In 1902, before becoming “international,” the “second” Illuminati met a much more famous esoteric organization, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
In 1901, the second real Order of the Illuminati was founded by Reuss and Engel. But its claims of historical continuity with the Bavarian Illuminati quickly collapsed.
The defunct Illuminati of Bavaria were revived by esoteric author Leopold Engel, who injected in the order references to Austrian visionary Jakob Lorber.
Calvinist Scottish author John Robison and French ex-Jesuit Augustin Barruel falsely argued that the Illuminati were behind the French Revolution.
In the 1780s, the Illuminati tried to promote a political conspiracy. They were quickly discovered and liquidated by the Bavarian police.
Thanks to a new adept, Baron von Knigge, the Bavarian Illuminati grew into a substantial Masonic organization, recruiting princes and leading intellectuals.
The only way of dispelling the myth of the Illuminati is to tell their real story, It starts with an Enlightenment secret society in Bavaria.
The movement’s founder was sentenced to a 10-year prison term. His followers maintained he was innocent, and kept the group alive and growing.
During their founder’s detention, members were sustained by their firm belief in his messianic role.
The movement managed to continue and grow notwithstanding the detention of its founder. One of the reasons was his unconventional theology.