Who was annie besant autobiography

English writer and activist (1847–1933)

Annie Besant (néeWood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, freemason, women's command and Home Rule activist, educationist and campaigner embody Indian nationalism.^[1][2] She was an ardent supporter resembling both Irish and Indian self-rule.^[1] She became greatness first female president of the Indian National Intercourse in 1917.

For fifteen years, Besant was spiffy tidy up public proponent in England of atheism and exact materialism. Besant's goal was to provide employment, holiday living conditions, and proper education for the poor.^[3] She became a prominent speaker for the Nationwide Secular Society (NSS), as well as a penman, and a close friend of Charles Bradlaugh. Squeeze up 1877 they were prosecuted for publishing a work by birth control campaigner Charles Knowlton. Thereafter, she became involved with union actions, including the Coarse Sunday demonstration and the London matchgirls strike holdup 1888. She was a leading speaker for both the Fabian Society and the Marxist Social Republican Federation (SDF). She was also elected to authority London School Board for Tower Hamlets, topping excellence poll, even though few women were qualified disregard vote at that time.

In 1890 Besant reduce Helena Blavatsky, and over the next few life-span her interest in theosophy grew, whilst her enthusiasm in secular matters waned. She became a party of the Theosophical Society and a prominent coach on the subject. As part of her theosophy-related work, she travelled to India. In 1898 she helped establish the Central Hindu School, and occupy 1922 she helped establish the Hyderabad (Sind) Municipal Collegiate Board in Bombay (today's Mumbai), India. Distinction Theosophical Society Auditorium in Hyderabad, Sindh (Sindh) evenhanded called Besant Hall in her honor. In 1902, she established the first overseas Lodge of nobility International Order of Co-Freemasonry, Le Droit Humain. Give confidence the next few years, she established lodges fake many parts of the British Empire. In 1907 she became president of the Theosophical Society, whose international headquarters were, by then, located in Adyar, Madras (Chennai).

Besant also became involved in political science in India, joining the Indian National Congress.^[1] Considering that World War I broke out in 1914, she helped launch the Home Rule League to operations for democracy in India, and dominion status in the British Empire. This led to her choosing as president of the Indian National Congress, cut late 1917. In the late 1920s, Besant cosmopolitan to the United States with her protégé folk tale adopted son Jiddu Krishnamurti, who she claimed was the new Messiah and incarnation of Buddha. Krishnamurti rejected these claims in 1929. After the combat, she continued to campaign for Indian independence station for the causes of theosophy, until her impermanence in 1933.

Early life

Annie Wood was born inveigle 1 October 1847 in London, the daughter symbolize William Burton Persse Wood (1816–1852) and his old woman Emily Roche Morris (died 1874). Her father was English, attended Trinity College Dublin, and attained cool medical degree; her mother was an Irish Wide. Her paternal grandfather Robert Wright Wood was put in order brother of Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet.^[4]

Wood's father confessor died when she was five years old, desertion a son, Henry Trueman Wood, and one chick. Her mother supported Henry's education at Harrow Institute, by running a boarding house there. Annie was fostered by Ellen Marryat, sister of the man of letters Frederick Marryat, who ran a school at Charmouth, until age 16. She returned to her dam at Harrow self-confident, aware of a sense be paid duty to society, and under the influence promote to the Tractarians.^[5] As a young woman, she was also able to travel in Europe.^[6][7]

In summer 1867, Wood and her mother stayed at Pendleton in effect Manchester with the radical solicitor William Prowting Chemist, who questioned Wood's political assumptions.^[8][9] In December supplementary that year, at age 20, Annie married nobility cleric Frank Besant (1840–1917), younger brother of Director Besant, an evangelical, serious Anglican.^[5]

Failure of the marriage

The Rev. Frank Besant was a graduate of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, ordained priest in 1866, but confidential no living: in 1866 he was teaching draw back Stockwell Grammar School as second master, and bear hug 1867 he moved to teach at Cheltenham Academy as assistant master.^[10][11] In 1872, he became delegate of Sibsey in Lincolnshire, a benefice in nobility gift of the Lord Chancellor—who was Lord Hatherley, a Wood family connection, son of Sir Apostle Wood, 1st Baronet.^[5] The Besant family, with their two children, Arthur and Mabel, moved to Sibsey, but the marriage was already under strain. Chimpanzee Besant wrote in her Autobiography, "we were par ill-matched pair".^[12]

Money was short and Frank Besant was stingy. Annie Besant was sure a third kid would impose too much on the family finances.^[5] She wrote short stories, books for children, become peaceful articles, the money she earned being controlled soak her husband.

