What do you think?
Rate this book
A Brief History of the Freemasons
This book separates myth from truth and describes the development of the society from its origins amongst the masons working upon the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages.
340 pages, Paperback
First published January 7, 2002
490 people are currently reading
1446 people want to read
About the author
Jasper Ridley
29 books20 followersJasper Ridley was a British writer, known for historical biographies. He was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and the Sorbonne. He trained and practiced as a barrister, before starting to write. During World War II, he was a conscientious objector and was, by his own account, violently abused while in a detention camp. He served on St Pancras Borough Council from 1945 to 1949, and stood, unsuccessfully, as Labour Party candidate for Winchester in 1955 general election.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
October 15, 2016
Three words come immediately to mind: "glib," "snide," and "unreadable."
I wasn't expecting this book to move mountains or anything. But even a casual perusal before I dug in at page 1 to read gave me the impression that this was not going to be a well researched or factual book. Some of the topics covered I've otherwise read a good deal about, and I found myself repeatedly saying, "That's not exactly right." Which makes me think that those topics about which I know next to nothing (or less) are addressed with the same lack of clarity and veracity.
On top of that, there seems a mildly sarcastic tone--a subjective claim on my part, certainly--that permeates the writing.
But the writing, indeed. Of all my criticisms, it is foremost the writing that had me rolling my eyes page after page. The structure of much of this not-short book is fundamentally this: a gloss of an historical event or period and the part played by an individual, concluded by the sentence, "He was a Freemason." Truly, page after page, this trite cycle plays out. After a couple chapters of that, I felt giddy and nauseous every time I pocketed a passage. Of course, sometimes he did mix it up a bit, with the occasional, "He was not a Freemason. But his father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate was."
Vastly NOT recommended. For anyone.
I wasn't expecting this book to move mountains or anything. But even a casual perusal before I dug in at page 1 to read gave me the impression that this was not going to be a well researched or factual book. Some of the topics covered I've otherwise read a good deal about, and I found myself repeatedly saying, "That's not exactly right." Which makes me think that those topics about which I know next to nothing (or less) are addressed with the same lack of clarity and veracity.
On top of that, there seems a mildly sarcastic tone--a subjective claim on my part, certainly--that permeates the writing.
But the writing, indeed. Of all my criticisms, it is foremost the writing that had me rolling my eyes page after page. The structure of much of this not-short book is fundamentally this: a gloss of an historical event or period and the part played by an individual, concluded by the sentence, "He was a Freemason." Truly, page after page, this trite cycle plays out. After a couple chapters of that, I felt giddy and nauseous every time I pocketed a passage. Of course, sometimes he did mix it up a bit, with the occasional, "He was not a Freemason. But his father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate was."
Vastly NOT recommended. For anyone.
July 16, 2009
This was a little too much "Joe Smith was a Freemason; Joe Jones was not a Freemason..."
Not very well written!
Not very well written!
November 7, 2009
This book outlines the history of the the freemasons, from its Middle Age inception in roughly 1550 AD to current. It covers its expansion through England, its involvement in the American revolution, its presence in France, and includes notable historical Mason figures.
It is fascinating to see how freemasons have been threaded throughout history.
This book does not cover any type of details on Mason ceremony/ritual or an explanation of the inception of these events that have made the Masons such a fascinating organization.
It is a long book. Be prepared to wade through many historical events.
It is fascinating to see how freemasons have been threaded throughout history.
This book does not cover any type of details on Mason ceremony/ritual or an explanation of the inception of these events that have made the Masons such a fascinating organization.
It is a long book. Be prepared to wade through many historical events.
May 19, 2010
More than you could ever want or need to know about the Freemasons. Objective with no conspiracy theories, but a heck of a lot of Freemasons.
September 20, 2020
I read this book to update my own book on two illustrious Freemasons: George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. I had thought that the “free” in Freemasons came from their ability to freely travel throughout Europe to build castles and cathedrals with their much sought-after skills with stone. This well-researched book says something more. That "Freemason" was a shortening of "freestone mason," a highly skilled mason who worked in “freestone,” such as limestone, which could be freely cut in any direction, lending itself to graceful artistic decoration.
Beyond this insight, the book does a fairly decent job of describing the history of Freemasonry. I must take a small exception, though, to the author’s description of “hanged, drawn, and quartered” at location 264 of 6491, where he discusses the penalty King Henry VIII would impose on any of his subjects denying his (not the Pope's) role as Supreme Head of the Church of England. A more fully explained (to include quartering, which the author omits) UK description of this execution reads as such: “The victims were first hung by the neck but taken from the scaffold while still alive. The entrails and genitals are then removed (drawn), the head cut off and the torso hacked into four quarters. There's some debate over whether drawn refers to the dragging of the live victim to the butcher's block or the (with)drawing of the entrails. A supposed contemporary account of the execution of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators has it that ‘... after his fall he [Robert Keyes] was drawn to the block, and there his bowels withdrawn, and he was divided into four parts.’ If this account is to be believed, drawing referred to either of or both the moving of the still live body and the subsequent withdrawal of the entrails.” Drawing, per Wikipedia, could also refer to a horse dragging the person to the place of execution, then to be hung. Also, sometimes the quartering could be down by wild horses pulling on the victim’s four limbs. Typically, the five body parts would then be taken around the country to warn people who had not witnessed the execution about what happens to those who cross their sovereign. “The head was generally par-boiled in brine to preserve the appearance of the head in display, while the quarters were more often prepared in pitch, for longer-lasting deterrent displays.”
