Abbé Barruel
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Augustin Barruel (October 2, 1741 – October 5, 1820) was a French journalist, intellectual, and
Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
. He is now mostly known for setting forth the
conspiracy theory A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...
involving the Bavarian
Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on 1 ...
and the
Jacobins The Society of the Friends of the Constitution (), renamed the Society of the Jacobins, Friends of Freedom and Equality () after 1792 and commonly known as the Jacobin Club () or simply the Jacobins (; ), was the most influential List of polit ...
in his book ''
Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism ''Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism'' (French: ''Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire du Jacobinisme'') is a book by Abbé Augustin Barruel, a French Jesuit priest. It was written and published in French in 1797–98, and translat ...
'' (original title ''Mémoires pour servir à l'Histoire du Jacobinisme'') published in 1797. In short, Barruel wrote that the French Revolution was planned and executed by the secret societies.


Biography

Augustin Barruel was born at Villeneuve de Berg (
Ardèche Ardèche (; , ; ) is a Departments of France, department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Southeastern France. It is named after the river Ardèche (river), Ardèche and had a population of 328,278 as of 2019.Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...
, commonly known as the Jesuits, in 1756, and taught grammar at
Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
from 1762. The storm against the Jesuits in France drove him from his country and he was occupied in college work in
Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...
and
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
until the suppression of the order in 1773. He then returned to France and his first literary work appeared in 1774: ''Ode sur le glorieux avenement de Louis Auguste au trone''. (Ode to the glorious advent to the throne of Louis Auguste). That same year he became a collaborator of the ''Année littéraire'', edited by Fréron. His first important work was ''Les Helveiennes, ou Lettres Provinciales philosophiques'' (The Helveiennes or philosophical Provincial Letters) published in 1781. In the meantime, national affairs in France were growing more and more turbulent, but Barruel continued his literary activity, which from now on occupied itself specially with public questions. In 1789 appeared ''Lettres sur le Divorce'', a refutation of a book by Hennet. From 1788 to 1792 he edited the famous ''Journal Ecclesiastique'' founded by
Joseph Dinouart Joseph Antoine Toussaint Dinouart (November 1, 1716 – April 23, 1786) was a preacher, polemicist, compiler of sacred learning, and apologist for French feminism. Biography Born in Amiens, he was ordained as a priest in there in 1740. ...
in 1760. In this periodical was published Barruel's ''La Conduite du. S. Siège envers la France'', a vigorous defense of
Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI (; born Count Angelo Onofrio Melchiorre Natale Giovanni Antonio called Giovanni Angelo or Giannangelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to hi ...
. He likewise wrote a number of pamphlets against the civil oath demanded from ecclesiastics and against the new civil constitution during 1790 and 1791. He afterward gathered into one ''Collection Ecclésiastique'' all of the works relative to the clergy and civil constitution.


The French Revolution and the conspiracy theory

Barruel, a
Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
exiled from France, using some ideas plagiarized from John Robison, peddled a
conspiracy theory A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...
that Jews,
Freemasons Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
and
Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on 1 ...
want to demolish all monarchies plus the Vatican, in order to establish a World Republic. But Barruel did not accuse all Freemasons, and considered himself to be a Freemason. Barruel accused the Knight Templars that they secretly survived and they have infiltrated Freemasonry in order to destroy Christianity. Barruel's original idea was to depict Jews as engaged in a global conspiracy, a driving force of world history (till then the general consensus was that the Jews are too powerless to do that). Later, Barruel refrained from republishing his book "fearing that it would lead to a massacre of the Jews." The storm of the French Revolution had in the meantime forced Barruel to seek refuge in England, where he became
almoner An almoner () is a chaplain or church officer who originally was in charge of distributing money to the deserving poor. The title ''almoner'' has to some extent fallen out of use in English, but its equivalents in other languages are often used f ...
to the refugee
Prince of Conti Prince of Conti (French: ''prince de Conti'') was a French noble title, assumed by a cadet branch of the princely house of Bourbon-Condé. History The title derives its name from Conty, a small town in northern France, c. 35 km southwest ...
. Here he wrote in 1793 the ''Histoire du Clergé pendant la Revolution Française'' ("History of the Clergy during the French Revolution"). He dedicated the work to the English nation in recognition of the hospitality that it had shown toward the unfortunate French ecclesiastics. It has been translated into German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, and English. The English version went through several editions and did much to strengthen the British nation in its opposition to French revolutionary principles. While in London, Barruel published an English work, ''A Dissertation on Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Catholic Church.'' But none of his works attracted so much attention as his ''
Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism ''Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism'' (French: ''Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire du Jacobinisme'') is a book by Abbé Augustin Barruel, a French Jesuit priest. It was written and published in French in 1797–98, and translat ...
.'' His basic idea was that of a conspiracy with the aim of overthrowing Christianity—or more to the point, any and all forms of political and social organization based on conformity to the moral teachings of the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. Barruel's conspiracy is notable for suggesting an association between the
Occult The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysti ...
, the
French Enlightenment French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band) ...
, and Freemasons. He thereby associated
Paganism Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...
with Enlightenment thought, a trend followed by some later reactionary thinkers and even contemporary intellectual historians. It inspired John Robison, who had been working independently on his own conspiracy theory, to extend his book ''Proofs of a Conspiracy Against all the Religions and Governments of Europe'' and include several quotations from Barruel. Barruel and Robison were friends.


