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Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was born in the Ukraine in 1831 to an upper-class family. She is reported as being a strong willed, stubborn and feisty child. Just before she turned 17, she married a prominent man, Nikifor Blavatsky. He was forty years old at the time of marriage. Helena shortly abandoned Nikifor, and entered into what is known as her "Veiled Years." What happened to her for the 25 years after her marriage is mostly a mystery. All that can be said is that she did a lot of world traveling (Campbell, pp 2-4).
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Henry Olcott met in Vermont in 1874, and realized that they shared common views and goals. Although Olcott was a bit skeptical of some of the things Blavatsky said and did, he realized that she had a very powerful set of beliefs which he believed he could share with other people. Olcott started a small group called "The Miracle Club, " in which he and Blavatsky expressed their views. This group of 16 members soon became know as the Theosophical Society, which was officially founded on November 17, 1875. Olcott was voted the Chairman, William Judge became the Secretary. Blavatsky and Olcott shared the same apartment in New York, but their relationship was never based on anything but Theosophy itself (Campbell, 21-29).
Just a day after the founding, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky began writing her first great work, Isis Unveiled. It was published in two volumes in 1877, and became an immediate success. Most of the readers were upper and middle class, with substantial education. The Theosophical Society was still not a large or well known group, but it was gaining (Campbell Pp35). In 1888, Blavatsky published second great work, The Secret Doctrine, which was also two volumes. The Secret Doctrine became the "sacred text" of the Theosophical Society, and is Blavatsky's most well known work. Shortly after its publication, she wrote her third work, In 1875 Olcott became involved with a religious group in India, the Arya Samaj. This group was fighting against the modern corruption's of Hinduism, and theosophy fit well with their attitudes. Although the Theosophical Society and the Arya Samaj were not affiliated for long, it provided Helena and Olcott an opening for expanding their group. In 1878, Blavatsky and Olcott move to India, and establish themselves and become involved in Indian politics. A year later, Blavatsky begins writing the Theosophist which was very popular among the Hindus and other Theosophical Society members. In 1882, the Theosophical Society headquarters is moved to Bombay, India (Campbell, Pp. 83-90).
While in India, during the peak years of the Theosophical Society, there is a great deal of controversy surrounding Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, and it lead to disputes between herself and Olcott. In 1885, the two broke apart, and Helena left India. Up until Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's death in 1891, there is much debate and arguing between herself and Olcott. Following her death Olcott takes control of the Theosophical Society. It is not long, however, before new leaders emerge. Annie Besant and William Judge, who are prominent members, each have different ideas on how the group should be run, and the group breaks off into many schisms. The international Theosophical Society, which was the original group, remains, but Judge forms a separate Theosophical Society in America, which goes on its own path (Melton's Enclyclopedia of American Religions, Pp 728-729). After the death Blavatsky, who provided the ideas, the inspiration and the structure of Theosophy, the movements history becomes mix of interre