History of the Bavarian

Illuminati
Dallas Scottish Rite
University Symposium
03/26/2013
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What was the Order of the Illuminati?

The Order was an esoteric, initiatic school of

humanity where the ideals of the Enlightenment
were taught to its members in a series of degrees
patterned after Freemasonry.
It was founded May 1, 1776 at Ingolstadt
University by Adam Weishaupt and 5 of his
pupils.
These first 10 founders constituted the
Membership of the Aeropagite Council, which
was the governing body.
Adam Weishaupt was the general of the Order.
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Aeropagite Council
Johann Adam Weishaupt (1748-1830) Spartacus, the founder of
the Order of the Illuminati.
2. Franz Anton von Massenhausen (1758-1815) Ajax.
3. Maximilian Balthasar Ludwig Edler von Merz (1758-1811)Tiberius.
4. Franz Xaver Carl Wolfgang Zwackh zu Holzhausen (1756-1843)
Cato.
5. Jakob Anton Hertel (1747-1828) Marius.
6. Franz von Paula Hoheneicher (1753-1844) Alcibiades.
7. Franz Benno Michl (1750-1828) Solon.
8. Franz de Paula Edler von Berger (1752-92) Cornelius Scipio.
9. Ferdinand Maria Baader (1747-97) Celsus.
10. Thomas Maria Baron De Bassus (1742-1815) Hannibal.
Note: The Aeropagites ranged in age from 18-34 at the time of the
founding of the Order. Most were students or professors.
1.

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The Order had many names.

1.

2.

3.

The Order was a continuation of a

society Weishaupt envisioned called the
School of Humanity.
Originally called the Order of the
Perfectabilists, but changed to Order of
the Illuminati.
At one Point Weishaupt considered
renaming the Order to the Bee Order, but
the Aeropagites revolted and Weishaupt
yielded.
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Brother Adam Weishaupt

(1748-1830) Spartacus.

Born in Ingolstadt in 1748.

Law Professor at Ingolstadt
University in 1772.
Cannon Law Professor in
1775. This was controversial
as he is the first non-clergy
member to hold this position.
Founded the Order of the
Illuminati in 1776. Serves as
General of the Order for its
duration.
Initiated into Freemasonry at
Lodge St Theodore of Good
Council in Munich 1777.
Writes the lowest Class of the
Orders Ritual, the Preparatory
Class.

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Brother Adolph Freiherr von Knigge

(1752-1796) Philo.

Born into lesser noblity in

1752.
Initiated into Freemasonry in
1772 in Kassel.
High ranking member of the
Strict Observance.
Joins the Illuminati in 1780.
Shortly becomes an
Aeropagite.
Writes the Freemasonic and
Mystery Classes of the
Orders Ritual. Recruits more
people to the Order than any
other member by far.
Resigns in 1784 as a result of
Weishaupts attempt to modify
his Ritual work.

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Struggle for Dominance:

Weishaupt vs. Knigge.

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Structural flaws of the System.

1.

2.
3.
4.

The Order was established to be governed

by an Aeropagite Council, but had always
been controlled by Weishaupt, its
general.
Adam Weishaupt became drunk on his
own power fracturing the Aeropagites.
Once Weishaupt was in exile the Order
collapsed.
The Ritual and Degree System werent
fully established until very near the
Orders end.
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The Rise and Fall of the Order.

The Order was not of a noble or prestigious linage, but was

a pure construct of Weishaupt and the Aeropagite Council.
They were primarily composed of young college
professors, students, and academics at the time of the
Orders founding. Like most men in their youth they were
idealistic, bordering on the verge of Utopianism. The
concept of the Order and the Entire preparatory class was
purely Weishaupt's design. A few years earlier he
envisioned and designed a society called "The School of
Humanity". Its purpose too was to enlighten mankind
through proper education and promotion of wisdom and
virtue. Through this proper education mankind would
gradually reap its rewards through the passage of time and
the promotion of its members throughout society at large.
In the early years of the Order they advanced slowly
compared to their rapid expansion in its later years.
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The Rise and Fall of the Order.

