1. Emporer Claudius II decided that single men made better soilders than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young men-- his crop of potential soilders. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defired Claudius and continued to perform marriages in secret for young lovers. When he was found of this illegal action, he was put in a Roman prison, beaten and tourtured, then sentenced to being beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off on the 14th of February about the year 270. 2. According to another legend, Saint Valentine sent the first actual valentine card himself. He was said to be in prison and fell in love with the jailor's daughter. To her he wrote a love letter and signed it 'from your valentine'.