Lovers of Teruel

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.

She replied to him by saying that God wished her to remain a virgin until she turned twenty, saying that women should learn how to manage the household before getting married.

The watchmen informed the village that Diego Marcilla had returned with great riches and with the intent of marrying Isabel.

He pleaded to her, "Bésame, que me muero," ("Kiss me for I am dying") and she refused, saying "No quiera Dios que yo falte a mi marido," ("God would not wish me to deceive my husband") "Por la pasión de Jesucristo os suplico que busques a otra, que de mi no hagais cuenta.

As James Michener argued in his 1968 book Iberia: ...especially since the Italian Boccaccio in 1353 told practically the same tale under the name ‘Girolamo e Salvestra’, except that he introduced considerable salacious and amusing material.

(p.812)It is unlikely that the simple folk of Teruel borrowed a naughty take from Boccaccio and cleaned it up in their retelling; whereas it would be reasonable to say that a professional and sophisticated writer of Boccaccio's skill could borrow a sentimental folk tale emanating from Teruel and introduce the erotic elements in his version.

Throughout history, other cultures have had similar tales of forbidden love, such as Hero and Leander and Romeo and Juliet.

Since many people came across Spain to see the Lovers of Teruel, the mummies were exhumed and put into two new tombs that were sculpted by Juan de Ávalos.

According to 'professor' Antonio Beltrán, the legend grew when two mummies were found in St. Peter's Church, Teruel, Aragón, Spain, in 1555; and it was believed that they were Diego Marcilla and Isabel Segura, the lovers.