13 Historical Figures Who Married Their Relatives (14 Photos)

In many cultures around the world, marrying a first or second cousin is deeply taboo—if not outright illegal. Yet social disapproval and health risks were rarely enough to stop these famous historical figures from following their hearts.

Here are 13 iconic men and women who married close relatives, proving that love knows no boundaries—even within the family tree.







Jesse James

Outlaw, bank robber, and gunman Jesse James remains one of the most infamous figures in American history. Public opinion on him was divided: some saw him as a Wild West Robin Hood, while others rightly viewed him as a cold-blooded killer deserving the ultimate punishment.

During a lull in his outlaw career, James was recovering from a gunshot wound at his uncle's home, where his first cousin, Zerelda "Zee" Mimms, nursed him back to health. The two fell in love, and on April 24, 1874, after a nine-year courtship, they wed. The couple had a son, Jesse Edward, a daughter, Mary Susan, and twins who died in infancy.





Igor Stravinsky

Born in 1882, composer Igor Stravinsky is widely considered one of the most influential musical figures of the 20th century. Stravinsky fell in love with his first cousin, Yekaterina Nosenko, during his teenage years. When the couple decided to marry in 1905, they faced fierce opposition from the church. Overcoming all obstacles, they tied the knot in 1906 and went on to have children.



Franklin D. Roosevelt

As America's 32nd president, Franklin D. Roosevelt stands alongside George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as one of the nation's most revered leaders. Roosevelt served as commander-in-chief from 1933 until 1945.

On March 17, 1905, Franklin Delano Roosevelt married his distant relative Eleanor Roosevelt, niece of former President Theodore Roosevelt, much to his mother's dismay. The couple spent 40 years together and had six children. Over time, strain from Franklin's extramarital affairs and Eleanor's personal ambitions turned their marriage into a legendary political partnership.



Johann Sebastian Bach

One of history’s greatest classical composers also gave in to the whims of the heart. In 1707, shortly after taking up the post of organist at St. Blasius Church in Mühlhausen, Bach married his second cousin, Maria Barbara Bach. Little is known about their life together, but they had seven children, four of whom survived to adulthood—with two going on to become prominent composers like their father. Maria Barbara passed away 13 years later, and eighteen months after her death, Bach married singer Anna Magdalena Wilcke.



H.G. Wells

The acclaimed English author is remembered as one of the founding fathers of modern science fiction. Holding a doctorate in biology, Wells was a staunch supporter of Charles Darwin's theories, which heavily inspired much of his creative work.

In 1891, H.G. Wells married his first cousin, Isabel Mary Wells. The marriage lasted just four years, ending in divorce after Wells fell for one of his students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Wells soon married Amy, with whom he went on to have children.



Thomas Jefferson

Another U.S. president on our list, Thomas Jefferson served as the nation's third president from 1801 to 1809. A graduate of William & Mary and a practicing attorney, Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence.

In 1772, he married his widowed third cousin, Martha Wayles Skelton. Their happy marriage produced six children and lasted until Martha's tragic death at age 33. Jefferson never remarried, and during his presidency, the role of White House host was carried out by his eldest daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, named after her mother.



Albert Einstein

In 1919, after a seven-year relationship, the world’s most famous physicist married Elsa Einstein—who was his maternal first cousin and paternal second cousin. The couple emigrated to the United States in 1933, but Elsa passed away three years later from heart disease. The couple had no children together.



Charles Darwin

As a pioneering naturalist, Charles Darwin became one of the most influential figures in scientific history. Whether he applied his concept of "survival of the fittest" to his own love life remains unclear, but he married his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood. The couple had 10 children, three of whom died in infancy; several others suffered from frequent illnesses, leaving Darwin terrified that inbreeding had passed on genetic weaknesses. Nevertheless, many of his surviving children and grandchildren went on to achieve great distinction.



Edgar Allan Poe

Widely credited with pioneering the detective fiction genre, Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston in 1809 and made his living as a writer until his premature death at age 40.

At age 27, Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. Following a secret wedding ceremony in 1835, the couple lived a quiet and modest life together. After a five-year battle with illness, Virginia died in 1847 at the age of 24. Her prolonged suffering and Poe's subsequent spiral into alcoholism deeply influenced his dark, haunting works. Poe passed away just two years after her death.



Jerry Lee Lewis

In 1957, at the absolute peak of his career, American rock 'n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown. Despite attempts to claim she was actually 15, the revelation shattered his reputation overnight. Radio stations boycotted his music, and concert crowds turned their backs. While Lewis managed a comeback in the 1960s, his career never reached its former heights.



Queen Elizabeth II

In 1934, long before she became Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Elizabeth II met Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. The couple eventually married and had four children. Elizabeth and Philip were third cousins through Queen Victoria.



Queen Victoria

Victoria inherited the British throne at just 18 years old following the deaths of her father and his three elder brothers, making her one of the youngest heirs to rule Britain.

In 1840, she married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Their 20-year marriage produced nine children and proved to be a deeply loving and devoted partnership. Albert’s devotion was absolute—he even shielded the queen from assassins' bullets on two occasions. When Albert died of an infection at age 42, a heartbroken Queen Victoria entered a state of permanent mourning for the rest of her life.



Christopher Robin Milne

The son of author A.A. Milne and the real-life inspiration for Christopher Robin in the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh stories had a strained relationship with his parents, who took little interest in him during his upbringing, particularly his mother. In 1948, Christopher Milne married his first cousin, Lesley de Sélincourt, despite fierce objection from his parents. In 1956, the couple welcomed their only child, Clare, who was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Bitter over his choice of bride, Christopher's mother refused to speak to him for 15 years, right up until her death.