Rosicrucianism
Christian Rosenkreutz
A legendary initiate who travels east, acquires wisdom and founds a hidden fraternity devoted to universal reform.
- Dates
- no historical lifespan
- Dating
- legendary identity
The life
The manifestos tell his story. Nothing else does.
Place in the tradition
The manifestos set off a European controversy and established the Rosicrucian brotherhood as a lasting occult ideal, whether or not the order they described ever existed.
a note on the record
History and later legend
No evidence establishes Christian Rosenkreutz as a historical person, or the fraternity as the ancient secret order described in the manifestos. His place on the chronology follows the dates given by those texts, not a supposed lifespan.
the written record
Principal works
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1614
Fama Fraternitatis
Tells the story of Christian Rosenkreutz and announces a hidden fraternity devoted to universal reform.
-
1615
Confessio Fraternitatis
Expands the ideological programme and announces a coming transformation of religion, philosophy and science.
-
1616
The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz
A bizarre, symbolically dense initiatory-alchemical romance involving a royal wedding, trials, death and regeneration.