love for Fanny. Sadly, after contracting tuberculosis, Keats moved to Rome, never to see her again. She received news of his death a month after his passing and mourned him for six good years. Tragic indeed!

Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera

The relationship between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera wasn’t the purest form of love, but it was undeniably intense. They began their relationship in 1928 and tied the knot just a year later. From the start, their love was volatile, passionate, and deeply intertwined with their art. Both were unfaithful—Rivera’s affairs, including one with Kahlo’s sister, proved particularly devastating. Still, they couldn’t just stay apart. After they divorced in 1939, they remarried a year later, settling into a negotiated partnership that allowed both to pursue desires outside their marriage. Despite everything, in Kahlo’s final years, Rivera was there. He even called her death the most tragic part of his life and died just three years later.

Oscar Wilde & Lord Alfred Douglas

How many of you are willing to die for love? Well, Oscar Wilde captured that intensity in his works and in real-life. He didn’t literally die for love, but it played a major role in his downfall. Wilde’s relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas brought him into conflict with Douglas’ father, the Marquess of Queensberry. After Wilde sued for libel, the case backfired, exposing his interest in men. He was subsequently tried, convicted of “gross indecency" in 1895, and sentenced to two years of hard labor. This destroyed his health, reputation and career. After his release, he lived in exile and died in Paris at 46. While in prison, he wrote a 50,000-word letter to Douglas about love and ruin that was never sent.

Héloïse & Abelard

Still on the topic of forbidden love, Héloïse and Peter Abelard stand as one of history’s most tragic examples. They met in 12th-century Paris when renowned philosopher Abelard became Héloïse’s tutor. Their intellectual affair quickly grew into a passionate one. But their love defied societal expectations and angered Héloïse’s uncle, Fulbert. Yet, they continued their affair in secret. When it led to pregnancy, Héloïse and Abelard had a secret marriage, which only made things worse. In revenge, Fulbert arranged for Abelard to be attacked and castrated. Both eventually retreated into religious life—he as a monk and she as a nun, but continued writing to each other. Though it was a “doomed union”, their letters, which are still celebrated today, kept their love alive.

Mary, Queen of Scots & Lord Darnley

A few years after returning to Scotland, Mary Stuart made a rare personal choice—she married her cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Unlike her first marriage, this one seemed driven by affection, or even love. But the union marked the beginning of her downfall. Elizabeth I disapproved and Protestant nobles saw the match as a threat, sparking rebellion. Within the marriage, tensions worsened as Darnley grew arrogant and power-hungry. Things became exceptionally bad between the couple when Darnley helped orchestrate the brutal murder of David Rizzio. In 1567, Darnley died under mysterious circumstances, and many suspected Mary’s involvement. Soon after, she married James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, the main suspect in his death. Love can’t get any messier than this.

Napoléon Bonaparte & Joséphine de Beauharnais

The royal union between Napoleon Bonaparte and Joséphine de Beauharnais wasn’t this selfless image of devotion. It was passionate, strategic, and deeply imperfect. At the start, Napoleon was intensely devoted, showering her with gifts and writing letters that were full of longing and jealousy. But the feeling wasn’t always mutual. Josephine had affairs early in their marriage, and Napoleon soon followed suit. Still, their emotional bond never fully disappeared. When their union became politically inconvenient because Jospehine couldn’t produce an heir, Napoleon struggled to let her go. During their divorce in 1810, they continued to publicly express their commitment to one another. Not long after, Josephine died. Despite everything, Napoleon is said to have spoken her name as one of his last words.

Cleopatra & Mark Antony

It sounds like Shakespeare invented it, but the tragedy of Cleopatra and Mark Antony already played out in history long before any stage. Their relationship began as a mutual political alliance and evolved into something deeply personal. It was controversial and dangerous since Antony was already married to Octavia Minor and bound to Rome. Her older brother, Octavian, saw the affair as betrayal, and his fury intensified especially after Antony granted lands to Cleopatra’s children and divorced Octavia. War soon followed, culminating in Antony’s defeat. Believing Cleopatra dead, he took his own life. Cleopatra is believed to have done the same, unwilling to be paraded as a prisoner through Rome. Far from ordinary, their love story helped shape the course of history.

Tsar Nicholas II & Alexandra Romanov

Unlike many royal marriages of their time, Nicholas II and Alexandra’s love was genuinely affectionate. Though Nicholas’ parents wanted a marriage more palatable to Russia, he chose the German-born princess he deeply loved. But that devotion became a liability. Already seen as an indecisive leader, his marriage to Alexandra worsened public perception, especially during World War I. Rumors, distrust and Alexandra’s reliance on Grigori Rasputin further damaged the monarch’s image. After Rasputin’s murder, unrest intensified and Nicholas abdicated the throne in 1917. Though the family was moved between homes across the Russian countryside, it’s said Nicholas preferred the quieter life it offered. Sadly, in 1918, the Romanovs were executed by the Bolsheviks, bringing a tragic end to their love story.

Ines de Castro & King Pedro

Here’s a love story that defied even death. King Pedro I of Portugal was meant to marry Constance of Castile, but he fell in love with her lady-in-waiting, Ines de Castro. Their affair was scandalous and conducted in secret during Constance’s lifetime. When she died, Pedro felt comfortable enough to legitimize it, but his father, King Afonso IV, was strongly against it. Beyond the scandal, Afonso believed de Castro’s family was gaining dangerous political influence and that her children could complicate the line of succession. At his breaking point, Pedro’s father sent people to murder de Castro. Pedro was devastated. When he became king, he allegedly crowned de Castro queen and ordered that his tomb be placed next to hers.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Percy Bysshe Shelley & Mary Godwin

Mary Actively Preserved His Legacy While Mourning His Loss

Edgar Allan Poe & Virginia Clemm

Their Strange Love Story Ended in Misery

Elizabeth I & Robert Dudley

They Were Bound By a Love That Could Never Be

Giacomo Casanova & Henriette

Amongst Countless Lovers, She Was His Deepest

Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal

Built entirely of white marble that seems to change with light, the Taj Mahal is often described as one of the most magnificent buildings in the world. The love story behind it is that of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, whose bond was equally powerful. Mahal wasn’t just Jahan’s wife—she was also his trusted confidante, travelling with him on military campaigns and wielding quiet influence in court. Though Jahan had other wives, she was widely regarded as his favorite. When Mahal died during childbirth in 1631, Jahan reportedly mourned in seclusion for a year. The construction of her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal, began the following year, and it stands today as a symbol of their lasting love. They are laid to rest side by side. It appears love can indeed be eternal.

Which love story has the most tragic ending? Let us know in the comment section.