Anne was born in Prague, the capital of the Bohemian Kingdom around 1367, a time of significant upheaval in Europe. The plague had decimated nearly 40% of the population twenty years prior, the feudal system was crumbling, wages were rising, and the social structure of Europe was beginning to shift. Despite this turmoil the Bohemian court flourished, and it is possible that the social, political and economic challenges of Europe created the perfect storm within Bohemia that produced a reformatory movement within the church. Anne was deeply influenced by three of these reformers who lived and worked in Bohemia before the time of John Huss. John Melice, Conrad Strickna and Matthias Janovius were powerful preachers who spoke against the spiritual abuses of the church while upholding biblical truth. Like Wycliffe, who had begun a similar movement in England around the same time, these men upheld scripture, questioned the authority of the pope and were nascent Sacramentarians, questioning the validity of transubstantiation. Matthias Janovius would have been a regular part of Anne’s life during her childhood since her served as her father’s confessor. He and others, urged Anne’s father, Charles IV to convene a general council for the reformation of the church. The emperor put in a request to the Pope who instead of complying demanded that the emperor punish the heretics who dared to impugn the honour of the church while questioning it authority. Terrified by the Pope’s threats the emperor banished Janovius from the kingdom, while many of his disciples were persecuted for their refusal to attend mass. Undaunted by the attacks many of these early protestants celebrated communion as a symbolic supper in private homes, caves and woods. Many of them were hunted, arrested, then drowned, or burned by a decree of the king, released around 1376.

From Dover Anne processed to London via Leeds Castle where she spent her first Christmas in England. When she arrived in London the citizen’s greeted her with excitement referring to her as Caesar’s sister on account of her brother being Holy Roman Emperor. Interestingly the majority of Anne’s Bohemian retinue had accepted many of the new reformist teachings propagated by Janovius and others, making them more receptive to the teachings of Wycliffe.

When Anne arrived in England the country was just recovering from a populist revolt. It was one of the worst peasant revolts in history, suppressed by the cunning congeniality of the young King Richard II. One of the leaders of the revolting mob, John Ball summed up the cause of the revolters in his famous little ditty “when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?” The revolts were the product of a shifting socio-economic landscape which was largely driven by the decimating influence of the bubonic plague. The plague first hit England in 1348, reducing the population by 40% and changing the balance of power between peasants and their lords. The peasant revolts of 1381, nearly forty years later, were the result of the frustrated desires of English peasants who sought to overthrow the gentry and level out society. Ball and Wat Tyler managed to muster 100,000 peasants to march against the lords of the realm. Richard rode out to meet them and talk them down before having many of the leaders in the revolt arrested and sentenced to death.

John Huss later quoted Wycliffe stating that Anne “the noble Queen of England, has the gospel written in three languages, Bohemian, Teutonic and Latin”. Anne is said to have devoted part of each day to reading her Bible and studying commentaries written by leading Bible scholars. She most likely read Wycliffe’s writings, especially given his proximity to the English court. While she was a diligent Bible student, she also spoke freely of what she was learning with some of the highest church officials, including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, both of whom were well aware of Anne’s reformist leanings. Yet, though she was an apparent disciple of Wycliffe, Anne’s position as Queen of England insulated her from the consequences suffered by many other Lollards. Men and women who were of a lower rank than her were often persecuted or burned for Lollardry.

Anne is also said to have translated the gospel into English though there is scant evidence for this. She was also generous, frequently engaging in charitable work to help the poor, a behaviour that was a staple facet of her role as Queen of England. Anne was an open disciple of Wycliffe’s and often worked to protect him as best she could. She was instrumental in shielding him from the hatred of one of his chief enemies, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  

Anne of Bohemia died in June 1394 at Sheen Palace when she was just twenty-seven years old, presumably of the plague. Her husband, the king, is said to have been so devastated he tore down Sheen Palace in his grief. After Anne’s death many members of her household returned to Bohemia carrying the writings of John Wycliffe with them. This became a means of scattering Wycliffe’s work throughout Bohemia. History tells us that John Huss was directly influenced by some of these writings. Though Anne’s life was brief it was both fulfilling and meaningful. Her devotion to God’s word became a catalyst not only for her personal growth but also for the dissemination of the truth to her homeland as well.