Lovers of Teruel facts for kids
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The Lovers of Teruel (in Spanish: Los amantes de Teruel) is a famous and sad love story. It is said to have happened in the year 1217. The story takes place in the city of Teruel, which is in a region of Spain called Aragón.
Contents
The Tragic Love Story
In the city of Teruel, there were two important and rich families: the Marcilla family and the Segura family. The main characters of this story are Juan Diego Garces de Marcilla, also known as Diego, and Isabel Segura. They were deeply in love.
A Father's Refusal
Isabel's father was the wealthiest person in Teruel. He did not want Isabel to marry Diego because Diego was not rich enough. However, Diego made a deal with Isabel's father. Diego would leave Teruel for five years. During this time, he would try to become wealthy. If he succeeded, he could marry Isabel.
Waiting for Diego
For five years, Isabel's father kept asking her to marry someone else. Isabel told him that she wanted to wait until she was twenty. She said women should learn to manage a home before marriage. Her father loved her very much and agreed to wait. So, for five years, they waited for Diego to return.
Diego's Return and Heartbreak
No one heard from Diego during those five years. On the very last day of the five years, Isabel's father married her to Don Pedro de Azagra from Albarracín. Right after the wedding, there was a lot of noise at the city gate. The guards announced that Diego Marcilla had returned. He was very rich and ready to marry Isabel. Diego had not counted the days as carefully as the Segura family.
That night, Diego secretly went into Isabel's bedroom. He gently woke her up. He begged her, "Kiss me, for I am dying." But Isabel refused. She said, "God would not want me to betray my husband." She asked him to find someone else and forget about her.
A Final Plea and a Sad End
Diego begged her one last time. He said he was dying and wanted just one last kiss. Still, Isabel refused to kiss him. When she refused again, Diego could not bear the sadness. With a deep sigh, he died at Isabel's feet.
Isabel was shocked when she realized Diego was dead. She woke her husband, saying his snoring scared her. She asked him to tell her a story. After he did, she told him her own story. She explained about Diego and how he lay dead beside their bed. Her husband asked, "Oh, you poor thing! Why didn't you kiss him?" Isabel replied, "To not betray my husband." Her husband then praised her loyalty.
They decided to bury Diego secretly in the local church. The husband was worried he might be blamed for Diego's death.
Isabel's Final Act
The next day, at Diego Marcilla's funeral, Isabel arrived. She was wearing her wedding dress. She walked to the front of the church. There, she leaned down and placed a kiss on Diego, the man she had refused. As she did this, Isabel also died. She fell onto the body of the man she loved.
The Story Becomes Famous
The two deaths, caused by such strong love, touched the people of Teruel. They asked for Diego and Isabel to be buried side by side. This way, they could finally be together in death. The church agreed to their request. The story of the Lovers of Teruel quickly became famous throughout Spain.
The Tombs of the Lovers
Many people traveled across Spain to see the Lovers of Teruel. In 1560, their mummified bodies were taken out of their original graves. They were placed in two new tombs. These tombs were carved by a sculptor named Juan de Ávalos.
The tombs are made of marble. They show the family symbols of the Marcilla and Segura families. The most special part of the tombs are their lids. These lids are beautifully carved. One lid shows Diego, strong and handsome. His arm is reaching out towards Isabel. His hand is very close to touching hers. But because Isabel was married, their hands do not touch. The lid for Isabel shows her looking bright and beautiful.
According to Professor Antonio Beltrán, the legend grew stronger in 1555. This was when two mummified bodies were found in San Peter’s Church in Teruel. People believed these were the bodies of Diego Marcilla and Isabel Segura, the famous lovers.
See also
In Spanish: Los amantes de Teruel para niños
- Lovers of Valdaro
- Lovers of Modena
- Lovers of Cluj-Napoca
- Embracing Skeletons of Alepotrypa