The catalyst for this growth was the initiation of Baron

Adolph von Knigge (1752-1796). He was a leading figure in
the Strict Observance, which was a rite of Continental
Masonry from 1764 to 1782. The group was strictly
observing that Freemasonry was said to have a Templar
Origin. Baron von Hund was the founder of the Strict
Observance and was initiated by a mysterious "Knight of
the Red Feather." He was instructed in the degree and
given permission to confer it, which he did zealously until
his death in 1776. The Strict Observance also known as the
Rectified Scottish Rite were supposedly being led by
unknown and hidden superiors.

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The Rise and Fall of the Order.

Dissention was growing internally within Strict

Observance as many had become dissatisfied by
not being to rise to the Superior level. This
caused suspicion and distrust. At the Masonic
convention of Wilhelmsbad in 1782, the call was
made for these hidden Superiors to reveal
themselves, and when none appeared, the Rite
was dissolved. This power vacuum was seized
upon by Knigge as there was certain to be
competition for the former members of the Strict
Observance.
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The Rise and Fall of the Order.

Knigge used his influence and status within the

decayed S.O. Order to swell the ranks of the
Illuminati. He had personally become dissatisfied
with regular Masonry for its fractious politics, for
its ignorance of its true origins, its exploration in
esotericism, alchemy, and the like. He wanted to
reform Masonry and was giving serious thought
about creating a new society, when his friend the
Marquis de Costanzo insinuated that there would
be no need to do this as the Order he envisioned
already existed. Knigge was thus initiated into the
Order in 1780 and quickly advanced.
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The Rise and Fall of the Order.

He was actively recruiting for the Order prior to the

convention in Wilhelmsbad. He seized upon the fortune of
these circumstances for the Order, but was soon facing a
problem of his own. The new members were starting to
thirst for accession to higher degrees. This was
problematic as he was not in possession himself of these
higher degrees, so he wrote to the Aeropagite council for
permission to confer them. This led to his direct
communication with Weishaupt and inclusion to the
Aeropagite council. After pressing further Weishaupt
admitted that he was not in possession of the higher
degrees and that they were still in his mind and had not
been constructed yet. His collaboration in this endeavor
was earnestly solicited.

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The Rise and Fall of the Order.

At this juncture Knigge agreed to write the Masonic and

Mystery Class of degrees for the Order. This satisfied his
desires and aspirations for power but was soon to put him
at odds with Weishaupt, who himself was corrupted by his
power and position in the Order. The conflict reached an
explosive climax in 1784, when Knigge had finished the
highest degrees, and began to confer them. He received a
parcel containing revisions for these degrees from
Weishaupt. He argued that he could not accept these
changes and that by revising them, it would reveal that the
Order was not of ancient origins as had been supposed,
and was in fact a modern production. The conflict led to
Knigge's resignation from the Order and he returned nearly
all materials and obligated himself to eternal silence about
the Order.
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The Rise and Fall of the Order.

The Order had come under official suspicion for their

activities. This suspicion led to several edicts being issued
by the Elector of Bavaria, Karl Theodore. This resulted in
Weishaupt's flight from Bavaria in 1785 and protection by
Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Subsequently in
1786 and 1787 several searches of the domiciles of
Aeropagite members Franz Xavier Carl Wolfgang Zwack zu
Holzhausen (1756-1843) and close friend and associate of
Weishaupt, Thomas Maria Baron de Bassus (1742-1815)
yielded a treasure trove of archival materials, and were
published to expose and shame the group, though names
of members were redacted. Indeed the head of the
metaphorical snake had been severed in the minds of the
public but external Lodges continued for a time to function.

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Brother Joe Wages 32

Degree System of the Illuminati

Composed of three Classes of degrees:
I.
II.
III.

Preparatory Class - Preparatory

Education.
Freemasonic Class - Marked by
autonomy.
Mysteries Class Leadership and
Freedom.
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I. Preparatory Class
Novice. - Acquisition of working
techniques.
2. Minerval. - Scientific Literacy and
school of wisdom and virtue.
3. Illuminatus Minor. Lesser Illuminati.
- Fundamentals of Leadership.
1.

