La Tulipe Noire

by Alexandre Dumas

"La Tulipe Noire" by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet is a novel published in 1850. Set during the turbulent year of 1672 in the Dutch Republic, the story follows Cornélius van Baerle, an aspiring horticulturist obsessed with cultivating a black tulip to win a substantial prize. When political upheaval leads to his imprisonment for possessing his godfather's compromising letters, he finds himself aided by Rosa, his jailer's daughter. Meanwhile, his jealous neighbor Isaac Boxtel schemes to steal his botanical achievement and claim the reward for himself.