Then, on location 1071 of 6491, the author later writes, “No one was hanged, drawn and quartered in England after the Papist priests who suffered during the so-called ‘Popish Plot’ in 1679—81.” However, this is what Wikipedia says: “After the Crimes Act 1814 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the prisoner was instead hanged until dead - not having to suffer the extremely painful remainder of the punishment while alive. The public display of the bodies of executed prisoners (whether by hanging, drawing and quartering, or some other method) was removed from English criminal law in 1843; drawing and quartering in 1870.” On the other hand, laws aside, it’s been written that David Tyrie was the last man actually hanged, drawn, and quartered, this happening in 1782. Others say it was Edward Despard (and six co-conspirators) in 1803. But evidence leads one to believe that while Despard was sentenced to hanging, drawing, and quartering, his sentence was commuted to simply hanging and beheading. At any rate, Tyrie was 100 years after the date given by the author.
I also have a small issue with the rendering of France’s entering the American Revolutionary War. At location 1795 of 6491, the author says, “King Louis XVI found an easy way of helping the Americans. A young nobleman, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, was a typical member of the young, progressive aristocracy who believed in ideals of freedom, constitutional government and religious toleration; and he had become a Freemason. The King gave him permission to raise a band of volunteers to fight for freedom in America.” Well, yes, the King gave Lafayette permission, but it wasn’t an “easy way” and was long after the King wanted to lock Lafayette up in the Bastille (1776) to prevent him from going to America and violating France’s peace treaty with England after their Seven Year’s War. By the time the King was openly willing to help him, Lafayette had already become a hero at the Battle of Brandywine (1777).
Then, too, the book sometimes runs far afield into tangents related to some of the Freemasons covered. All in all, though, the book is full of intriguing facts about Freemasons. As a fellow author, I'd say it’s well-written and highly recommended for those interested in the history of Freemasonry!
Beyond this insight, the book does a fairly decent job of describing the history of Freemasonry. I must take a small exception, though, to the author’s description of “hanged, drawn, and quartered” at location 264 of 6491, where he discusses the penalty King Henry VIII would impose on any of his subjects denying his (not the Pope's) role as Supreme Head of the Church of England. A more fully explained (to include quartering, which the author omits) UK description of this execution reads as such: “The victims were first hung by the neck but taken from the scaffold while still alive. The entrails and genitals are then removed (drawn), the head cut off and the torso hacked into four quarters. There's some debate over whether drawn refers to the dragging of the live victim to the butcher's block or the (with)drawing of the entrails. A supposed contemporary account of the execution of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators has it that ‘... after his fall he [Robert Keyes] was drawn to the block, and there his bowels withdrawn, and he was divided into four parts.’ If this account is to be believed, drawing referred to either of or both the moving of the still live body and the subsequent withdrawal of the entrails.” Drawing, per Wikipedia, could also refer to a horse dragging the person to the place of execution, then to be hung. Also, sometimes the quartering could be down by wild horses pulling on the victim’s four limbs. Typically, the five body parts would then be taken around the country to warn people who had not witnessed the execution about what happens to those who cross their sovereign. “The head was generally par-boiled in brine to preserve the appearance of the head in display, while the quarters were more often prepared in pitch, for longer-lasting deterrent displays.”
Then, on location 1071 of 6491, the author later writes, “No one was hanged, drawn and quartered in England after the Papist priests who suffered during the so-called ‘Popish Plot’ in 1679—81.” However, this is what Wikipedia says: “After the Crimes Act 1814 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the prisoner was instead hanged until dead - not having to suffer the extremely painful remainder of the punishment while alive. The public display of the bodies of executed prisoners (whether by hanging, drawing and quartering, or some other method) was removed from English criminal law in 1843; drawing and quartering in 1870.” On the other hand, laws aside, it’s been written that David Tyrie was the last man actually hanged, drawn, and quartered, this happening in 1782. Others say it was Edward Despard (and six co-conspirators) in 1803. But evidence leads one to believe that while Despard was sentenced to hanging, drawing, and quartering, his sentence was commuted to simply hanging and beheading. At any rate, Tyrie was 100 years after the date given by the author.
I also have a small issue with the rendering of France’s entering the American Revolutionary War. At location 1795 of 6491, the author says, “King Louis XVI found an easy way of helping the Americans. A young nobleman, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, was a typical member of the young, progressive aristocracy who believed in ideals of freedom, constitutional government and religious toleration; and he had become a Freemason. The King gave him permission to raise a band of volunteers to fight for freedom in America.” Well, yes, the King gave Lafayette permission, but it wasn’t an “easy way” and was long after the King wanted to lock Lafayette up in the Bastille (1776) to prevent him from going to America and violating France’s peace treaty with England after their Seven Year’s War. By the time the King was openly willing to help him, Lafayette had already become a hero at the Battle of Brandywine (1777).
Then, too, the book sometimes runs far afield into tangents related to some of the Freemasons covered. All in all, though, the book is full of intriguing facts about Freemasons. As a fellow author, I'd say it’s well-written and highly recommended for those interested in the history of Freemasonry!
September 26, 2022
The book is very enlightening and while sometimes accurate, there are times I found inaccuracies. Thus its low rating. I found a difficult inaccuracy in the section on the Balkans. While much of what he says is true, there are many historical mistakes. So, in conclusion, I found his conclusions rational but his method flawed.
May 22, 2019
Like many people my knowledge of the Freemasons was shaped by popular media including “documentaries”, attention-seeking conspiracy theories, and sensational magazine articles. When I came across this book I was intrigued: it was written by an accredited, serious historian. It did not disappoint: it dispelled conjecture, and innuendo and replaced it with historical facts based on primary sources. The amount of scholarship that went into this book is impressive.
Some of the reviews are quite scathing. I agree that the book is not well written and can be quite hard to follow. However, it is not a novel and not “historical fiction”. It is a summation of the available primary sources. Those reviewers that claim it is not well researched cannot be taken seriously unless they point out specific errors.
We learn that the masons were the pre-eminent skilled workers of the middle ages - riding the way of cathedral, abbey, church, and castle building that started in the 11th century. There were two kinds: the rough masons who laid the hard stone and the “freestone” masons that carved the fine facades out of the softer stone - hence “freemasons”. The hut they erected to store their tools and take their midday meals was called a ”lodge”. Masons, like all skilled workers, were under the control of a trade guild under charter from the king. The earliest known charter dates from 1057 in Glasgow.
