A Brief History of the Freemasons

The history of the Freemasons has been often shrouded in mystery and suspicion.

Since 1717, with the establishment of the Grand Lodge in London, the Freemasons have been a power within the nation, withstanding public disapproval and attacks, from the Catholic Church among others.

Throughout the last three hundred years, the Freemasons have been influential in some of the most important turning points in world history.

Jasper Ridley explores the role of the society in both the American and French Revolutions and whether Mozart’s The Magic Flute was an exposé of secret rituals. He reveals that Pushkin, Winston Churchill, Booker T. Washington, Clark Gable, Walter Scott, members of the royal family and at least sixteen US Presidents have all been Freemasons.

About the Author

Jasper Ridley was a former barrister turned author and became one of England’s leading biographers. His later works included lives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. His book on Lord Palmerston won the James Tait Black prize. His last work, The Freemasons, was highly acclaimed.