Madame Blavatsky was born in Russia in 1831 and lived till 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
Councillor 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.