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If there is a
legendary story
that identify
Teruel
in the world that is the story of
Lovers of Teruel.
Background of this story is found in the Decamerón de
Bocaccio and famous writers such as Tirso de Molina, Andrés
Rey de Artieda o Juan Pérez de Montalbán wrote about them in
the Golden Age. During the Romanticism, Juan Eugenio
Hartzenbusch was inspired by the Lovers’ story to write the
plot of his most famous work and Tomás Bretón composed the
opera about them, that was released in the Royal Theatre in
Madrid. In painting, Muñoz de Grain’s picture, is the most
remarkable, and in sculpture the work of Juan de Avalos. In
films, the most important one is “Luna de miel”- Honeymoon
1958 by Michael Powel, with music of Mikis Theodoraki, and
performed by Ludmila Tcherina and the famous dancer Antonio.
The story takes place in Teruel in the
XIII century,
when the city of Teruel was a border place against the
Muslim Taifas from Levante. Juan
Diego de Marcilla and Isabel de Segura,
in love since their childhood, want to marry, but Isabel’s
father, called Don Pedro, is contrary to this wedding
for economic reasons. She is a rich heiress, and he is the
second son in a family with very little inheritance. Diego
manages that Isabel’s family to give him a period of time of
five year to make fortune and he immediately goes to war,
that was the only way to get fortune in that time. Meanwhile
Isabel will remain waiting in the city.
Years passed and there was no news about the young knight,
who after many battles was accumulating the needed fortune
to come to his love’s family and get the approval for the
wedding. None of the days Don Diego stayed away stopped
thinking in Isabel and neither did Isabel. But as there was
no news of Diego, Isabel´s father thought he should find a
rich man to whom she could get married and he set the eyes
at Pedro de Azagra, a powerful man and brother of the Lord
of Albarracín.
Shortly before, Juan Diego de Marcilla, who had already
acquired enough wealth in the war, was on his way to reach
Teruel on the date when the deadline ended. That day, the
families of Azagra y Segura had held the marriage of their
son and daughter, and when de lover crosses with his horse
the Andaquilla gate he finds out the news of the wedding.
Desperate, that night he climbed into the just married house
and, entering into the chambers of the bride, asked her a
kiss that she denied to him as a married woman she was. Due
to the pain that this fact produces to him, Diego falls down
dead.
Next day, while the funeral was taking place, Doña Isabel
stood up from her seat in the church and came near the body.
Taking off the veil covering Marcilla’s face, she gave him
the kiss which she had denied to him in life. Instantly she
fell dead on the body of his beloved. When the town knew the
fact, their families buried them together. Since the History
will know them as The Lovers of Teruel.
Nowadays the
remains,
under
Juan de Avalos great sculptures,
can be visited in the
mausoleum
attached to Saint Peter’s Church. Tens of thousands of
visitors from all parts of the world come to pay a tribute
to them.
Lovers of Teruel Foundation:
www.amantesdeteruel.es |