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II. Freemasonic Class

Apprentice. - Fellowcraft. - Master.
Regular Masonry.
2. Illuminatus Major. Greater Illuminati
or Scottish Novice. - Towards a
knowledge of self and humanity.
3. Illuminatus Dirgens. Scottish
Knight. - Administration of the
lower Orders structure.
1.

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III. Mysteries Class

1.
a.
b.

2.
a.

b.

Lesser Mysteries
Presbyter. Priest. - Management of the Illuminati
Academy.
Regent or Princeps. Prince. Steering the entire
Order.
Greater Mysteries
Magus or Philosophus. Magician (Sage) or
Philosopher. - Overcoming habits of thought
and action.
Rex or Docet. King or Teacher. - Insight into the
inviolability of the absolute.
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How did one join the Order?

They were inducted into the Order through

a process called insinuation.
Once a candidate had been insinuated he
filled out his reverse, and tables.
These were sent along with his Insinuators
table and report of the candidates conduct.
One could enter the Order as a Novice,
Minerval, or Illuminatus Major depending
upon their age, education, and or Masonic
Affiliation.
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Tables

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Reverse
I, the undersigned, obligate myself by my honor and my good
name, without any secret reservation never to reveal anything
concerning the matters entrusted me by N.N. concerning my
acceptance into a secret society to anyone in any conceivable
way, not even to my most intimate friends and relatives, neither
by word nor gestures, glances, etc., whether I am accepted or
not; this even moreso, as my recipient has assured me that this
society endeavors nothing against state, religion, and morality. I
also promise to immediately put aside the documents which will
be communicated to me for this purpose or any letters I may
receive according to preformed, encoded statements. All this, as
I am an honest man, and I intend to remain one.
(City, day, month and year)
(L.S.) First and last name, etc.
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Novice Oath
I, N.N., here confess before God Almighty and before you, worthy representative of this noble Order to which I demand admittance, that I recognize this
is my natural weakness and impotency, that with all the ranks, dignities, and titles I can demand of civil society, I am in essence nothing more than
a man. That I can gain anything and everything through my fellow man, but also lose it through him; that, for this reason, the approval and respect
of my fellow men is indispensable to me. That I shall seek to earn it by all means and never use my current power and dignity, or any power I may
wield in the future, against the general common good, but certainly against the enemies of the human race, and that I shall seek to resist civil
society with all my power.
I furthermore confess and swear I will eagerly seize all opportunities to serve humanity, to improve my knowledge and will, and that I will make my useful
insights generally known, inasmuch as the welfare and the statutes of the present society shall demand this of me.
I also promise ever to keep silence in unbreakable faithfulness and obedience to all superiors and statutes to the Order. I also faithfully relinquish my
private insights and obstinacy, as well as any limitation on the use of my powers and abilities.
I obligate myself to view that which is best for the Order as that which is best for me, and I am ready to serve such with my property, my honor, and my
blood for as long as I am a member. Should I ever act against the statutes and the welfare of the noble society, out of deliberation, passion, or
even malice, I shall submit to all penalties and punishments placed upon me by my superiors.
I furthermore promise that in matters concerning the Order, I shall counsel and act according to my best knowledge and my conscience, forsaking any
personal advantage, and that I shall consider all friends and foes of the society as my own, but that I shall act towards them in no other manner
than I have been instructed by the society.
I am no less prepared to concern myself with its increase and expansion in any manner permitted and to use my powers to this end when possible.
To this end, I forego any secret reservation, and I promise all this according to the intentions of the society who exacts this oath from me.
So help me God.