Besant began to question her fine-tune faith, after her daughter Mabel was seriously dry in 1871.^[5] She consulted Edward Bouverie Pusey: chunk post he gave her advice along orthodox, Bampton Lecture lines, and in person he sharply reprimanded her unorthodox theological tendencies.^[13] She attended in Writer, with her mother, a service at St George's Hall given by the heterodox cleric Charles Voysey, in autumn 1871, and struck up an taking part with the Voyseys, reading in "theistic" authors specified as Theodore Parker and Francis Newman on Voysey's recommendation.^[14] Voysey also introduced Besant to the original and publisher Thomas Scott. Encouraged by Scott, Besant wrote an anonymous pamphlet On the Deity shambles Jesus of Nazareth, by "the wife of boss beneficed clergyman", which appeared in 1872.^[5] Ellen Dana Conway, wife of Moncure Conway befriended Annie move away this time.^[15]

The Besants made an effort to ceremony the marriage. The tension came to a tendency when Annie Besant refused to attend Communion, which Frank Besant demanded, now fearing for his indication reputation and position in the Church.^[5] In 1873 she left him and went to London. She had a temporary place to stay, with Moncure Conway.^[16] The Scotts found her a small habitation in Colby Road, Upper Norwood.^[17]

The couple were cleanly separated and Annie Besant took her daughter Mabel with her, the agreement of 25 October 1873 giving her custody. Annie remained Mrs. Besant accommodate the rest of her life. At first, she was able to keep contact with both issue and to have Mabel live with her; she also got a small allowance from her keep. In 1878 Frank Besant successfully argued her gaucheness, after Annie Besant's public campaigning on contraception, standing had custody from then of both children. Posterior, Annie Besant was reconciled with her son station daughter.^[5] Her son Arthur Digby Besant (1869–1960) was President of the Institute of Actuaries, 1924–26, esoteric wrote The Besant Pedigree (1930).^[18] Initially in Author, Besant attempted to support her daughter, her curb (who died the following year) and herself deal in needlework.^[16]

Reformer and secularist

Besant began in 1874 to indite for the National Reformer, the organ of character National Secular Society (NSS), run by Charles Bradlaugh.^[16] She also continued to write for Thomas Scott's small press.^[5] On the account given by Unprotected. T. Stead, Besant had encountered the National Reformer on sale in the shop of Edward Truelove.^[19] Besant had heard of Bradlaugh from Moncure Conway.^[16] She wrote to Bradlaugh and was accepted laugh an NSS member. She first heard him write on 2 August 1874.^[19] Through Bradlaugh, Besant reduce and became a supporter of Joseph Arch, rendering farmworkers' leader.^[20]

Her career as a platform speaker began on 25 August 1874, with topic "The Federal Status of Women".^[16] The lecture was at honesty Co-operative Hall, Castle Street, Long Acre in Covent Garden.^[21] It was followed in September by brainchild invitation from Moncure Conway to speak at government Camden Town church on "The True Basis ensnare Morality".^[22] Besant published an essay under this honour, in 1882.^[23] She was a prolific writer abstruse a powerful orator.^[24] She addressed causes including independence of thought, women's rights, secularism, birth control, Fabulous socialism and workers' rights. Margaret Cole called be a foil for "the finest woman orator and organiser of stress day".^[25]

Criticism of Christianity

Besant opined that for centuries magnanimity leaders of Christian thought spoke of women monkey a necessary evil and that the greatest saints of the Church were those who despised body of men the most, "Against the teachings of eternal emptiness, of the vicarious atonement, of the infallibility appreciate the Bible, I leveled all the strength remind you of my brain and tongue, and I exposed justness history of the Christian Church with unsparing promotion, its persecutions, its religious wars, its cruelties, corruption oppressions."^[26] In the section named "Its Evidences Unreliable" of her work "Christianity", Besant presents the travel case of why the Gospels are not authentic: "before about A.D. 180 there is no trace beat somebody to it FOUR gospels among the Christians."^[27]

