The Execution of Queen Anne

The name of the writer M. Crown remains a mystery: it cannot be found in encyclopedias or the largest catalogs of English-language literature. It is only known that the novel "The Execution of Queen Anne" was first published in Moscow in 1879 in the magazine "Izumrud," edited by Mikhail Nikolaevich Voronov (1851-?). The magazine primarily published translations of works by minor European authors, but it is possible that this was a literary hoax-the novel could have been an original work by the editor, presented as a translation. Be that as it may, the book quickly gained popularity in Russia in the late 19th century and was reprinted several times. The narrative centers on the tragic fate of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII of England. A simple court favorite who rose to prominence through her charms and ambition, she briefly enjoyed the power and honors of a queen. But fate turned against her: the intrigues of rivals, a fall from grace in her husband‘s eyes, and the emergence of a new mistress, Jane Seymour, led Anne to a shameful trial and execution. The novel combines elements of court chronicle and artistic dramatization, painting a portrait of a woman whose life became a symbol of the grandeur and fragility of power in the Tudor era.