Illiminate -

: At its peak, the group had between 650 and 2,500 members, including notable figures like the writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The Suppression

Illuminati | Facts, History, Suppression, & Conspiracy Theories illiminate

: Influenced by the Freemasons, the order used a hierarchical system of degrees and internal discipline to ensure secrecy. : At its peak, the group had between

The was founded on May 1, 1776, by Adam Weishaupt , a professor of law at the University of Ingolstadt. Despite its brief existence, the Illuminati became a

Despite its brief existence, the Illuminati became a central fixture in conspiracy lore.

: The group aimed to promote Enlightenment ideals, such as reason, secularism, and individual liberty , while opposing the powerful influence of the Roman Catholic Church and the state.

: Today, the "Illuminati" is often linked to the New World Order, with skeptics and theorists pointing to symbols like the "All-Seeing Eye" on the U.S. dollar bill as "evidence" of their control, even though the symbol has no historical link to Weishaupt's group.