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Minerval Oath
I, (O.N.), confess here, before God Almighty and before you, the Representative of the noble Order to which I
seek admission, that I recognize my natural weakness and impotence, that with all the advantages of rank,
honor, titles, and material goods I may have attained in civil society, I am still only a man among men; that
just as I have attained all this through my fellow men, I can also lose it through them, so that the approval
and respect of my fellow men is indispensable, and that I will seek to earn such by all means. I will never
use my present or future respect and power to harm the common good, but I will certainly resist the
enemies of the human race and civil society according to my powers and circumstances. Furthermore, I
promise and swear that I will eagerly seize all opportunities to serve humanity, improve my knowledge and
will, and apply my useful insights to the common good, inasmuch as the welfare and the Statutes of the
present society require this of me.
I also swear eternal silence in inseverable faithfulness and obedience to all Superiors and Statutes of the Order.
In matters of the Order, I faithfully relinquish my private insights and obstinacy, as well as the unlimited use
of my powers and abilities.
I obligate myself to see the best of the Order as my own, and I am ready to serve it with my blood, honor, and
wealth for as long as I am a member. Should I ever act against the Statutes and welfare of the illustrious
Order, out of haste, passion, or even malice, I submit to all penalties and punishments placed upon me by
my Superiors.
I further promise that in matters of the Order, I will act and counsel according to my best knowledge and
conscience, sacrificing personal advantage, view all friends and enemies of the Order as my own, but will
refrain from exacting vengeance against the latter, but will act toward them as ordered by the society. I am
no less willing to concern myself with the expansion and proliferation of the order by any means and to use
my powers to this purpose as much as this is possible.
To this end, I waive any secret reservations and promise all this according to the true intentions of the society
which has placed this oath upon me, and as these words say: So help me God!

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Explanation of the Minerval Jewel

We place this Orders Jewel on every member of this class, not for them to
seek greatness and respect therein or that the Br. become accustomed
to ribbons and tokens of honor, but much rather so that they learn to
realize that only virtue and science may bestow a right to nobility and
benefits and that the outer symbols will never blind an enlightened mind
without the souls inner worth, and that they should never wrest wishes
and desires from him. A truly wise man must always seek out the
beauty of the soul and rise above common prejudices, neither
despising outer appearances, nor devoting himself slavishly to them.
The ribbon to which the Jewel is attached has a dual meaning; first, the
bonds of prejudice which had bound our intellect form an early age, and
second, the conjunction of friendly and social bonds by whose
combined strength the shackles of foolishness may be broken more
easily and a man and others may rise to a spiritual height individual
persons have attained only rarely. Left to his own devices, man has
neither the strength nor the power for this work, and at every turn, that
the connection with others and social support are necessary, if not
indispensable.
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Minerval Jewel

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Directing Minerval Jewel

Illuminatus Major.

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Originals and replica Jewels.

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Br. Arturo de Hoyos with Br. Michael

Cain Seay III. and his original Minerval
Jewel.

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Catechism of the Scottish Novice Degree

Questions. Are you a Scottish Freemason?
Answer. Noble persons accepted me among themselves when I was an orphan and did not know my father.
Q. Where were you accepted?
A. In a solemn, dark, and holy place, before the door to the sanctum.
Q. At what time?
A. In the dark of the night, during the moons first quarter.
Q. Who approached you?
A. The peaceful crowd of the Illuminated Ones.
Q. Did you know these persons?
A. No! I did not know them, but they knew me and loved me, and I dedicated a faithful and trusting heart to them.
Q. Whence did you come?
A. From the world of the first Elect.
Q. Where are you going?
A. To the Holy of Holies.
Q. Whom do you seek there?
A. Him who is there, was there, and will forever be there.
Q. What illuminates you?
A. The light that dwells within me and has now been lit.
Q. What did you see when the light was given to you?
A. I looked upon the Earth and I saw the humans naked and unclothed; but they were ashamed of their nakedness.
Q. What have you been bid to do?
A. I was taught to know, love, and govern myself and others.
Q. Who is your Master?
A. Adonai.

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Brother Joe Wages 32

On Conspiracy Theories.
Claim: The Seal on
the obverse of the
one dollar bill is
the seal of the
Illuminati.

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Origin: Roosevelts
Communist
Manifesto by
Emanuel
Josephson (1955)

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Reality: Seal of the
Minerval Church in
Freising.

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Reality: Seal of
Munich Lodge
Theodore am
Guten Rath.

