Some couples endured rejection in their unwavering affection toward one another-- epitomized  by their respect and the outstanding romantic gestures that we don't see so much these days that continue to keep their memories alive.
Sometimes in history tragedy and love went hand and hand with poets writing about their "star-crossed love. Famous play scripts, movie scripts, and novels have also been written based on a true love story from both past and present.
Although some of the stories from days past live only now in the realm of a dusty novel, somewhere, there was often some truth. Wuthering Heights, (by Emile Bronte) with Heathcliff and Catherine, was probably one of the most romantic tales ever told. Here are some of the most famous and infamous romantic couples in History,
Abelard and Heloise--A monk and a nun whose love letters became famous
Abigail and John Adams-- half-century love affair during the Revolutionary War
Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne--Broadway couple who reigned for 55 years
Anne Morrow and Charles Lindbergh
Annie Oakley and Frank Butler--Skilled rifle shots who inspired an American musical
Antony and Cleopatra--The last Pharaoh of Egypt and the dashing Roman general
EB and Katherine White--
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
Helen of Troy and Paris
Jesse James and Zee
John Alden and Priscilla Mullins--One of the earliest romances in the American colonies
John and Jackie Kennedy
Marie and Pierre Curie--Partners in love and science
Pocahontas and John Smith
Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson
Pygmalion and Galatea
Pyramus and Thisbe
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert--English royalty who mourned her husband's death for 40 years
Scarlett Hara and Rhett Butler
Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal--Grieving emperor who built the Taj Mahal for his late wife
Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn
Wyatt Earp and Josie Marcus
Zeus and Hera
Cleopatra and Marc Antony
As a historical fact, The Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra was one of the most prominent, beautiful seductress of ancient times. Her beauty was surpassed by no other, and her passionate and loving nature finally was her doom.  Cleopatra was the mistress of Roman General Julius Caesar; then, after his plotted murder through mutiny,  she secretly married her greatest love, Marc Antony, in 36 BC. This marriage set off a chain of events that changed history forever. The Roman politicians did not trust an Egyptian Pharaoh being wed to Marc Antony He had been sent there to conquer Egypt, not win the heart of their Queen. But alas, Cleopatra captured Marc Antony's heart, During the battle with Octavian, , Marc Antony heard the vicious lies that Cleopatra was killed, so in remorse he fell on his sword. In Cleopatra's grief, she took her own life, unable to go on without her beloved.