The rules for the Mason guilds were no different from other trade guilds and certainly not secret. This included working hours and pay. The highly regulated life of medieval kingdoms was disrupted by the acute labour shortages that followed the Black Death of the 14th century. Ruling nobility tried to enforce maximum pay laws but masons and employers often made secret illegal agreements. This is were the notion of secrecy originates.
In France laws were passed in the 16th century forbidding trade association members from meeting in groups: driving them to meet in secret. A perfectly logical consequence. In Scotland, apprenticeship rules were changed to undermine the position of master-masons. They responded by using code words to identify each other. Again a perfectly logical development which later writers have distorted into something nefarious.
During these times the Protestant and Catholic dogma-wars were in full flight with atrocities on both sides. Most masons followed the dictates of the country in which they practiced their craft. A few enlightened thinkers were in favour of religious toleration but had to keep their views secret to avoid being ostracized (and possibly burnt) as heretics. This too seems a reasonable precaution for self preservation. Incidentally, a new religious sect “The Rosicrucians” started in 1610 is often wrongly conflated with the masons.
After centuries of religious turmoil, gradually, enlightenment and renaissance glimmered at the beginning of the 1700s. The Freemasons ceased to be an underground trade union and it’s membership became more diverse. Despite prodigious research, Jasper Ridley says that no one knows how this change in membership came about.
During this nebulous era, a distinction was made between ‘operative masons’ and ‘admitted masons’ (aka “gentleman masons”). Apparently there was a long tradition of guilds accepting as members men who had no connection with the trade. There was great social prestige in having influential gentlemen as members. This reminds me of Groucho Marx’ witticism that “I wouldn’t join any club that would have me as a member”. One can speculate that as the social status of masons declined they looked around for ways to enhance their appeal.
One of the ways they found, it seems, was to create their own mythology. This doesn’t appear to be a concerted effort. Various lodge members in lodges in different countries embellished and outright invented outrageous stories about the origins of the Freemasons. Some of these stories gained traction. One of the earliest was a claim that their “secrets” dated back to the construction of Solomon’s temple! In 1723, after the foundation of the English Grand Lodge in London, a prominent Freemason (James Anderson) published the “Book of Constitutions”. He went even further, claiming that god was a mason and had given the masons their secret signs as a counter to the Tower of Babel 🤣.
I found this information astonishing; I had assumed that these idiotic myths had been put forward by the society’s critics! I think one has to put on one’s armchair psychologist hat for an explanation. Here are a group of people involved in a trade that is of less importance as building technology evolves. They have their lodges and secret meetings but no secrets, but they enjoy hanging out with the nobility and getting away from their wives. If this was common knowledge they would be ridiculed. So they invent secrets and rituals and robes and oaths. Remember most of the members are just skilled laborers, barely literate, and they probably started to believe this propaganda. It happens in our own time: think of the crazy fraternities that make the news. What about the crazy conspiracy theories cooked up on social media. How about cable “news”? Unfortunately, the gullible amongst us will always gravitate towards anyone claiming to know “the secret”. Hopefully, there will always be somebody like Jasper Ridley to separate fact from fiction 😀.
So with aristocratic support and a growing mythology the freemasons flourished. From 1717 to 1735 the number of lodges affiliated to the grand lodge increased from 4 to 126! The title of Grand Master was held by a succession of lords and dukes. The freemasons reemerged into the open - even holding an annual feast day (24 June) procession in London. Masonic lodges were formed in half a dozen European countries.
Their popularity was noticed with jealousy and suspicion - particularly by catholic rulers. In 1738 Pope Clement XII issued a “Bull” against them and the Inquisition started it’s “trials”. While some of the rulers paid lip service to the Bull, the aristocracy continued to support many lodges. Around 1750 an inner group - the “Royal Arch” - appeared. In the admission ceremony the highest secrets were revealed to the initiates. Where this nonsense originated Jasper was unable to determine. The highest secret was the name of God 😂: “Jahbulon” from Jehovah+Baal+Osiris! Embarrassingly for Christian supporters Baal is equated with evil in the Bible. In the second half of the 1700s a new generation were heading up the lodges - it seems they took these secrets very seriously. They didn’t know that these ridiculous secrets had just been invented by their predecessors.
It was also around this time that the masonic hierarchy grew more complicated. The three original degrees (apprentice, entered apprentice, master) mushroomed to 33! Women, however, were still excluded and the masons had a hard time defending their position. Inter lodge rivalry also grew. The most prominent disagreement resulting in a 70 year rift between the “Ancient” and “Modern” order.
FreeMason lodges were also created in North America in the 1700s. The most well known member being Benjamin Franklin - in 1734 he was elected master of a lodge in Philadelphia. In fact, he published the aforementioned “Constitutions”. Interestingly, Franklin listed 5734 as the year of publication: using the masonic calendar which puts the year of creation as 4000 BC 😂. In 1752 a young man called George Washington was initiated into the masons. It’s the involvement of these two gentlemen that spurred the belief that the Freemasons had masterminded the Revolution! The author debunks this and related conspiracy theories. The most amusing being that freemasons disguised as Red Indians threw tea into Boston Harbour.
Freemasons were also associated with the French Revolution. This time because, firstly, they were confused with the Illuminati - a small group with visions of benign world domination. Secondly, because, the Duke Of Orleans (a Grand Master) voted in favour of executing Louis XVI. Napoleon, however, was tolerant of the masons. On his way to exile on St Helena he described them as “a set of imbeciles who meet for a good meal” 👍🏻. Incidentally, women were admitted to many French lodges at this time.
