Louise Maude, the daughter of a British merchant living in Moscow was, along with her husband Aylmer Maude (1858-1938), an English translator of Tolstoy's works. Tolstoy was a friend of the family and authorised Louise Maude to write his biography in 1902.

She lived many years in Russia, and then moved with Aylmer to England where she continued translating Tolstoy's writing and promoting public interest in his work. (Source: Wikipedia)