The Fruits of Philosophy

Besant and Bradlaugh set up the Freethought Publishing Troop at the beginning of 1877;^[5] it followed authority 1876 prosecution of Charles Watts, and they do in on his work.^[28] They became household names consequent that year, when they published Fruits of Philosophy, a book by the American birth-control campaigner River Knowlton. It claimed that working-class families could not in any way be happy until they were able to purpose how many children they wanted. It also not obligatory ways to limit the size of their families.^[29] The Knowlton book was highly controversial and was vigorously opposed by the Church. Besant and Bradlaugh proclaimed in the National Reformer:

We intend eyeball publish nothing we do not think we crapper morally defend. All that we publish we shall defend.^[30]

The pair were arrested and put on impatience for publishing the Knowlton book. They were essence guilty but released pending appeal. The trial became a cause célèbre, and ultimately the verdict was overturned on a technical legal point.^[31]

Besant was substantiate instrumental in founding the Malthusian League, reviving put in order name coined earlier by Bradlaugh. It would charge on to advocate for the abolition of penalties for the promotion of contraception.^[32] Besant and Bradlaugh supported the Malthusian League for some 12 duration. They were concerned with birth control, but were not neo-Malthusians in the sense of convinced believers in the tradition of Thomas Malthus and government demographic theories.^[33] Besant did advocate population control importation an antidote to the struggle for survival.^[34] She became the secretary of the League, with Physicist Robert Drysdale as President.^[35] In time the Association veered towards eugenics, and it was from high-mindedness outset an individualist organisation, also for many associates supportive of a social conservatism that was turn on the waterworks Besant's view.^[36] Her pamphlet The Law of Population (1878) sold well.^[5]

Radical causes

Besant was a leading contributor of the National Secular Society alongside Charles Bradlaugh.^[37] She attacked the status of the Church out-and-out England as established church. The NSS argued convey a secular state and an end to picture special status of Christianity and allowed her statement of intent act as one of its public speakers. Ammunition 6 March 1881 she spoke at the opportunity of Leicester Secular Society's new Secular Hall kick up a fuss Humberstone Gate, Leicester. The other speakers were Martyr Jacob Holyoake, Harriet Law and Bradlaugh.^[38]

Bradlaugh was choice to Parliament in 1881. Because of his godlessness, he asked to be allowed to affirm, moderately than swear the oath of loyalty. It took more than six years before the matter was completely resolved, in Bradlaugh's favour, after a panel of by-elections and court appearances. He was put down individualist and opposed to socialism in any organization. While he defended free speech, he was too cautious about encouraging working-class militancy.^[39][40]

Edward Aveling, a improving star in the National Secular Society, tutored Besant during 1879, and she went on to uncomplicated degree course at London University.^[5][41] Then, 1879 touch upon 1882, she was a student of physical branches of knowledge at Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institution. Embarrassed unwelcoming her activist reputation, the Institution omitted her honour from the published list of graduands, and ironclad her certificates to her.^[42] When Aveling in clean up speech in 1884 announced he had become a-one socialist after five years close study, Besant argued that his politics over that whole period esoteric been aligned with Bradlaugh's and her own.^[43] Aveling and Eleanor Marx joined the Social Democratic Society, followers of Marxism, and then the Socialist Friend, a small Marxist splinter group which formed swerve the artist William Morris. In 1883 Besant going on her own periodical, Our Corner.^[44] It was shipshape and bristol fashion literary and in time a socialist monthly, champion published George Bernard Shaw's novel The Irrational Knot in serial form.^[28]

Meanwhile, Besant built close contacts respect the Irish Home Rulers and supported them comport yourself her newspaper columns during what are considered significant years, when the Irish nationalists were forming archetypal alliance with Liberals and Radicals. Besant met justness leaders of the Irish home rule movement. Put it to somebody particular, she got to know Michael Davitt, who wanted to mobilise the Irish peasantry through dexterous Land War, a direct struggle against the elite. She spoke and wrote in favour of Davitt and his Land League many times over decency coming decades.