 John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Despite the fact that many blame Yoko for the destruction of the famous British band known as the Beatles, there are many who melt when they think of the adoring love between John Lennon and Yoko Ono. What was it that was so appealing about the duo? John and Yoko, remaining inseparable until John's assassination., John even went as far as to change his name legally to John Ono Lennon. John was devoted to Yoko, and didn't run, cheat and lie to his beloved wife, which has been in the past common for famous rock stars. John and Yoko shared the same values when it came to social and political opinions and tried in their own way to change the world, giving Peace A Chance. The Assassination of John Lennon, was heartbreaking to the world, but his Yoko was the most devastated; she lost a part of her soul.
Napoleon and Josephine
Napoleon became a general at a very young age and was put in a position of authority where the generals and almost all other officers he commanded were older than him. He felt that this wasn't a satisfactory situation and concluded that if he married a woman older than himself, he might claim to be older than he actually was and thereby obtain a little more respect from his officers. He also wanted to marry a rich, older woman. 
After the battle of Toulon and after saving the Directory from the Paris mob, Napoleon was invited to a party given by one of the Directors, Paul Barras. In effect, Barras was the next best thing to being king of France at the time. Barras envisioned using Napoleon's military talents for his own political and personal benefit. Barras also had at that time a mistress that he wanted to get rid of (Marie-Josephe-Rose de Beauharnais) because he had decided to take her best friend as his new mistress and couldn't afford to keep both. He knew that Napoleon was looking for a wife. He therefore decided to marry his mistress off to Napoleon; however, he didn't tell her this. He just told her that he wanted her to entertain Napoleon at the party and show an interest in him and praise his military skills. Well, this was all Napoleon needed. A beautiful woman fawning over him, apparently well to do, a member of the old aristocracy that had escaped the guillotine, she was older than himselfbutnot too much (he thought), and she displayed keen interest in him (he thought). This, and a little urging from Barras after the party, was all that Napoleon needed to pursue her hand in marriage. Barras assured Napoleon that she had money, that she was a good catch, and that she would make a perfect wife for him.
Napoleon began to pursue Rose. By the way, he didn't like her name so he told her he would call her Josephine. He pursued and pursued and Josephine kept humoring him. Finally, Barras strongly advised her to marry Napoleon. She said she would not. Then Barras told her that he had a new mistress, that he couldn't afford to maintain them both, that she was very expensive to maintain, and that if she didn't marry Napoleon he would stop providing for her and she would, in effect, be thrown out on the street. This was the one thing that Josephine couldn't bear. She was a compulsive spender. Another concern was her two children, Eugene and Hortense. Therefore, she gave in and agreed to marry Napoleon. By the way, she was much older than Napoleon thought and, although she said she was still of child bearing age, knew that she was barren and had been so for some time.
They were married and a few days later Napoleon departed to Italy. He genuinely loved Josephine at this time. She despised him and thought he was a total bore. As soon as he was gone she began playing around on him. As time went on she had a string of lovers, pretended to miss him very much in response to his daily love letters, and did everything in her power to avoid going to join him in Italy as he was constantly urging. She even went so far as to pretend she was pregnant and couldn't travel. All this time she was attending balls and parties and committing adultery. From time to time, when Napoleon begged her to join him, she required Barras' assistance to convince Napoleon that she should not go. During this time some of Napoleon's officers, Murat, for example, had returned to Paris for one reason or another and had occasion to attend one of Josephine's parties or a party that she attended. In Murat's case, Napoleon had sent him back to Paris with the express missionofescorting Josephine to Italy, willingly or unwillingly. This was when Josephine made up the pregnancy story, which Murat "took" back to Napoleon instead of Josephine. While in Paris, Murat also heard all the gossip about Josephine and how she was making a fool out of Napoleon. Finally, it got to the point where Napoleon was getting so edgy that Barras was afraid he would return to France and forget about the Italian Campaign. This didn't suit Barras because he was making a lot of money out of that campaign. So he ordered Josephine to go to Napoleon. She did. Napoleon expected a pregnant Josephine. When she arrived she explained to him that she had had a miscarriage. He was torn with grief over losing his "son."
Anyway, the Italian Campaign was finally over and Napoleon returned to Paris. Josephine had to be good (or at least try to be better) while he was there. Then Napoleon decided to go to Egypt. Barras thought this was a good idea because Napoleon was beginning to become too popular. When he left, Josephine went back to her old ways. Napoleon was still genuinely in love with her and doted over her. On 19 July 1798, while marching toward Cairo in the scorching sun, Bourrienne, Napoleon's Secretary, out of the corner of his eye, noticed Napoleon and Junot walking together. Bourrienne wrote,
"I noticed Bonaparte walking alone with Junot. I was only a short distance away, but I do not know why my eyes fastened on him during that conversation. The general's pale face was paler than ever. His features were suddenly convulsed, a wild look came into his eyes, and several times he struck his head with his fists!
Some fifteen minutes later, he left Junot and came toward me. I had never seen him so distraught, preoccupied. As I went to join him, he burst out with: "You are not genuinely devoted to me, or you would have told me what I have just learned from Junot. There's a true friend for you. Josephine! And I six hundred leagues away! You should have told me! Josephine--this to have deceived me! Damn them, I shall exterminate that whole breed of fops and coxcombs! As for her, divorce! Yes divorce--a public divorce, open scandal! I must write immediately. I know everything. It's your fault, you should have told me!"
Bourrienne reasoned the subject of the conversation between Junot and Napoleon, had no personal knowledge of this himself, and was certain that what Junot had stated to Napoleon must have been exaggerations of the truth. They were not. The fact is that many of Napoleon staff officers were aware of Josephine's activities and it was common knowledge in Paris. Junot, unlike the rest of Napoleon's close friends, never achieved the rank of Marshal of France but stopped at general. It is believed by many historians that Napoleon never forgave Junot for telling him about Josephine and for this reason withheld the rank of Marshal from him.
This information, once he confirmed it, totally destroyed Napoleon's love for Josephine. From this time onward, he never really loved another woman the way he had loved Josephine. When Josephine learned that Napoleon was coming back from Egypt early and that he had found out about her, she panicked. She departed with her daughter, Hortense, to meet Napoleon at the port so that she could persuade him that she had been faithful. But Napoleon landed at another port and got back to Paris ahead of them. When Josephine got back to Paris, she found that Napoleon had arrived ahead of her and had secluded himself in a room in the house. All of a sudden, after all of her affairs, Josephine had finally fallen in love with Napoleon--very deeply. But she was too late. He wouldn't see her until Hortense interceded and begged him to. Basically, he informed Josephine that she had killed his heart and that he could never love again.
They remained husband and wife but from that point onward he was not a faithful husband. Strangely, she had become a faithful wife. The tables had turned. Napoleon had mistress after mistress. Now, although Napoleon didn't live Josephine, he did hold a deep devotion to her two children and he respected her abilities as a hostess and her persuasiveness in getting people to do things for him. He knew that while he was married to Josephine he could not produce a legitimate heir of his own, so eventually, when Hortense and his brother Louis had a son, Napoleon named him his heir.
Now that Napoleon had an heir he felt that he could divorce Josephine. Then, in December 1805, he became Emperor of the French. He brought the pope to Paris to perform the coronation. Shortly after the pope's arrival Josephine accidentally let it slip that she and Napoleon had never had a church wedding, only a civil marriage. In the eyes of the church, therefore, they were not married and had been living in sin all this time. Napoleon was furious. Josephine had trapped him. Now, in order to be crowned Emperor he had to make the marriage respectable first and had to lay aside the design for divorce. Time marches on and so do the French armies, triumphantly across Europe.
Napoleon still wanted an heir of his own blood. Therefore, he began negotiations with the Czar Alexander of Russia to marry his sister. This would serve three purposes:
t