Late years

On the fall of the Directory in 1799, Barruel was enabled to return to France. He fully accepted and persuaded many other clergymen to accept the new political order of things in his native country and he wrote several books to defend his opinions. When the Concordat was made in 1801 between
Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...
and
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
, Barruel wrote: ''Du Pape et de ses Droits Religieux.'' In 1806, he was the recipient of the Simonini letter, which claimed to document a conspiracy among the Jews of
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
in coalition with the Illuminati. Barruel never published the letter's contents openly, although he likely circulated copies privately and the letter ended up being published in France's Le Contemporain in the 1870's. . His last important controversy was his defense of the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
in its deposition of the French
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
s, which he said had been necessitated by the new order of things in France established by the
Concordat of 1801 The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between the First French Republic and the Holy See, signed by First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII on 15 July 1801 in Paris. It remained in effect until 1905, except in Alsace–Lorraine, ...
. His book appeared also in English: ''The Papal Power, or an historical essay on the temporal power of the Pope.'' Many attacked the work, but as usual, the author did not suffer an antagonist to go unanswered. His new work involved him in a very extended controversy, for his work was translated into all the principal European languages. His friends and foes alike became involved in a wordy war. Blanchard published in London no fewer than three refutations. He had promised to compose two works that never appeared: ''Historie des Sociétés Secrètes au Moyen-Age'' and ''Dissertation sur la Croisade contre les Albigeois''. In regard to the latter work, Barruel stated his object would be to defend the Church against the reproach of having deposed kings and having freed their subjects from the oath of allegiance. He contended that objections on this score arose only from an ignorance of history. At the time of his death, Barruel was engaged on a refutation of the philosophical system of
Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant (born Emanuel Kant; 22 April 1724 â€“ 12 February 1804) was a German Philosophy, philosopher and one of the central Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works ...
, but never completed his work. He died in Paris in 1820.