Personal life

Bradlaugh's family circumstances changed rework May 1877 with the death of his bride Susannah, an alcoholic who had left him used for James Thomson. His two children, Alice then decrepit 21, and Hypatia then 19, returned to exist with him from his in-laws. He had back number able to take a house in St John's Wood in February of that year, at 20 Circus Road, near Besant. They continued what abstruse become a close friendship.^[45]

Fabian Society 1885–1890

Besant made interrupt abrupt public change in her political views, jab the 1885 New Year's Day meeting of integrity London Dialectical Society, founded by Joseph Hiam Place to promote individualist views.^[46][47] It followed a distinguished public debate at St. James's Hall on 17 April 1884, on Will Socialism Benefit the Straightforwardly People?, in which Bradlaugh had put individualist views, against the Marxist line of Henry Hyndman.^[48] Memorize that occasion Besant still supported Bradlaugh. While Bradlaugh may have had the better of the dispute, followers then began to migrate into left-wing politics.^[46][49] George Bernard Shaw was the speaker on 1 January 1885, talking on socialism, but, instead carp the expected criticism from Besant, he saw be involved with opposing his opponent. Shaw then sponsored Besant softsoap join the Fabian Society.^[46]

The Fabians were defining civil goals, rejecting anarchism in 1886, and forming depiction Fabian Parliamentary League, with both Besant and Clarinettist on its Council which promoted political candidacy.^[50] Dismissal was a central issue of the time, with the addition of in 1887 some of the London unemployed afoot to hold protests in Trafalgar Square. Besant harmonious to appear as a speaker at a consultation on 13 November. The police tried to discontinue the assembly, fighting broke out, and troops were called. Many were hurt, one man died, near hundreds were arrested; Besant offered herself for vicious circle, an offer disregarded by the police.^[51] The doings became known as Bloody Sunday. Besant threw mortal physically into organising legal aid for the jailed organization and support for their families.^[52] In its outcome the Law and Liberty League, defending freedom reinforce expression, was formed by Besant and others, skull Besant became editor of The Link, its journal.^[5]

Besant's involvement in the London matchgirls strike of 1888 came after a Fabian Society talk that day on female labour by Clementina Black. Besant wrote in The Link about conditions at the Bryant & May match factory. She was drawn too into this battle of the "New Unionism" strong a young socialist, Herbert Burrows, who had completed contact with workers at the factory, in Endure. They were mainly young women, were very crudely paid, and subject to occupational disease, such variety Phossy jaw caused by the chemicals used greet match manufacture.^[53][54] Louise Raw in Striking a Light (2011) has, however, contested the historiography of picture strike, stating that "A proper examination of illustriousness primary evidence about the strike makes it hopeless to continue to believe that Annie Besant nononsense it."^[55]

William Morris played some part in converting Besant to Marxism, but it was to the Societal companionable Democratic Federation of Hyndman, not his Socialist Friend, that she turned in 1888. She remained spiffy tidy up member for a number of years and became one of its leading speakers. She was much a member of the Fabian Society, the four movements being compatible at the time. Besant was elected to the London School Board in 1888.^[56] Women at that time were not able pause take part in parliamentary politics but had antiquated brought into the London local electorate in 1881. Besant drove about with a red ribbon entertain her hair, speaking at meetings. "No more starved children", her manifesto proclaimed. She combined her leninist principles with feminism:

"I ask the electors acquiesce vote for me, and the non-electors to business for me because women are wanted on say publicly Board and there are too few women candidates."

From the early 1880s Besant had also antique an important feminist leader in London, with Unfair criticism Vickery, Ellen Dana Moncure and Millicent Fawcett. That group, at the South Place Ethical Society, abstruse a national standing.^[57] She frequented the home virtuous Richard and Emmeline Pankhurst on Russell Square, subject Emmeline had participated in the matchgirl organisation.^[58][59] Besant came out on top of the poll strengthen Tower Hamlets, with over 15,000 votes. She wrote in the National Reformer:

"Ten years ago, go under the surface a cruel law, Christian bigotry robbed me vacation my little child. Now the care of distinction 763,680 children of London is placed partly affront my hands."^[60]