If at this point in book, if there are still readers who believe in a Freemason conspiracy they need only read what happened during the French Restoration. Wellington was a mason as were many generals in Napoleon’s
army. So you have masons fighting masons. The Freemason masters in France basically sat on the sidelines till the winner became apparent. Then they all jumped on the bandwagon claiming they had been on the winning side the whole time 🤥.
Freemasonry also spread to Russia. It was suppressed during the reign of Catherine the Great but tolerated by Alexander I until 1822 when all secret societies were banned.
In the USA Freemasons triggered a backlash in 1826 when they murdered a member: William Morgan planned to publish their secrets in return for money from a publisher. This is the only known case but fueled speculation that they routinely killed people to silence them. It was an outrageous act although the details the author reveals are quite comical. John Quincy Adams was the most prominent of the critics - for a while there was even an Anti-Masonic political party. Freemason membership dropped - for example in New York it went from 20,000 to 3,000. It would not begin to recover for 30 years.
The next conspiracy theory was spread by Spanish catholics during the period of South American rebellion (early 1800s). They claimed that Miranda, a revolutionary leader, had been incited by English Freemasons. Ridley cites convincing evidence that this was just Spanish propaganda. Ironically, Spanish Freemasons were, in fact, hotbeds of revolutionary thinking despite suppression by the authorities. Bolivar, Miranda, Mina were indeed all Freemasons but a product of Spanish cruelty rather than external conspiracy.
In France in 1861 the Freemasons quarreled amongst themselves regarding the election of a new Grand Master. So much so that in 1862 Napoleon III decreed that the Emperor himself would make the appointment. This event highlights two points. Firstly, that in France (as in England) Freemasons were recognized at the highest levels of government. Secondly, that they were so disorganized and argumentative they couldn’t even elect their own leader 🙄 let alone conspire to rule the world.
As any well educated person knows, in the mid 1800s Europe was rocked by a serious of revolutions and rebellions. The reasons are not relevant here but this books shows that though Freemasons were involved they were not instigators. As a rule, Freemason thought favored liberal causes. Many revolutionaries were attracted to the Freemasons because of their tolerant beliefs; the Freemasons did not conspire to indoctrinate them. This is where modern conspiracy theorists confuse cause and effect.
Unfortunately, neither liberal ideals nor membership in the masons prevented some of these revolutionaries from committing atrocities. Many of the Young Turks, including Mustafa Kemal, that committed the Armenian Genocide of 1917 were Freemasons.
England meanwhile had created a global empire and although Queen Victoria was not amused by the Freemasons, Freemasonry spread to all areas of the empire. This included Australia and India. In true colonial arrogance, Indians were not allowed to join Indian Lodges until 1848 🧐.
Some of the reviews are quite scathing. I agree that the book is not well written and can be quite hard to follow. However, it is not a novel and not “historical fiction”. It is a summation of the available primary sources. Those reviewers that claim it is not well researched cannot be taken seriously unless they point out specific errors.
We learn that the masons were the pre-eminent skilled workers of the middle ages - riding the way of cathedral, abbey, church, and castle building that started in the 11th century. There were two kinds: the rough masons who laid the hard stone and the “freestone” masons that carved the fine facades out of the softer stone - hence “freemasons”. The hut they erected to store their tools and take their midday meals was called a ”lodge”. Masons, like all skilled workers, were under the control of a trade guild under charter from the king. The earliest known charter dates from 1057 in Glasgow.
The rules for the Mason guilds were no different from other trade guilds and certainly not secret. This included working hours and pay. The highly regulated life of medieval kingdoms was disrupted by the acute labour shortages that followed the Black Death of the 14th century. Ruling nobility tried to enforce maximum pay laws but masons and employers often made secret illegal agreements. This is were the notion of secrecy originates.
In France laws were passed in the 16th century forbidding trade association members from meeting in groups: driving them to meet in secret. A perfectly logical consequence. In Scotland, apprenticeship rules were changed to undermine the position of master-masons. They responded by using code words to identify each other. Again a perfectly logical development which later writers have distorted into something nefarious.
During these times the Protestant and Catholic dogma-wars were in full flight with atrocities on both sides. Most masons followed the dictates of the country in which they practiced their craft. A few enlightened thinkers were in favour of religious toleration but had to keep their views secret to avoid being ostracized (and possibly burnt) as heretics. This too seems a reasonable precaution for self preservation. Incidentally, a new religious sect “The Rosicrucians” started in 1610 is often wrongly conflated with the masons.
After centuries of religious turmoil, gradually, enlightenment and renaissance glimmered at the beginning of the 1700s. The Freemasons ceased to be an underground trade union and it’s membership became more diverse. Despite prodigious research, Jasper Ridley says that no one knows how this change in membership came about.
During this nebulous era, a distinction was made between ‘operative masons’ and ‘admitted masons’ (aka “gentleman masons”). Apparently there was a long tradition of guilds accepting as members men who had no connection with the trade. There was great social prestige in having influential gentlemen as members. This reminds me of Groucho Marx’ witticism that “I wouldn’t join any club that would have me as a member”. One can speculate that as the social status of masons declined they looked around for ways to enhance their appeal.
One of the ways they found, it seems, was to create their own mythology. This doesn’t appear to be a concerted effort. Various lodge members in lodges in different countries embellished and outright invented outrageous stories about the origins of the Freemasons. Some of these stories gained traction. One of the earliest was a claim that their “secrets” dated back to the construction of Solomon’s temple! In 1723, after the foundation of the English Grand Lodge in London, a prominent Freemason (James Anderson) published the “Book of Constitutions”. He went even further, claiming that god was a mason and had given the masons their secret signs as a counter to the Tower of Babel 🤣.
