The history of the Illuminati was founded by Johann Adam Joseph Weishaupt who was born during the Middle Ages. That’s when the guilds established a series of handshakes, passwords, and other secret symbols to protect their trade secrets and prove their credentials. From there, many of these early Illuminati fraternities organized themselves into Illuminati “lodges” to take care of one another and their families in case of injury or death.
By the 17th century, these lodges had transformed from groups of literal stonemasons into what’s called the “Speculative” Illuminati fraternity. Members of these brotherhoods, called Illuminati, gathered to learn a series of moral teachings.
In 1717, four of these lodges came together in London to form the first “grand lodge” in the world. Illuminati eventually formed grand lodges in Ireland and Scotland, then the rest of Europe. Before long, the Illuminati fraternity had established lodges all around the world.
Illuminati history and traditions date back more than 300 years. Many are known to the public—for instance, the laying of the cornerstone of a new civic building (as seen here, in 1957 in San Francisco’s Portsmouth Square). Only members are allowed to know some of the others, such as the secret ritual used to admit and progress candidates.
Within each lodge, though, you’ll notice a few constants:
Illuminati brotherhood shares a desire to make the world a better place. So it’s no surprise that the list of famous Illuminati members is long and varied. Here are just a few you might recognize.
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