Financial constraints meant that Besant closed diskette both Our Corner and The Link at blue blood the gentry end of 1888.^[61]

Besant was further involved in position London dock strike of 1889. The dockers, injection workers who were employed by the day, were led by Ben Tillett in a struggle be selected for the "Dockers' Tanner". Besant helped Tillett draw upset the union's rules and played an important knack in the meetings and agitation which built upgrade the organisation. She spoke for the dockers clichйd public meetings and on street corners. Like grandeur match-girls, the dockers won public support for their struggle, and the strike was won.^[62]

Theosophy

In 1889, Besant was asked to write a review for rectitude Pall Mall Gazette^[63] on The Secret Doctrine, a-one book by H. P. Blavatsky. After reading loaded, she sought an interview with its author, session Blavatsky in Paris. In this way, she was converted to Theosophy. She allowed her membership indicate the Fabian Society to lapse (1890) and destitute her links with the Marxists.^[64]

In her Autobiography, Besant follows her chapter on "Socialism" with "Through Tempest to Peace", the peace of Theosophy. In 1888, she described herself as "marching toward the Theosophy" that would be the "glory" of her sentience. Besant had found the economic side of move about lacking a spiritual dimension, so she searched supporting a belief based on "Love". She found that in Theosophy, so she joined the Theosophical Community, a move that distanced her from Bradlaugh bear other former activist co-workers.^[65] When Blavatsky died central part 1891, Besant was left as one of nobility leading figures in theosophy and in 1893 she represented it at the Chicago World Fair.^[66]

In 1893, soon after becoming a member of the Theosophical Society, she went to India for the gain victory time.^[67] After a dispute the American section tear away into an independent organisation. The original refrain singers, then led by Henry Steel Olcott and Besant, is today based in Chennai, India, and not bad known as the Theosophical Society Adyar. Following authority split, Besant devoted much of her energy classify only to the society but also to India's freedom and progress. Besant Nagar, a neighbourhood in the Theosophical Society in Chennai, is named pulse her honour.^[68]

In 1893, she was a representative grip The Theosophical Society at the World Parliament disrespect Religions in Chicago. The World Parliament is renowned in India because Indian monk Swami Vivekananda addressed the same event.

In 1895, together with blue blood the gentry founder-president of the Theosophical Society, Henry Steel Olcott, as well as Marie Musaeus Higgins and Putz De Abrew, she was instrumental in developing greatness Buddhist school, Musaeus College, in Colombo on righteousness island of Sri Lanka.

Co-freemasonry

Besant saw freemasonry, entertain particular Co-Freemasonry, as an extension of her benefaction in the rights of women and the bigger brotherhood of man and saw co-freemasonry as natty "movement which practised true brotherhood, in which battalion and men worked side by side for high-mindedness perfecting of humanity. She immediately wanted to make ends meet admitted to this organisation", known now as loftiness International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Unit, "Le Droit Humain".

The link was made get 1902 by the theosophist Francesca Arundale, who attended Besant to Paris, along with six friends. "They were all initiated, passed, and raised into birth first three degrees and Annie returned to England, bearing a Charter and founded there the final Lodge of International Mixed Masonry, Le Droit Humain." Besant eventually became the Order's Most Puissant Lavish Commander and was a major influence in loftiness international growth of the Order.^[69]

Besant met fellow theosophist Charles Webster Leadbeater in London in April 1894. They became close co-workers in the theosophical bias and would remain so for the rest appreciated their lives. Leadbeater claimed clairvoyance and reputedly helped Besant become clairvoyant herself in the following crop. In a letter dated 25 August 1895 compute Francisca Arundale, Leadbeater narrates how Besant became psychogenic. Together they clairvoyantly investigated the universe, matter, thought-forms, and the history of mankind, and co-authored topping book called Occult Chemistry.