I found this information astonishing; I had assumed that these idiotic myths had been put forward by the society’s critics! I think one has to put on one’s armchair psychologist hat for an explanation. Here are a group of people involved in a trade that is of less importance as building technology evolves. They have their lodges and secret meetings but no secrets, but they enjoy hanging out with the nobility and getting away from their wives. If this was common knowledge they would be ridiculed. So they invent secrets and rituals and robes and oaths. Remember most of the members are just skilled laborers, barely literate, and they probably started to believe this propaganda. It happens in our own time: think of the crazy fraternities that make the news. What about the crazy conspiracy theories cooked up on social media. How about cable “news”? Unfortunately, the gullible amongst us will always gravitate towards anyone claiming to know “the secret”. Hopefully, there will always be somebody like Jasper Ridley to separate fact from fiction 😀.
So with aristocratic support and a growing mythology the freemasons flourished. From 1717 to 1735 the number of lodges affiliated to the grand lodge increased from 4 to 126! The title of Grand Master was held by a succession of lords and dukes. The freemasons reemerged into the open - even holding an annual feast day (24 June) procession in London. Masonic lodges were formed in half a dozen European countries.
Their popularity was noticed with jealousy and suspicion - particularly by catholic rulers. In 1738 Pope Clement XII issued a “Bull” against them and the Inquisition started it’s “trials”. While some of the rulers paid lip service to the Bull, the aristocracy continued to support many lodges. Around 1750 an inner group - the “Royal Arch” - appeared. In the admission ceremony the highest secrets were revealed to the initiates. Where this nonsense originated Jasper was unable to determine. The highest secret was the name of God 😂: “Jahbulon” from Jehovah+Baal+Osiris! Embarrassingly for Christian supporters Baal is equated with evil in the Bible. In the second half of the 1700s a new generation were heading up the lodges - it seems they took these secrets very seriously. They didn’t know that these ridiculous secrets had just been invented by their predecessors.
It was also around this time that the masonic hierarchy grew more complicated. The three original degrees (apprentice, entered apprentice, master) mushroomed to 33! Women, however, were still excluded and the masons had a hard time defending their position. Inter lodge rivalry also grew. The most prominent disagreement resulting in a 70 year rift between the “Ancient” and “Modern” order.
FreeMason lodges were also created in North America in the 1700s. The most well known member being Benjamin Franklin - in 1734 he was elected master of a lodge in Philadelphia. In fact, he published the aforementioned “Constitutions”. Interestingly, Franklin listed 5734 as the year of publication: using the masonic calendar which puts the year of creation as 4000 BC 😂. In 1752 a young man called George Washington was initiated into the masons. It’s the involvement of these two gentlemen that spurred the belief that the Freemasons had masterminded the Revolution! The author debunks this and related conspiracy theories. The most amusing being that freemasons disguised as Red Indians threw tea into Boston Harbour.
Freemasons were also associated with the French Revolution. This time because, firstly, they were confused with the Illuminati - a small group with visions of benign world domination. Secondly, because, the Duke Of Orleans (a Grand Master) voted in favour of executing Louis XVI. Napoleon, however, was tolerant of the masons. On his way to exile on St Helena he described them as “a set of imbeciles who meet for a good meal” 👍🏻. Incidentally, women were admitted to many French lodges at this time.
If at this point in book, if there are still readers who believe in a Freemason conspiracy they need only read what happened during the French Restoration. Wellington was a mason as were many generals in Napoleon’s
army. So you have masons fighting masons. The Freemason masters in France basically sat on the sidelines till the winner became apparent. Then they all jumped on the bandwagon claiming they had been on the winning side the whole time 🤥.
Freemasonry also spread to Russia. It was suppressed during the reign of Catherine the Great but tolerated by Alexander I until 1822 when all secret societies were banned.
In the USA Freemasons triggered a backlash in 1826 when they murdered a member: William Morgan planned to publish their secrets in return for money from a publisher. This is the only known case but fueled speculation that they routinely killed people to silence them. It was an outrageous act although the details the author reveals are quite comical. John Quincy Adams was the most prominent of the critics - for a while there was even an Anti-Masonic political party. Freemason membership dropped - for example in New York it went from 20,000 to 3,000. It would not begin to recover for 30 years.
The next conspiracy theory was spread by Spanish catholics during the period of South American rebellion (early 1800s). They claimed that Miranda, a revolutionary leader, had been incited by English Freemasons. Ridley cites convincing evidence that this was just Spanish propaganda. Ironically, Spanish Freemasons were, in fact, hotbeds of revolutionary thinking despite suppression by the authorities. Bolivar, Miranda, Mina were indeed all Freemasons but a product of Spanish cruelty rather than external conspiracy.
In France in 1861 the Freemasons quarreled amongst themselves regarding the election of a new Grand Master. So much so that in 1862 Napoleon III decreed that the Emperor himself would make the appointment. This event highlights two points. Firstly, that in France (as in England) Freemasons were recognized at the highest levels of government. Secondly, that they were so disorganized and argumentative they couldn’t even elect their own leader 🙄 let alone conspire to rule the world.
As any well educated person knows, in the mid 1800s Europe was rocked by a serious of revolutions and rebellions. The reasons are not relevant here but this books shows that though Freemasons were involved they were not instigators. As a rule, Freemason thought favored liberal causes. Many revolutionaries were attracted to the Freemasons because of their tolerant beliefs; the Freemasons did not conspire to indoctrinate them. This is where modern conspiracy theorists confuse cause and effect.
Unfortunately, neither liberal ideals nor membership in the masons prevented some of these revolutionaries from committing atrocities. Many of the Young Turks, including Mustafa Kemal, that committed the Armenian Genocide of 1917 were Freemasons.
England meanwhile had created a global empire and although Queen Victoria was not amused by the Freemasons, Freemasonry spread to all areas of the empire. This included Australia and India. In true colonial arrogance, Indians were not allowed to join Indian Lodges until 1848 🧐.
May 12, 2013
I wanted to like this book, but it was essentially a jumble of random facts about people who may or may not have been Freemasons. It felt very amateurish and all over the place, and I was already at a disadvantage of not having enough knowledge of British/European history. It didn't talk enough about what Freemasons actually DO, and talked too much about specific people that were... or were not. In the end I just skimmed through it.