Works


''Ode sur le Glorieux Avènement de Louis-Auguste au Trône, Présenté à la Reine,''
Paris, Valade, 1774. * Traduction du Latin de M. l'abbé Boscovich, ''Les Éclipses,'' poème en six chants, Paris, Valade et Laporte, 1779. * L''es Helviennes, ou Lettres Provinciales Philosophiques,'' Amsterdam et Paris, Laporte, 1781; Amsterdam et Paris, Moutard, 2 Vol., 1784 et 3e Vol., 1784-1785; Amsterdam et Paris, Briant, Vol. 4-5, 1788; 7e éd. Paris, Pailleux, 1830. * ''Lettres sur le Divorce, à un Député de l'Assemblée Nationale, ou bien, Réfutation d'un Ouvrage Ayant pour Titre: "Du Divorce,"'' Paris, Crapart, 1789. * ''Le Patriote Véridique, ou Discours sur les Vraies Causes de la Révolution Actuelle,'' Paris, Crapart, 1789. * (éd.) ''Le Plagiat du Comité Soi-disant Ecclésiastique de l'Assemblée Nationale, ou Décret de Julien l'Apostat, Formant les Bases de la Constitution Civile du Clergé Français, Suivi des Représentations de Saint Grégoire de Nazianze, Antioche et Autun,'' Imprimerie Impériale, 1790. * ''Les Vrais Principes sur le Mariage, Opposés au Rapport de M. Durand de Maillane et Servant de Suite aux Lettres sur le Divorce,'' Paris, Crapart, 1790. * ''De la Conduite des Curés dans les Circonstances Présentes. Lettre d'un Curé de Campagne à son Confrère, Député à l'Assemblée Nationale, sur la Conduite à Tenir par les Pasteurs des Ames, dans les Affaires du Jour,'' Paris, Crapart, 1790. * ''Développement du Serment Exigé des Prêtres en Fonction par l'Assemblée Nationale,'' Paris, Craparad, 1790.
''Question Nationale sur l'Autorité et sur les Droits du Peuple dans le Gouvernement,''
Paris, Craparad, 1791. * ''Question Décisive sur les Pouvoirs ou la Juridiction des Nouveaux Pasteurs,'' Paris, Crapart, 1791. * ''Développement du Second Serment Appelé Civique, Décrété le 16 et le 29 Novembre 1791,'' Paris, Crapard,
791 __NOTOC__ Year 791 ( DCCXCI) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 791 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Euro ...
ergamon Press, "Les archives de la Révolution française," 1989 * ''Préjugés Légitimes sur la Constitution Civile du Clergé et sur le Serment Exigé des Fonctionnaires Publics,'' Paris, Crapart, 1791. * (éd.) ''Collection Ecclésiastique ou Recueil Complet des Ouvrages Faits Depuis l'Ouverture des États Généraux, Relativement au Clergé, à sa Constitution Civile, Décrétée par l'Assemblée Nationale, Sanctionnée par le Roi,'' Paris, Crapart, 1791-1793. * ''Lettre Pastorale de M. l'Évêque d'Evreux, à ses Diocésains. En leur Adressant l'Apologie de la Conduite du Pape, dans les Circonstances Présentes,'' Paris, Crapart, 1792.
''Histoire du Clergé Pendant la Révolution Française,''
2 vol., Londres et Paris, Chez les libraires, 1797. * ''Mémoires pour Servir à l'Histoire du Jacobinisme,'' Hambourg, 5 vol., P. Fauche, 1798-1799. Rééditions: Hambourg, P. Fauche, 1803; Édition Revue et Corrigée, 1818; Abrégé par E. Perrenet éd. Paris, La Renaissance française, 1911; avec un introduction de Christian Lagrave, Diffusion de la pensée française, ''"Les Maîtres de la Contre-révolution,"'' 1974; Extraits sous le titre: Spartacus Weishaupt, Fondateur des Illuminés de Bavière, Ventabren, Les Rouyat, 1979; Pergamon press, ''"Les archives de la Révolution Française,"'' 1989; Éditions de Chiré, ''"Les Maîtres de la Contre-révolution,"'' 2 t., 2005. * ''Abrégé des Mémoires pour Servir à l'Histoire du Jacobinisme,'' 2 vol., Londres, P. Le Boussonnier, 1798, 1799; Luxembourg, 1800; Hambourg, P. Fauche
1800
1801; Paris: A. Le Clère, 1817. * ''Lettres d'un Voyageur à l'Abbé Barruel, ou Nouveaux Documents pour ses Mémoires, Nouvelles Découvertes Faites en Allemagne, Anecdotes sur Quelques Grands Personnages de ce Pays, Chronique de la Secte, etc. (1er juin-1er novembre 1799),'' Londres, Dulau, 1800. * ''Du Pape et de ses Droits Religieux, à l'Occasion du Concordat,'' 2 vol., Paris, Crapart, 1803. * ''Trois Propositions sur l’Église de France, Établie en Vertu du Concordat,'' Londres, J. Booker,
804 __NOTOC__ Year 804 ( DCCCIV) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Abbasid Caliphate * Battle of Krasos: Emperor Nikephoros I refuses to pay the tribute imposed by Caliph Harun al-Rashid of the A ...
* ''Du Principe et de l'Obstination des Jacobins, en Réponse au Sénateur Grégoire,'' Paris, 1814; rad. italienne: Del principio e della ostinazione dei Giacobini; risposta dell’abate Barruel al senator Gregoire, Torino, Galletti, 1814 * ''Réplique Pacifique aux Trois Avocats de M. le Sénateur Grégoire,'' Paris, . n. 1814. * (éd.) ''Recueil Précieux pour les Historiens de ce Temps, ou Choix de Brochures et de Pamphlets sur les Personnages et les Événements de la Révolution à dater de la Première Abdication de Buonaparte jusqu'au Moment Présent,'' 4 vol., Paris, Chez les marchands de nouveautés, 1815. * Réponse a l’avocat de la Petite-Église, Laval, Portier,
818 __NOTOC__ Year 818 ( DCCCXVIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Vikings known as Rus' (Norsemen) plunder the north coast of Anatolia (modern Turkey), marking the first re ...
* Lettres inédites de Barruel à son retour d’exil (1802-1806), publiées par Abel Dechêne, Aubenas, C. Habauzit, 1923.