1. It would create a strong alliance with another major power


2. It would help to legitimize Napoleon's somewhat shaky claim to royalty, and


3. It would give Napoleon a young wife whom could bear his heir.

 
Negotiations soon fell apart. Napoleon's foreign minister, Talleyrand, did not want this alliance and made sure it wouldn't occur by leaking information concerning Napoleon to the Russian Court. The Czar's mother refused to let her daughter enter into the marriage. Therefore, Napoleon turned his sights on Austria. As you know, he arranged to marry Maria-Louisa (whom he renamed Marie Louise because he didn't like her real name), who was the Emperor of Austria's favorite daughter and an Archduchess of Austria. I won't go into Marie Louise except to say that she was not at all that Napoleon had expected. (There are books about her and maybe one of these days you can read about her and how much of a disappointment she was.)
Anyway, to marry Marie Louise he first had to divorce Josephine, which he did. However, he had grown to love her again--not the great love he held for her in the beginning--but a respectful love. He insisted that she retain the title of Empress and provided for her and her children.
In 1814, when Napoleon abdicated, Marie-Louise returned to Austria with her father, taking her son with her. Napoleon never saw them again. Josephine continued to love Napoleon and later in the year, as she was dying from diphtheria, Napoleon's name was one of the last words she uttered, if not the last. Hortense and Eugene continued to be faithful to Napoleon.
 
Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
A quote from the Venetian Ambassador said Anne Boleyn was 'not one of the handsomest women in the world...'. She was considered moderately pretty. But, one must consider what 'pretty' was in the 16th century. Anne was the opposite of the pale, blonde-haired, blue-eyed image of beauty. She had dark, olive-colored skin, thick dark brown hair and dark brown eyes which often appeared black. Those large dark eyes were often singled out in descriptions of Anne. She clearly used them, and the fascination they aroused, to her advantage whenever possible.
Exactly when and where Henry VIII first noticed Anne is not known. It is likely that Henry sought to make Anne his mistress, as he had her sister Mary years before. Maybe drawing on the example of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen to Edward IV (and maternal grandmother to Henry VIII) who was said to have told King Edward that she would only be his wife, not his mistress, Anne denied Henry VIII sexual favors. We don't know who first had the idea marriage, but eventually it evolved into "Queen or nothing" for Anne.
At first, the court probably thought that Anne would just end up as another one of Henry's mistresses. But, in 1527 we see that Henry began to seek an annulment of his marriage to Catherine, making him free to marry again.
King Henry's passion for Anne can be attested to in the love letters he wrote to her when she was away from court. Henry hated writing letters, and very few documents in his own hand survive. However, 17 love letters to Anne remain and are preserved in the Vatican library.
 Anne was not popular with the people of England. They were upset to learn that at the Christmas celebrations of 1529, Anne was given precedence over the Duchesses of Norfolk and Suffolk, the latter of which was the King's own sister, Mary.
In this period, records show that Henry began to spend more and more on Anne, buying her clothes, jewelry, and things for her amusement such as playing cards and bows and arrows.
The waiting continued and Anne's position continued to rise. On the first day of September 1532, she was created Marquess of Pembroke, a title she held in her own right. In October, she held a position of honor at meetings between Henry and the French King in Calais.
Queen Anne
Sometime near the end of 1532, Anne finally gave way and by December she was pregnant. To avoid any questions of the legitimacy of the child, Henry was forced into action. Sometime near St. Paul's Day (January 25) 1533, Anne and Henry were secretly married. Although the King's marriage to Catherine was not dissolved, in the King's mind it had never existed in the first place, so he was free to marry whomever he wanted. On May 23, the Archbishop officially proclaimed that the marriage of Henry and Catherine was invalid.
Plans for Anne's coronation began. In preparation, she had been brought by water from Greenwich to the Tower of London dressed in cloth of gold. The barges following her were said to stretch for four miles down the Thames. On the 1st of June, she left the Tower in procession to Westminster Abbey, where she became a crowned and anointed Queen in a ceremony led by Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury. [Read an account of her coronation]
By August, preparations were being made for the birth of Anne's child, which was sure to be a boy. Names were being chosen, with Edward and Henry the top choices. The proclamation of the child's birth had already been written with 'prince' used to refer to the child.
Anne took to her chamber, according to custom, on August 26, 1533 and on September 7, at about 3:00 in the afternoon, the Princess Elizabeth was born. Her christening service was scaled down, but still a pleasant affair. The princess' white christening robes can currently be seen on display at Sudeley Castle in England.
Anne now knew that it was imperative that she produce a son. By January of 1534, she was pregnant again, but the child was either miscarried or stillborn. In 1535, she was become pregnant again but miscarried by the end of January. The child was reported to have been a boy. The Queen was quite upset, and blamed the miscarriage on her state of mind after hearing that Henry had taken a fall in jousting. She had to have known at this point that her failure to produce a living male heir was a threat to her own life, especially since the King's fancy for one of her ladies-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, began to grow.

