While February 14th is celebrated as the Day of Love and Friendship in many countries, it is perhaps celebrated with most fervor and tradition in Mexico.
This is the date where the most people are serenaded and the most chocolates and balloons are gifted. And that is because Mexicans are romantic people.
Our past is filled with countless and very famous stories of love and romance as lived by some of the most important historical figures of Mexico.
Perhaps the best-known romance during the era of the conquest is that of conquistador Hernan Cortes and the young indigenous girl, Nahua Malintzin. She, along with other slaves, were given to Cortes as a gift from the Señores de Tabasco.
Malintzin immediately stood out to Cortes for her intelligence and ability to serve as an interpreter between the two peoples. She soon became an indispensable aid to Cortes, as well as his mistress. She adopted the Catholic religion and changed her name to Marina.
Marina and Hernan Cortes then had a son named Martin Cortes.
Don Benito & Margarita Juarez
Don Benito Juarez, president of Mexico and Father of the Americas, met the woman who would become his wife, Margarita Maza, while he worked as a waiter in her home.
When they married in 1843 he was already serving as Judge of First Instance of the civil branch in Oaxaca.
Don Benito was 20 years older than his young wife. They had 12 children, of which seven survived.
Married life was very difficult for Margarita as, for a long period of time during the war she had to live away from her husband and seven children in exile. During this time two of her children died.
Despite the distance and difficulties, Don Benito and Margarita always loved and supported each other. Margarita died at the age of 44, which deeply saddened and affected the Father of the Americas well into his final days.