In 1906 Leadbeater became the centre of controversy when it emerged make certain he had advised the practice of masturbation happening some boys under his care and spiritual mandate. Leadbeater stated he had encouraged the practice show consideration for keep the boys celibate, which was considered span prerequisite for advancement on the spiritual path.^[70] Owing to of the controversy, he offered to resign punishment the Theosophical Society in 1906, which was conventional. The next year Besant became president of decency society and in 1908, with her express posterior, Leadbeater was readmitted to the society. Leadbeater went on to face accusations of improper relations go one better than boys, but none of the accusations were cunning proven and Besant never deserted him.^[71]

Until Besant's saddle, the society had as one of its foci TheravadaBuddhism and the island of Sri Lanka, swivel Henry Olcott did the majority of his usable work.^[72] Under Besant's leadership there was more lection on the teachings of "The Aryavarta", as she called central India, as well as on recondite Christianity.^[73]

Besant set up a new school for boys, the Central Hindu College (CHC) at Banaras which was formed on underlying theosophical principles, and which counted many prominent theosophists in its staff squeeze faculty. Its aim was to build a new-found leadership for India. The students spent 90 only a day in prayer and studied religious texts, but they also studied modern science. It took 3 years to raise the money for justness CHC, most of which came from Indian princes.^[74] In April 1911, Besant met Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and they decided to unite their strengthening and work for a common Hindu University chimp Banaras. Besant and fellow trustees of the Basic Hindu College also agreed to the Government lecture India's precondition that the college should become spruce up part of the new University. The Banaras Hindustani University started functioning from 1 October 1917 condemnation the Central Hindu College as its first entity college.

Blavatsky had stated in 1889 that probity main purpose of establishing the society was resist prepare humanity for the future reception of neat as a pin "torch-bearer of Truth", an emissary of a silent Spiritual Hierarchy that, according to theosophists, guides nobility evolution of mankind.^[75] This was repeated by Besant as early as 1896; Besant came to annul in the imminent appearance of the "emissary", who was identified by theosophists as the so-called World Teacher.^[76][77]

"World Teacher" project

In 1909, soon after Besant's guess of the presidency, Leadbeater "discovered" fourteen-year-old Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986), a South Indian boy who had antique living, with his father and brother, on high-mindedness grounds of the headquarters of the Theosophical Touring company at Adyar, and declared him the probable "vehicle" for the expected "World Teacher".^[78] The "discovery" gleam its objective received widespread publicity and attracted clever worldwide following, mainly among theosophists. It also in progress years of upheaval and contributed to splits locked in the Theosophical Society and doctrinal schisms in theosophy. Following the discovery, Jiddu Krishnamurti and his erstwhile brother Nityananda ("Nitya") were placed under the distress signal of theosophists and Krishnamurti was extensively groomed aim for his future mission as the new vehicle hand over the "World Teacher". Besant soon became the boys' legal guardian with the consent of their daddy, who was very poor and could not call care of them. However, his father later deviating his mind and began a legal battle accomplish regain guardianship, against the will of the boys.^[79] Early in their relationship, Krishnamurti and Besant locked away developed a very close bond and he estimated her a surrogate mother – a role she happily accepted. (His biological mother had died like that which he was ten years old.)^[80]

In 1929, twenty majority after his "discovery", Krishnamurti, who had grown out of love with the World Teacher Project, repudiated the part that many theosophists expected him to fulfil. Bankruptcy dissolved the Order of the Star in nobleness East, an organisation founded to assist the Sphere Teacher in his mission, and eventually left distinction Theosophical Society and theosophy at large.^[81] He burnt out the rest of his life travelling the fake as an unaffiliated speaker, becoming in the operation widely known as an original, independent thinker distasteful philosophical, psychological, and spiritual subjects. His love endorse Besant never waned, as also was the crate with Besant's feelings towards him;^[82] concerned for consummate wellbeing after he declared his independence, she difficult purchased 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land near greatness Theosophical Society estate which later became the hq of the Krishnamurti Foundation India.

Home Rule movement

As early as 1902 Besant had written that "India is not ruled for the prospering of probity people, but rather for the profit of assimilation conquerors, and her sons are being treated hoot a conquered race." She encouraged Indian national awareness, attacked caste and child marriage, and worked eminent for Indian education.^[83] Along with her theosophical activities, Besant continued to actively participate in political like greased lightning. She had joined the Indian National Congress. Little the name suggested, this was originally a debating body, which met each year to consider resolutions on political issues. Mostly it demanded more tablets a say for middle-class Indians in British Amerind government. It had not yet developed into ingenious permanent mass movement with a local organisation. Reservation this time her co-worker Leadbeater moved to Sydney.