The Fall of Anne Boleyn
Anne's enemies at court began to plot against her using the King's attentions to Jane Seymour as the catalyst for action. Cromwell began to move in action to bring down the Queen. He persuaded the King to sign a document calling for an investigation that would possibly result in charges of treason.
On May 2, the Queen herself was arrested at Greenwich and was informed of the charges against her: adultery, incest and plotting to murder the King. She was then taken to the Tower by barge along the same path she had traveled to prepare for her coronation just three years earlier. In fact, she was lodged in the same rooms she had held on that occasion.
There were several more arrests. Sir Francis Weston and William Brereton were charged with adultery with the Queen. Sir Thomas Wyatt was also arrested, but later released. They were put on trial with Smeaton and Norris at Westminster Hall on May 12, 1536. The men were not allowed to defend themselves, as was the case in charges of treason. They were found guilty and received the required punishment: they were to be hanged at Tyburn, cut down while still living and then disemboweled and quartered.
On Monday the 15th, the Queen and her brother were put on trial at the Great Hall of the Tower of London. It is estimated that some 2000 people attended. Anne conducted herself in a calm and dignified manner, denying all the charges against her. Her brother was tried next, with his own wife testifying against him (she got her due later in the scandal of Kathryn Howard). Even though the evidence against them was scant, they were both found guilty, with the sentence being read by their uncle, Thomas Howard , the Duke of Norfolk. They were to be either burnt at the stake (which was the punishment for incest) or beheaded, at the discretion of the King

They came for Anne on the morning of May 19 to take her to the Tower Green, where she was to be afforded the dignity of a private execution. [Read the Constable's recollection of this morning]. She made a short speech [read the text of Anne's speech] before kneeling on the scaffold. She removed her headdress (which was an English gable hood and not her usual French hood, according to contemporary reports) and her ladies tied a blindfold over her eyes. The sword itself had been hidden under the straw. The swordsman cut off her head with one swift stroke.
Anne's body and head were put into an arrow chest and buried in an unmarked grave in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula which adjoined the Tower Green. Her body was one that was identified in renovations of the chapel under the reign of Queen Victoria, so Anne's final resting place is now marked in the marble floor.
  William and Ida McKinley
One of the most devoted couples in history were President William and Ida McKinley. When they married, Ida was a beautiful young, vibrant woman; but, over the years her health deterioated until she was a mere shadow of her former self.  She  eventually became an invalid . President McKinley's fondness of his wife grew more intimate as time went on, to the point that he doted constantly over his beloved wife. His Frst Lady was the First Lady also of his heart.  When they attended social events, their doting on one another at times  times, it felt as though only the two were in the room. When President McKinley was assassinated, he said before he died with grave concern to his secretary, "My wife -- be careful...how you tell her!"
EB and Katherine White
The founders of the New Yoker still in publication today. Their story is one worth telling, as they are one of the first entrepreneurial couples who not only had a blazing passion for their work, but also for each other. EB, often joked about how Katherine's quick wit is what drew him to her.  She was a linguist, she was elegant, stylish, and a worthy advocate. She enchanted EB with her verbal agility since he was an author, and the two worked diligently together, creating the voice that persists to today, the New Yorker .