BESANT, ANNIE. - Theosophist, b. in London on 1 Oct. 1847, d. at Adyar (Madras) on 20 Sept. 1933. From an Irish Protestant family, at the age of 21 she married the minister F. Besant, by whom she had two children; but, disappointed and assailed by religious doubts, she separated from him (1873) in order to marry a freethinker, Ch. Bradlaugh, and to become a militant atheist (1874). Having come to know Blavatsky
(v.), she devoted herself to theosophy, and on the latter's death (1891) she succeeded her in the direction of the Esoteric Section, propagating and defending it with books and journals.
However, she believed her mission was to present the Messiah to humanity. Having joined forces with the pastor C. W. Leadbeater, after a first vain attempt, she turned to a young Hindu, Krishnamurti, whom she presented in various places as the vehicle or incarnation of Christ. But the Madras court convicted Leadbeater of "immoral opinions" and obliged him to return the young Hindu to his mother. The scandal brought about schisms in the Theosophical Society, and out of spite B. turned to politics, at first in favor of India for the Indians, then against Indian attempts at independence, which greatly compromised the esteem she enjoyed (v. TEOSOFIA).
B. wrote many works; the principal ones: An autobiography (London 1893; Italian tr., Turin 1912); The ancient wisdom (London 1897; Italian tr., Rome 1901); Esoteric christianity (London 1901; Italian tr., Rome 1912); The coming of World Teacher (London 1925). She also edited various theosophical periodicals: Lucifer, Theosophist, The Adyar Bulletin, etc.