By their very name, secret societies inspire curiosity, fascination and distrust. These societies were the incubators of democracy, modern science and ecumenical religion. They elected their own leaders and drew up constitutions to govern their operations. It wasn’t an accident that Voltaire, George Washington and Ben Franklin were all active members. And just like today’s networked radicals, much of their power was wrapped up in their ability to stay anonymous and keep their communications secret.
In recent years, Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, and other novelists have shined a light on some of the bigger secret fraternal organisations, like the Order of Skull and Bones, the Freemasons, the Rosicrucian Order and the Illuminati. But other lesser-known groups have compelling stories, too. Here are just a few. Read more