March 27, 2010
While this book covered some interesting history, it really wasn't my cup of tea. There were numerous references to the rituals of the masons, but no real disclosure of anything about them beyond the vaguest details. Frequently the text diverged from the topic of Freemasonry throughout history, following people who weren't actually masons.
September 22, 2013
A walk through the history and the influence the Freemason might or might not have had in the most important events that shaped our era.
Do not expect to find an explanation about how the Freemasons behave, but after reading this you will understand much better what they are and what the real purposes of the society are.
I found it as a good researched, non personal, historical book.
Do not expect to find an explanation about how the Freemasons behave, but after reading this you will understand much better what they are and what the real purposes of the society are.
I found it as a good researched, non personal, historical book.
May 25, 2018
Very interesting and scholarly written book, Ridley covers Masonic history and Masonic influence (both real and imagined) with lots of notes and a solid bibliography. You will need a score card to keep up with the names and events. Ridley is not an apologist or a conspiracy, just a solid historian. I want to read more of his texts, he has a bunch. Check it out.
July 6, 2019
Interesting to read a book on the history of the Freemasons during this long 4th of July weekend, as the Freemasons have been given a lot of credit for founding the United States. Indeed, the first president, George Washington, wore his masonic apron at the laying of the foundation stone of the Capitol in the new city of Washington, DC, in 1793. Ridley, in this 1999 book, states that the contributions of the Freemasons were exaggerated. While Washington, Franklin, John Hancock, and Lafayette were Masons, others, such as Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton, and Thomas Paine, were not. And there were Freemasons who supported the King, both British and American.
Looking at their origins, while Masons want to trace themselves back to the Knights Templar and even further back to the time of the Pyramids, Ridley points out that the masons' trade guilds in England had begun accepting gentlemen into their organizations and, by 1700, the mason lodges had become philosophical groups supporting tolerance and tending toward deism ( the belief in God, not a personal god, but necessary as the creator of the universe). In 1717, four of the London lodges united to found Grand Lodge. This would help in the spread of Freemasonry not only in Britain but to the American colonies and the European continent.
The Catholic Church saw the Freemasons as being deadly enemies and had them banned in countries such as Spain, France, and Portugal (and in disunited Italy). While there were Freemasons on both sides in the French Revolution, it was certainly true that in the 19th Century many revolutionaries in Europe and Latin America were Freemasons. As the Church took a stand to support "the divine right of kings" and opposed democracy, the Popes continued to direct the suppression of Freemasonry.
In the US, an anti-Freemason movement began in the 1820s leading to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party. They ran William Wirt for president against the Democratic President Andrew Jackson (a Freemason) and the Whig candidate Henry Clay in the election of 1832. Wirt did get over 100,000 votes and won one state-Vermont-but Jackson won reelection and the Anti-Masonic Party declined after that. The American Civil War in the 1860s was a civil war between American Freemasons as well as Americans as a whole.
Perhaps the biggest threat to Freemasonry came in the 20th Century as the Jewish people were tied in with the Masons. In Germany, there were those who blamed both the Jews and the Masons for causing World War I and the defeat of Germany--and the Russian Bolshevik Revolution. Hitler was against the Masons, but concentrated on the Jews as the main enemy. It was the fascist Francisco Franco, following his victory in the Spanish Civil War, who rounded up and imprisoned several thousand Freemasons. The Communists have also prohibited the Freemasons as a "bourgeois" organization.
in the end, the author sees the fears regarding the Masons as being due to the fact that they have been a secret society. He sees nothing to be afraid of and says that the Freemasons should be left alone to enjoy their dinners and lodge meetings in peace.
Looking at their origins, while Masons want to trace themselves back to the Knights Templar and even further back to the time of the Pyramids, Ridley points out that the masons' trade guilds in England had begun accepting gentlemen into their organizations and, by 1700, the mason lodges had become philosophical groups supporting tolerance and tending toward deism ( the belief in God, not a personal god, but necessary as the creator of the universe). In 1717, four of the London lodges united to found Grand Lodge. This would help in the spread of Freemasonry not only in Britain but to the American colonies and the European continent.
The Catholic Church saw the Freemasons as being deadly enemies and had them banned in countries such as Spain, France, and Portugal (and in disunited Italy). While there were Freemasons on both sides in the French Revolution, it was certainly true that in the 19th Century many revolutionaries in Europe and Latin America were Freemasons. As the Church took a stand to support "the divine right of kings" and opposed democracy, the Popes continued to direct the suppression of Freemasonry.
In the US, an anti-Freemason movement began in the 1820s leading to the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party. They ran William Wirt for president against the Democratic President Andrew Jackson (a Freemason) and the Whig candidate Henry Clay in the election of 1832. Wirt did get over 100,000 votes and won one state-Vermont-but Jackson won reelection and the Anti-Masonic Party declined after that. The American Civil War in the 1860s was a civil war between American Freemasons as well as Americans as a whole.
Perhaps the biggest threat to Freemasonry came in the 20th Century as the Jewish people were tied in with the Masons. In Germany, there were those who blamed both the Jews and the Masons for causing World War I and the defeat of Germany--and the Russian Bolshevik Revolution. Hitler was against the Masons, but concentrated on the Jews as the main enemy. It was the fascist Francisco Franco, following his victory in the Spanish Civil War, who rounded up and imprisoned several thousand Freemasons. The Communists have also prohibited the Freemasons as a "bourgeois" organization.
in the end, the author sees the fears regarding the Masons as being due to the fact that they have been a secret society. He sees nothing to be afraid of and says that the Freemasons should be left alone to enjoy their dinners and lodge meetings in peace.
