Madame Blavatsky was born in Russia in 1831 and died in England in 1891.
She is the pioneer esotericist of our age.
1831 Born August 12 at Dnepropetrovsk (Ekaterinoslav),
Ukraine. Daughter of Col. Peter von Hahn and Helena Andreyevna,
nee de Fadeyev, renowned novelist who died young. Granddaughter
on maternal side of Privy Councilor Audrey de Fadeyev and Princess
Helena Pavlovna Dolgorukov, who supervised her education at Saratov
and Tiflis, Caucasus. Endowed from childhood with remarkable
psychic powers.
1849 Married Nikifor Blavatsky, a State Official, very
much her senior.
1849-50 Left him and traveled in Turkey, Greece, Egypt,
and France.
1851 Met her Master in London.
1852 Embarked for Canada later in the year; went to
New Orleans, Mexico, South America, West Indies, thence via the
Cape and Ceylon to India.
1853 Attempted but failed to enter Tibet. Returned
to England via Java.
1854 Came to America again, crossing the Rockies with
a caravan of immigrants. May have visited South America again.
1855 Left for India late in the year, via Japan and
the Straits.
1856-57 Traveled throughout India, Kashmir, Ladakh,
parts of Tibet, Burma.
1858 Returned to Europe via Java, staying in France
and Germany. Then returned to Russia, reaching Pskov on Christmas
Night.
1860 Left for the Caucasus early in the year, where
she traveled among the native tribes, remaining there until 1864-65.
Experienced severe physical and psychic crisis acquiring complete
control over her occult powers.
1866-67 Left Russia again and traveled extensively
in Balkans, Egypt, Syria, Italy. Returned to Italy in 1867 and
paid a short visit to southern Russia. Was present at the battle
of Mentana, November 3, 1867, and was wounded.
1868 Went to India and Tibet with her Master.
1870 Returned to Greece.
1871 Embarked for Egypt and was shipwrecked near the
island of Spetsai, July 4.
1871-72 Settled in Cairo. Traveled to Syria, Palestine,
Lebanon in 1872, returning for a short time to Odessa.
1873 After brief travels in Eastern Europe, went to
Paris in spring. On her Master's orders left for New York, landing
July 7.
1874 Met Col. Henry Steel Olcott at the Eddy farmhouse,
Chittenden, Vermont, October 14.
1875 September 8, founded the Theosophical Society,
together with Col. Olcott, William Q. Judge, and others. Inaugural
address of Col. Olcott delivered November 17.
1877 Published her first great work, Isis Unveiled,
in the fall.
1878 Became an American citizen, July 8. Left for India
with Col. Olcott, December 17, settling at Bombay.
1879 Launched her first magazine, The Theosophist,
in October, which resulted in rapid growth of Theosophical
work in India, 1879-83.
1882 Transferred headquarters to Adyar, Madras, India
on December 19.
1884 Left for Europe, February 20, accompanied by Olcott
and others. After visiting Nice, settled for a while in Paris
to work on The Secret Doctrine. Briefly visited London.
Moved to Elberfeld, Germany, in the fall. Went to London in October
and soon after sailed to India, reaching Adyar December 21.
1885 Gravely ill, February. Sailed for Naples March
31, leaving India for good. After a brief stay at Torre del Greco,
settled at Wurzburg, Germany, where she wrote a large part of
The Secret Doctrine.
1886 Moved to Ostende in July, visiting Elberfeld on
her way.
1887 Transferred her residence to London in May, where
the Blavatsky Lodge was established, and her second magazine,
Lucifer was launched in September.
1888 Published The Secret Doctrine, late fall.
Founded the Esoteric School.
1889 Published The Key to Theosophy and The
Voice of the Silence.
1890 Established European headquarters of the Theosophical
Society, at 19 Avenue Road, London, where she died.
1891 Died May 8. Cremated at Woking Crematorium, Surrey,
England.
Note: Chronology taken from "H.P.B.: The Extraordinary Life and
Influence of Helena Blavatsky, Founder of the Modern Theosophical
Movement" by Sylvia Cranston - the best biography of Madame Blavatsky.) Unfortunately this book is now out of print.
Here are some very good biographies on her life and on the Theosophical Movement.