Works translated to English, and related documents


''Memoirs, Illustrating the History of Jacobinism,''Vol. 2Vol. 3Vol. 4
Hudson & Goodwin for C. Davis, 1789. * ''A Dissertation on Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Catholic Church,'' J. P. Coghlan, 1794. * ''The History of the Clergy During the French Revolution, in Three Parts,'' I. Neale & H. Kammerer, 1794. * ''Selections from the Abbe Barruel's "Memoirs, Illustrating the History of Jacobinism," with Brief Remarks on that Performance,'' Phinehas Allen, 1802. * ''The Anti-Christian and Anti-Social Conspiracy: An Extract from the French of the Abbé Barruel. To which is Prefixed, "Jachin and Boaz; or, an Authentic Key to the Door of Free-masonry, Ancient and Modern,"'' Joseph Ehrenfried, 1812. ** Clifford, Robert
''Application of Barruel's Memoirs of Jacobinism, to the Secret Societies of Ireland and Great Britain,''
E. Booker, 1798.


See also

*
Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism ''Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism'' (French: ''Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire du Jacobinisme'') is a book by Abbé Augustin Barruel, a French Jesuit priest. It was written and published in French in 1797–98, and translat ...
*
Lorenzo Hervás Lorenzo Hervás y Panduro was a Spanish Jesuit and philologist; born at Horcajo, 1 May 1735; died at Rome, 24 August 1809. He is one of the most important authors, together with Juan Andrés, Antonio Eximeno or Celestino Mutis, of the Spani ...
, author of ''"Causes of the French Revolution"'' (1807) * John Robison, author of ''"Proofs of a Conspiracy"'' (1797) *
Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...


References


Further reading

* Beik, Paul H. "The French Revolution Seen from the Right: Social Theories in Motion, 1789-1799," ''Transactions of the American Philosophical Society,'' New Series, Vol. 46, No. 1, 1956. * Beum, Robert. "Ultra-Royalism Revisited," ''Modern Age,'' Vol. XXXIX, No. 3, September 1997. * Carrino, Agostino. ''La Rivoluzione Francese Secondo Barruel,'' Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, 1989. * Garrard, Graeme. ''Counter-Enlightenments: From the Eighteenth Century to the Present,'' Routledge 2005. * Hofman, Amos. "Opinion, Illusion, and the Illusion of Opinion: Barruel's Theory of Conspiracy," ''Eighteenth-Century Studies,'' Vol. 27, No. 1, Autumn, 1993. * Mackey, Albert G
"Barruel, Abbé."
In ''An Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry and its Kindred Sciences,'' Moss & Company, 1874. * McMahon, Darrin M. '' Enemies of the Enlightenment: The French Counter-Enlightenment and the Making of Modernity,'' Oxford University Press, 2001. * Riquet, Michel. ''Augustin de Barruel: un Jésuite Face aux Jacobins Francs-Maçons (1741-1820),'' Beauchesne, 1989. * Schaeper-Wimmer, Sylva. ''Augustin Barruel, S.J. (1741-1820): Studien zu Biographie und Werk,'' Peter Lang, 1885. * Tackett, Timothy. "Conspiracy Obsession in a Time of Revolution: French Elites and the Origins of the Terror, 1789-1792," ''The American Historical Review,'' Vol. 105, No. 3, Jun., 2000.


External links

* Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism *
Part 1, Antichristian Conspiracy
*
Part 2, The Antimonarchical Conspiracy
*
Part 3, Antisocial Conspiracy
*
Part 4, Antisocial Conspiracy; Historical Part
*
Conspiracy of the Enlightenment: Augustin Barruel and His ''Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barruel, Augustin 1741 births 1820 deaths 18th-century French Jesuits Critics of Freemasonry Counter-Enlightenment French conspiracy theorists Illuminati conspiracy theorists People from Villeneuve-de-Berg Roman Catholic conspiracy theorists