The Lovers of Teruel (Los amantes de Teruel) is a tragic love story that allegedly took place in 1217 in the small Spanish town of Teruel.
The story goes like this:
In the city there were two important and wealthy families, Marcilla and Segura. Diego was a Marcilla and Isabel a Segura. The two were in love as childhood playmates but when they were both at an eligible age to wed, Diego's family had fallen on hard times. Isabel's father, being the most wealthy in all of Teruel, forbade the marriage. Diego, however, was able to make an agreement with the father in which he would leave Teruel for five years to try and build his fortune. If Diego was able to gain wealth within those five years he would be able to marry his love, Isabel. Diego was not heard from in five years and so on the day of the five years' close Isabel's father married her to Don Pedro de Azagra from Albarracín. Right after the wedding ceremony there was a commotion at the Zaragoza gate. The watchmen informed the village that Diego Marcilla had returned with great riches and with the intent of marrying Isabel. Diego had not counted the day in which he petitioned Isabel's father whereas the Seguras had. Diego ran to the feet of Isabel and pleaded with her to marry him. Isabel refused, for it was impossible; she had already wed. Then Diego pleaded for just one kiss so that at least he could go on in the world, and this request Isabel refused. Upon hearing this Diego could not bear the separation between himself and his love, and with a sigh he died on the feet of his beloved Isabel. The next day, during the funeral for Diego Marcilla, Isabel showed up dressed in her wedding dress. She proceeded to walk to the front of the church and place a kiss on the man whom she had refused but in doing so Isabel died, falling prostrate on the body of the man whom she loved.
The lovers were buried side-by-side so at least in death they could be together. Later their bodies were exhumed and placed in the tombs (sculpted by
Juan de Avalos)
pictured.
[via
Neatorama]