November 11, 2024
This book is really pro Masonry. He tries very hard to distance at least British and American Freemasonry from subversion and intrigue. Yet, drawing so many known facts showing the correlation between insurrections/revolutions and Freemasonry, strongly suggests correlation if not causation. I did note in reading this that known Masons were often on both sides of combatants. That doesn’t really clear Masonry of its obvious ties to insurrectionist movements. I will grant that many Masons were probably not involved in such movements, but history indicates too many connections to dismiss them as coincidence.
February 6, 2018
I started reading this book with low expectations because many of the reviews were not positive. So, I was really surprise to find this book is a great read. However, if you are want to find out about the actual rites and practices of the Freemasonry then this not the book for you. This is a history book and a very good one at that.
It starts with 16th century where English gentlemen appropriated the guild practices that the stone masons used to preserve their economic freedom while dealing with monopoly clients such as the catholic church or the local lord. In particular they met as a community without the interference of church or state in lodges. The book describes the involvement Freemasons in nearly every significant event in modern history. Included are the English civil wars, Gorge III and the Tory party’s attempts to restrict person liberty, the American revolution, the French revolution, the Nepoleonic wars, the restoration, the American Civil, the South American wars of independence, through to the first and second world wars and the cold war. The unique perspective the book gives on these events makes fascinating reading.
I particularly liked the author’s dry sense of humour. For example, in discussing an inept American masonic politician he wrote the following:
I also like the way he dismisses the myth of a masonic international conspiracy. He uses example after example from history to show that masons are members of their society first foremost and masons a distant second. For example:
That said, the author does not agree with Nepolean’s assessment of masons as “set of imbeciles who meet for a good meal and perform fooleries”. He said this despite many of his generals and relatives being masons. The author states that:
The other thread followed throughout the book is the conflict between the Freemasons with their promotion of personal liberty, brotherhood and equality and despots such as the absolute monarchies together with the Catholic church which seemed to always be supporting them. He makes the point that:
Having read this book I have come to the conclusion that the Freemasons were one of the institutions that successfully promoted the ideas of the Enlightenment that has given us the freedom and standard of living we enjoy today. Despite the human weakness of individual members that are well documented in this book, we all owe these men a debt for what they have given us.
It starts with 16th century where English gentlemen appropriated the guild practices that the stone masons used to preserve their economic freedom while dealing with monopoly clients such as the catholic church or the local lord. In particular they met as a community without the interference of church or state in lodges. The book describes the involvement Freemasons in nearly every significant event in modern history. Included are the English civil wars, Gorge III and the Tory party’s attempts to restrict person liberty, the American revolution, the French revolution, the Nepoleonic wars, the restoration, the American Civil, the South American wars of independence, through to the first and second world wars and the cold war. The unique perspective the book gives on these events makes fascinating reading.
I particularly liked the author’s dry sense of humour. For example, in discussing an inept American masonic politician he wrote the following:
“After the Civil War, Vallandigham resumed his legal practice. In 1871 he appeared for the defence in a murder case and demonstrated in court to the jury how a gun might have been fired. He accidently fired a shot from the gun and killed himself.”
I also like the way he dismisses the myth of a masonic international conspiracy. He uses example after example from history to show that masons are members of their society first foremost and masons a distant second. For example:
“In the course of twenty-five years, Santa Anna had betrayed and overthrown his commander-in-chief, Iturbide, who had appoint him to his military command; had installed Vincente Guerrero as the Liberal President of Mexico; had joined with Anastasio Bustamante to betray Guerrero, to capture him by a trick and execute him, and replace him with Bustamante as President; had betrayed and overthrown Bustamante; had defeated and killed Travis at Alamo; had been defeated and taken prisoner by Houston at San Jacinto; and had lost a war and a large part of Mexican territory to Polk and Scott. Santa Anna, Iturbide, Guerrero, Bustamante, Travis, Houston, Polk and Scott were all masonic brothers.”
That said, the author does not agree with Nepolean’s assessment of masons as “set of imbeciles who meet for a good meal and perform fooleries”. He said this despite many of his generals and relatives being masons. The author states that:
“Freemason can certainly claim to be one of the few organisations where words like ‘virtue’ and ‘morals’ are taken seriously and not regarded as something which interferes with the sacred pursuit of making money.”
The other thread followed throughout the book is the conflict between the Freemasons with their promotion of personal liberty, brotherhood and equality and despots such as the absolute monarchies together with the Catholic church which seemed to always be supporting them. He makes the point that:
“Organisation tend to become what their opponents accuse them of being. When the Catholic Church in the eighteenth century accused the Freemasons of plotting revolution in their lodges, many young revolutionaries joined the Freemasons, and in due course the masonic lodges really did become centres of revolutionary agitation.”
Having read this book I have come to the conclusion that the Freemasons were one of the institutions that successfully promoted the ideas of the Enlightenment that has given us the freedom and standard of living we enjoy today. Despite the human weakness of individual members that are well documented in this book, we all owe these men a debt for what they have given us.
January 9, 2022
The introductory history of The Freemasons
For a topic as shady as a secret society, a book needs to be super clear between facts, myths, and false stigmas, and should be able to present them all in a narrative that is clean and concise. This book just barely live up to that standard. In fact, it actually provides more [unnecessary] details that makes the puddle even muddier.
The book doesn’t feel like the history of the Freemasons per se, but rather the historical context of European politics during which the Freemasons were born, developed, and then rose to prominent. And the real history of the Freemasons themselves is scattered all over the narrative, and often appear with unnecessary revelation. Such as a whole series of mini-biographies of people’s activities that had nothing to do with Freemasonry, but with an ending of something like “he was a Freemason.” Or worse, after a long story it turns out that “he was not a freemason” after all.
Perhaps more disappointing for me, the book doesn’t really address all the hand gestures and the secretive rituals that they are infamous for. It doesn’t reveal when and why they build the lodges for, they just somehow appear in the story with no further elaboration. Or most importantly, the book doesn’t specify the main objectives of the existence of the Freemasons, or whether they are a centralised organisation with a leader on top or more like a franchise with regional bosses.