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Fact: The image of the
original seal is
unknown. We do
have a description

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Claim: The Illuminati
started the French
Revolution.

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Sources:
Proofs of a Conspiracy
Against all the Religions
and Governments of
Europe, John Robison
(1798).
Memoirs illustrating the
history of Jacobinism, Abb
Baurruel Vol. 3 (1799).

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Fact: A branch of the Order coupled with the bold action of Johann
Joachim Christoph Bode (1730-1793), made one final attempt at
spreading the highest degrees of the Order to France, as a means
to extinguish and reform their occult practices and reform
Masonry in general. In the summer of 1787, Bode and his traveling
companion and fellow member Christian Wilhelm von dem
Bussche (1756-1817) under the assumed orders of the Gotha
Lodge went to France, to attend the Parisian Convention of 1787.
Though they arrived too late to impact it directly, Bode's paper on
the origin of Masonry was placed before the committee and
viewed favorably. Through this he was able to gain an audience
with Savalette de Langes, head of the Philaleths, the highest
degree practiced in Parisian Lodge Les Amis Runis. He was able
to negotiate the installation of the highest degrees of the Order in
exchange for copies of their degrees and materials. .

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On Conspiracy Theories.
They agreed that for France they would adopt the name
Philadelphes instead of the Illuminati. The reason for the
first name is: they already have the name Philaleths' for
their highest degree and to not depend on the prestige of
mysterious societies. Bode himself had unilaterally
penetrated the highest levels of Philaleths, the most
powerful and influential Lodge in Paris. He personally
initiated five of the highest members of the Lodge and
established its correspondence with the Gotha Lodge. The
record is difficult to follow from here, but it seems that in
total there were 22 members of this secondary Lodge,
which functioned up to 1792. The activities of this group
are speculative as definitive material is no longer extant.
Here ends the last remnants of the Order, which had
continued on in spite of the fatal blow delivered some
seven years earlier.
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On Conspiracy Theories.
Claim: The Illuminati
established several Lodges
in Lodges in America.

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On Conspiracy Theories.
Sources:
Memoirs illustrating the
history of Jacobinism, Abb
Baurruel Vol. 3 (1799).
A sermon, exhibiting the
present dangers, and
consequent duties of the
citizens of the United
States of America.
Delivered at Charlestown,
April 25, 1799, Jedidiah
Morse (1799).
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On Conspiracy Theories.
Fact:
The idea that the Order actually came to America stems from a mistranslation.
Memoirs illustrating the history of Jacobinism: A translation from the French of The Abbe
Barruel Part IV, Vol. IV (1799) P.161 from the German Drey merkwrdige Aussagen die
innere Einrichtung des Illuminatenordens in Baiern betreffend (1786) S.50
We have abandoned, one after the other, this Sect, which, under different names, as we have been
informed by several of our former Brethren, has already spread itself in Italy, and particularly
at Venice, in Austria, in Holland, in Saxony on the Rhine, particularly at Frankfort, and even as far
as America. - The Illuminees meddle as much as possible in state affairs, and excite troubles
wherever their Order can be benefitted by them.
Actual English translation of the original German.
We were not afraid and, undaunted by the often repeated threat: that no Prince is able to protect a
man who betrays us, we left, one after the other, this sect that is said to have spread in Italy,
particularly in Venice, in Austria, Holland, Saxony, along the Rhine, particularly in Frankfurt, and
even in America under different names, according to our former brothers. They mingle in all state
affairs, if they can, and cause unrest if it is required for the best of the Order.
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On Conspiracy Theories.
Fact:
There was a plan to establish a colony along
the Savannah River called Elysium at either
Purisburg, SC, Ebenezer, GA, or Augusta,
GA.
The plan never came to fruition as the British
captured the Southern States for the duration
of the war, rendering their plan futile.
The Illuminati were heavily influenced by our
Revolution and not the other way around.
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Baaders Letter to Benjamin Franklin.

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Baaders Letter to John Adams.

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John Adams reply to Baader.

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Nosce te ipsum.
Per me caeche vident.

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