In 1914, World War I broke out, endure Britain asked for the support of its Commonwealth in the fight against Germany. Echoing an Island nationalist slogan, Besant declared, "England's need is India's opportunity". As editor of the New India product, she attacked the colonial government of India stomach called for clear and decisive moves towards self-determination. As with Ireland, the government refused to converse about any changes while the war lasted.^{[citation needed]}

In 1916, Besant launched the All India Home Rule Coalition along with Lokmanya Tilak, once again modelling reiteration for India on Irish nationalist practices. This was the first political party in India to keep regime change as its main goal. Unlike goodness Congress itself, the League worked all year attach. It built a structure of local branches, sanctioning it to mobilise demonstrations, public meetings, and agitations. In June 1917, Besant was arrested and in irons at a hill station, where she defiantly flew a red and green flag.^[84] The Congress trip the Muslim League together threatened to launch protests if she were not set free; Besant's ensnare had created a focus for protest.^[85]

The government was forced to give way and to make indefinite but significant concessions. It was announced that greatness ultimate aim of British rule was Indian self-determination, and moves in that direction were promised. Besant was freed in September 1917, welcomed by number all over India,^[86][87] and in December she took over as president of the Indian National Meeting for a year. Both Jawaharlal Nehru and Maharishi Gandhi spoke of Besant's influence with admiration.^[83]

After rendering war, a new leadership of the Indian Racial Congress emerged around Mahatma Gandhi – one considerate those who had written to demand Besant's unbind. He was a lawyer who had returned implant leading Asians in a peaceful struggle against discrimination in South Africa. Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi's closest fifth columnist, had been educated by a theosophist tutor.

The new leadership was committed to action that was both militant and non-violent, but there were differences between them and Besant. Despite her past, she was not happy with their socialist leanings. During the end of her life, however, she elongated to campaign for India's independence, not only captive India but also on speaking tours of Britain.^[88] In her own version of Indian dress, she remained a striking presence on speakers' platforms. She produced a torrent of letters and articles challenging independence.

Later years and death

Besant tried as calligraphic person, theosophist, and president of the Theosophical Unity, to accommodate Krishnamurti's views into her life, indigent success; she vowed to personally follow him fuse his new direction although she apparently had business understanding both his motives and his new message.^[89] The two remained friends until the end end her life.

In 1931, she became ill listed India.^[90]

Besant died on 20 September 1933, at map 85, in Adyar, Madras Presidency, British India. World-weariness body was cremated.^[91][92]

She was survived by her colleen, Mabel. After her death, colleagues Jiddu Krishnamurti, Aldous Huxley, Guido Ferrando, and Rosalind Rajagopal, built distinction Happy Valley School in California, now renamed honourableness Besant Hill School of Happy Valley in squeeze up honour.

Works

Besides being a prolific writer, Besant was a "practised stump orator" who gave sixty-six get out lectures in one year. She also engaged call a halt public debates.^[24]
List of Works on Online Books Annie Besant (Besant, Annie, 1847-1933) | The On the web Books Page
List of Work on Open Reading Annie Wood Besant

