Behind the opulent facade of French queens' lives lie captivating tales of forbidden love and clandestine affairs that have echoed through the annals of history. From the alluring intrigue of Queen...
In the age of viral marriage proposals, the persistence of outdated traditions whereby men inevitably go down on one knee to pop the question—often after asking permission from their girl’s father—...
Marrying a ghost may sound like the plot of a paranormal horror movie, but even today posthumous marriage continues to exist. What’s more surprising is that it’s not just in far-flung corners of the...
In the depths of history, a remarkable discovery emerged, shedding new light on the enigmatic figure of Jesus . An ancient fragment of a book, the Gospel of Jesus’s Wife , composed in the mysterious...
A common theme in the news today is how it is becoming increasingly common for the younger generations to snub the tradition of getting married and having children. This has led to scare stories...
The world has seen its fair share of scandalous divorces throughout history, from ancient Rome to modern times. Divorce, a legal mechanism that has been around for centuries, has often resulted in...
For countless couples across the globe, the wedding day is one of the most cherished days in their life. No matter how it is celebrated or how lavishly, it is the moment of their union - “‘til death...
Sati, the practice of a widow self-immolating on her husband's funeral pyre, remains one of the most controversial and emotive issues in South Asian culture. While some view it as a sacred funerary...
A historic gold pendant and chain, believed to be associated with Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, has been revealed by the British Museum. The artifact, made of gold and adorned with red and...
It was “customary” for cousins to marry in the Aegean Bronze Age, according to a team of archaeogeneticists studying ancient social customs. Cousin marriage is defined as the legal union of two...
In what may be one of the creepiest images on record, Isabella of Valois was just six years old when she was married off to Richard II , the widowed 29-year-old king of England, in 1396. Daughter of...
In her book The Shadow King: The Life and Death of Henry VI , historian Lauren Johnson claimed that the prudish 15th century king of England needed a helping hand to do the deed when it came to...
These days, sex is everywhere. It's in our books, films, songs, TV shows, and now, even our history articles. Although some countries still impose strict rules upon sex, the fact is most western...
Divorce is a subject that has provided endless material for drama and comedy writers through the ages, from Euripides to Shakespeare to today’s New York Times bestseller list. When Kenneth Hodges, a...
A burial practice among elite medieval Europeans was to be interred on their beds, a rite which archaeologists call “a bed burial.” An English researcher has now completed an analysis of 72 bed...
When people think about love and sex in ancient Rome, it tends to be pretty scandalous: orgies here, there, and everywhere! But the truth is rarely black and white. Were the Romans more sexually...
People often have the strange idea that people in the “olden days” were much more conservative when it came to sex than they are today. However, if modern history tells us anything it is that people...
The jus primae noctis , droit du seigneur , or “right of the first night,” is an alleged medieval custom which permitted lords to engage in sexual intercourse with the brides of their male subjects...
The year was 1832 when Joseph Thompson, a local Cardiff man, led his wife by halter to the local marketplace hoping for a good price in what was, after all, just a wife auction. Before the bidding,...
Robert Dudley was an English courtier who lived during the 16th century. He is best known as being a favorite of Elizabeth I, the Queen of England. He had been a suitor of the queen for many years...
The institution of marriage dates back to almost the beginning of written history, with countless variations on how it has been practiced throughout the ages in different cultures and religions. The...
In the 21st century, most people would consider their intimate and sexual relationships to be a private matter. In the Middle Ages however, the division between private and public areas in the lives...
Domestic violence is a serious problem in modern society, but it should surprise no-one that this issue has been plaguing Western society for many hundreds, even thousands of years. It is difficult...
Hera, also known by her Latin title as Juno, is best known in Western culture as the wife of Zeus, king of the gods. While technically subordinate to him, Hera is never a submissive figure, in fact...