L. (Luise) Mühlbach

Born Clara Maria Regina Müller in Neubrandenburg in 1814, she wrote under the pen name Luise Mühlbach. She later became Clara Mundt after marrying the writer and critic Theodor Mundt, and spent much of her literary life in Berlin.

She became best known for historical fiction, especially novels centered on royal courts and major European figures. Works such as Frederick the Great and His Court helped make her popular well beyond Germany, and several of her novels were translated into English.

Her fame was considerable in her own time, even if later critics were less enthusiastic. What remains appealing is her gift for turning history into vivid, dramatic storytelling full of intrigue, ambition, and larger-than-life characters.