Abb Augustin Barruel

Augustin Barruel, born in 1741, was a French Jesuit priest and journalist. He is primarily recognized for his significant work, 'Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism,' published in 1797. In this influential book, Barruel presented a conspiracy theory positing that the French Revolution was not a spontaneous uprising but a meticulously planned event orchestrated by secret societies, specifically naming the Bavarian Illuminati and the Jacobins.

Barruel's ideas, partly inspired by John Robison, suggested a coordinated effort by groups like the Illuminati and Freemasons to dismantle monarchies and the Vatican, aiming to establish a world republic. He also explored the idea of surviving Knight Templars infiltrating Freemasonry to undermine Christianity. Despite initial theories about a global Jewish conspiracy, Barruel later expressed concern that such accusations could incite violence against Jewish people. His writings, particularly on the French Revolution, gained considerable attention in England, influencing opposition to revolutionary principles.

Augustin Barruel was born in Villeneuve de Berg, France, in 1741. He joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1756 and worked as a grammar teacher in Toulouse. Due to anti-Jesuit sentiments in France, he left the country and continued his academic work in Moravia and Bohemia until the Jesuit order was suppressed in 1773. Upon his return to France, Barruel began his literary career, publishing an ode in 1774 and becoming a contributor to the journal 'Année littéraire.' His early significant work was 'Les Helveiennes, ou Lettres Provinciales philosophiques' in 1781. As national affairs in France became more turbulent, Barruel's writing increasingly focused on public issues, including a refutation of a book on divorce in 1789 and his editorship of the 'Journal Ecclésiastique' from 1788 to 1792. During this period, he also defended the Pope and wrote pamphlets against oaths and the civil constitution imposed on clergy.

Exiled from France, Barruel developed a prominent conspiracy theory, influenced by John Robison, which he detailed in his book 'Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism.' He argued that secret societies, including the Bavarian Illuminati and Freemasons, were behind the French Revolution, aiming to destroy monarchies and religious institutions like the Vatican to establish a world republic. Barruel speculated about the survival of the Knight Templars, suggesting they had infiltrated Freemasonry with the goal of eradicating Christianity. While he initially considered a global Jewish conspiracy, he later withdrew from publishing these specific ideas, fearing it might lead to violence against Jewish communities. His work resonated strongly in England, where he had taken refuge, influencing British opposition to the French Revolution's principles.

Following the fall of the Directory, Barruel returned to France and supported the new political order, authoring works to defend his views. He wrote 'Du Pape et de ses Droits Religieux' after the Concordat of 1801. In 1806, he received the Simonini letter, which purported to detail a Jewish-Illuminati conspiracy in Florence, though Barruel did not publicly publish its contents. His final major controversy involved defending the Holy See's actions regarding French bishops in 'The Papal Power.' Barruel also intended to write on the secret societies of the Middle Ages and the Albigensian Crusade, aiming to defend the Church's historical actions. At the time of his death in Paris in 1820, he was working on a refutation of Immanuel Kant's philosophy.