November 18

Born in Ingolstadt in 1748, Adam Weishaupt studied law and philosophy before becoming a professor of canon law. He grew disillusioned with the Jesuit influence and founded the Order of the Illuminati in 1776 to promote Enlightenment ideals of reason and secularism. The society attracted intellectuals and politicians but was suppressed by the Bavarian government in 1785. Weishaupt spent his later years in exile, continuing to write on philosophy and theology. His ideas fueled conspiracy theories that persist into modern times. He died in 1830, remembered as a controversial figure in the history of secret societies.