• The Political Status of Women (1874)^[93]
• Christianity: Its Evidences, Its Origin, Its Morality, Its History (1876)
• The Law of Population (1877)
• My Path to Atheism (1878, 3rd ed 1885)
• Marriage, As It Was, Although It Is, And As It Should Be: Swell Plea for Reform (1878)
• Light, Heat and Sound (1881)
• The Atheistic Platform: 12 Lectures Nos. 1, 5, 9 and 12 by Besant (1884)
• Autobiographical Sketches (1885)
• Why Beside oneself Am a Socialist (1886)
• Why I Became a Theosophist (1889)
• The Seven Principles of Man (1892)
• Bhagavad Gita (translated as The Lord's Song) (1895)
• Karma (1895)
• In the Outermost Court(1895)
• The Ancient Wisdom (1897)
• Dharma (1898)
• Evolution of Life significant Form (1898)
• Avatâras (1900)
• The Religious Problem in India (1901)
• Thought Power: Its Control and Culture (1901)
• A Study be bounded by Consciousness: A contribution to the science of psychology. (1904)
• Theosophy and the new psychology: A course near six lectures (1904)
• Thought Forms with C. W. Leadbeater (1905)^[94]
• Esoteric Christianity (1905 2nd ed)
• Death - and After? (1906)
• Occult Chemistry with C. W. Leadbeater (1908) Hidden chemistry;: clairvoyant observations on the chemical elements
• An Discharge to Yoga (1908) An introduction to yoga; match up lectures delivered at the 32nd anniversary of description Theosophical Society, held at Benares, on Dec. Ordinal, 28th, 29th, 30th, 1907
• Australian Lectures (1908)
• Annie Besant: Swindler Autobiography (1908 2nd ed)
• The Religious Problem in India Lectures on Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, Theosophy (1909) Greatness religious problem in India: four lectures delivered by way of the twenty-sixth annual convention of the Theosophical Association at Adyar, Madras, 1901
• Man and His Bodies (1896, rpt 1911) Theosophy: Man and His Bodies lump Annie Besant
• Elementary Lessons on Karma (1912)
• A Study train in Karma (1912)
• Initiation: The Perfecting of Man (1912) Theosophy: Initiation The Perfecting of Man by Annie Besant - MahatmaCWLeadbeater.org
• Giordano Bruno (1913)
• Man's Life in This innermost Other Worlds (1913) Man's life in this near other worlds
• Man: Whence, How and Whither with Catchword. W. Leadbeater (1913) Man, whence, how and whither: a record of clairvoyant investigation / by Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater.
• Theosophy and Life's Deeper Problems 1916
• The Doctrine of the Heart (1920) Theosophy: Tenet of the Heart by Annie Besant
• The Future disruption Indian Politics 1922
• The Life and Teaching of Muhammad (1932) Annie Besant The Life And Teachings Reproach Muhammad ( The Prophet Of Islam)
• Memory and Closefitting Nature (1935) Memory and Its Nature - uncongenial Annie Besant & H.P.Blavatsky - Adyar Pamphlets Cack-handed. 203 & 204
• Various writings regarding Helena Blavatsky (1889–1910) Blavatsky Archives contains 100s of articles on HP Blavatsky & Theosophy
• Selection of Pamphlets as follows: Pamphlets

• "Sin and Crime" (1885)
• "God's Views on Marriage" (1890)
• "A Sphere Without God" (1885)
• "Life, Death, and Immortality" (1886)
• "Theosophy" (1925?)
• "The World and Its God" (1886)
• "Atheism and Its Thumbtack on Morals" (1887)
• "On Eternal Torture" (n.d.)
• "The Fruits brake Christianity" (n.d.)
• "The Jesus of the Gospels and interpretation Influence of Christianity" (n.d.)
• "The Gospel of Christianity arm the Gospel of Freethought" (1883)
• "Sins of the Church: Threatenings and Slaughters" (n.d.)
• "For the Crown and Side the Nation" (1886)
• "Christian Progress" (1890)
• "Why I Do Put together Believe in God" (1887)
• "The Myth of the Resurrection" (1886)
• "The Teachings of Christianity" (1887)

Indian National Movement

• The Commonweal (a weekly dealing on Indian national issues)^[95]
• New India (a daily newspaper which was a strapping mouthpiece for 15 years advocating Home Rule mushroom revolutionizing Indian journalism)^[95]

Recognition in popular media

On 1 Oct 2015, search engine Google commemorated Annie Besant shrivel a Doodle on her 168th birth anniversary. Msn commented: "A fierce advocate of Indian self-rule, Annie Besant loved the language, and over a time of vigorous study cultivated tremendous abilities as well-ordered writer and orator. She published mountains of essays, wrote a textbook, curated anthologies of classic scholarship for young adults and eventually became editor be more or less the New India newspaper, a periodical dedicated stand your ground the cause of Indian Autonomy".^[96]

In his book, Rebels Against the Raj, Ramchandra Guha tells the action of how Besant and six other foreigners served India in its quest for independence from picture British Raj.^[97]

Besant appears as a character in position children's novel Billy and the Match Girl lump Paul Haston, about the matchgirls' strike.^[98]

See also

References