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BeginningIn May of 1776, Adam Weishaupt founded a secret society. They called themselves the "Perfectibilists." A short time later, they changed their name to the Illuminati, meaning illuminated. Weishaupt's aim was to replace Christianity with a religion of reason. Members pledged their obedience to their superiors and divided into three main classes. The first class included novices, minervals, and lesser illuminati. The second, freemasons, or ordinary, and the third, a mystery class comprised of priest and regent, magus and king.
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ImpactWeishaupt chose his recruits from his students at Ingolstadt, gradually extending his recruiting efforts. He paid special attention to young boys with wealth and social importance. Weishaupt began to make contact with Masonic Lodges in 1778. At its largest, the Illuminati extended from Italy to Denmark, and Warsaw to Paris. At no time do numbers appear to exceed 2,000.
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BanishmentSecret societies were banned by Karl Theodor, the Duke of Bavaria in 1785. Some members were imprisoned, or driven from their homes. Weishaupt was stripped of his chair at Ingolstadt and banished from Bavaria. After 1785 there are no records of activities under Weishaupt's Illuminati. The society has remained prominent in conspiracy theories for centuries. It has been credited with the instigation of the French Revolution, and the assassination of president John F. Kennedy, among others. After being exiled to Germany in 1786, Weishaupt wrote the first of 12 volumes about Illuminism. |
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Citations
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Illuminati.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Mar. 2020, www.britannica.com/topic/illuminati-group-designation.