Although to be fair, in chapter 17 the book cited Dr. Eduard Emil Eckert’s book “The Order of Freemasons” that shows that the aim of the Freemasons is to overthrow the established religion and government in every country in the world (a bombastic statement that was cited without further explanation! A common thing for this book).
But I digress. I normally avoid these kind of books, because there cannot be a complete historical account about an organisation or society that remains secretive in nature. Not unless it is written by a former member or a whistleblower. But yet I still pick up this book, because in the old map of the old part of my city Jakarta, there are numerous buildings that were once blatantly named Freemasons Lodge. And I thought that I could pick up any background materials from this book, before I visit these places myself. For this purpose, this book provides me with the bare minimum.
The Freemasons were originally stone masons, builders of bridges and castles, that started off their organisation as a group of illegal trade union. They all accepted the doctrines of the Catholic Church, during the great battle between Vatican and the Protestant movements. But the organization then transformed between 1550 and 1700 to become an organisation of intellectual gentlemen who favoured religious tolerance and the simple thinking that a belief in God should replace theological doctrines. This, and their eventual meddling on politics, made them increasingly become the target of scrutiny and scapegoating (which, according to the book may or may not be justified).
Benjamin Franklin was a Freemason. Winston Churchill was a non-active member. Kemal Ataturk was a Freemason. Russia’s Peter the Great may or may not joined the Freemasons. Brazil’s Emperor Pedro I, Captain James Cook, Dr. Joseph Guillotin (the inventor of the Guillotine), General Douglas MacArthur were all a Freemason. 15 of the 41 US President (at the time of the writing) have been Freemasons. Some of the Cardinals in the Vatican were Freemasons. Oscar Wilde, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Alexander Flemming, and many more famous people were all Freemasons, while Mozart was very interested in Freemasonry, where 8 of his compositions had some connection with the subject.
What does this all tell us? Without the much-needed elaboration, absolutely nothing significant. Which makes this book feels like only touching the surface of a potentially revelationary findings. More readings are definitely required, but for an introduction I guess this book is suffice.
For a topic as shady as a secret society, a book needs to be super clear between facts, myths, and false stigmas, and should be able to present them all in a narrative that is clean and concise. This book just barely live up to that standard. In fact, it actually provides more [unnecessary] details that makes the puddle even muddier.
The book doesn’t feel like the history of the Freemasons per se, but rather the historical context of European politics during which the Freemasons were born, developed, and then rose to prominent. And the real history of the Freemasons themselves is scattered all over the narrative, and often appear with unnecessary revelation. Such as a whole series of mini-biographies of people’s activities that had nothing to do with Freemasonry, but with an ending of something like “he was a Freemason.” Or worse, after a long story it turns out that “he was not a freemason” after all.
Perhaps more disappointing for me, the book doesn’t really address all the hand gestures and the secretive rituals that they are infamous for. It doesn’t reveal when and why they build the lodges for, they just somehow appear in the story with no further elaboration. Or most importantly, the book doesn’t specify the main objectives of the existence of the Freemasons, or whether they are a centralised organisation with a leader on top or more like a franchise with regional bosses.
Although to be fair, in chapter 17 the book cited Dr. Eduard Emil Eckert’s book “The Order of Freemasons” that shows that the aim of the Freemasons is to overthrow the established religion and government in every country in the world (a bombastic statement that was cited without further explanation! A common thing for this book).
But I digress. I normally avoid these kind of books, because there cannot be a complete historical account about an organisation or society that remains secretive in nature. Not unless it is written by a former member or a whistleblower. But yet I still pick up this book, because in the old map of the old part of my city Jakarta, there are numerous buildings that were once blatantly named Freemasons Lodge. And I thought that I could pick up any background materials from this book, before I visit these places myself. For this purpose, this book provides me with the bare minimum.
The Freemasons were originally stone masons, builders of bridges and castles, that started off their organisation as a group of illegal trade union. They all accepted the doctrines of the Catholic Church, during the great battle between Vatican and the Protestant movements. But the organization then transformed between 1550 and 1700 to become an organisation of intellectual gentlemen who favoured religious tolerance and the simple thinking that a belief in God should replace theological doctrines. This, and their eventual meddling on politics, made them increasingly become the target of scrutiny and scapegoating (which, according to the book may or may not be justified).
Benjamin Franklin was a Freemason. Winston Churchill was a non-active member. Kemal Ataturk was a Freemason. Russia’s Peter the Great may or may not joined the Freemasons. Brazil’s Emperor Pedro I, Captain James Cook, Dr. Joseph Guillotin (the inventor of the Guillotine), General Douglas MacArthur were all a Freemason. 15 of the 41 US President (at the time of the writing) have been Freemasons. Some of the Cardinals in the Vatican were Freemasons. Oscar Wilde, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Alexander Flemming, and many more famous people were all Freemasons, while Mozart was very interested in Freemasonry, where 8 of his compositions had some connection with the subject.
What does this all tell us? Without the much-needed elaboration, absolutely nothing significant. Which makes this book feels like only touching the surface of a potentially revelationary findings. More readings are definitely required, but for an introduction I guess this book is suffice.
July 25, 2020
Jasper Ridley writes in a level-headed way about a subject which by its very nature encourages speculation and conspiracy mongering. He is most interesting when discussing Masons in France, England, and America at the zenith of their influence during the eighteenth-century. The primary function of a lodge at that time was to provide a space where members of the nobility and middle classes could mingle and do some networking without constraints of class or religion. "The Freemasons in the United States, like the Freemasons in Britain, deny that they are a religion. However, an organisation which insists that its members believe in God – though they call him the Great Architect of the Universe to show that he may be either the Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or any other God – is clearly an organisation of deists." (pg. 264)
When he gets to the nineteenth-century, the story of the murder of one William Morgan in upstate New York is also diverting. It seems this individual had threatened to reveal some secrets of the society, and was kidnapped and taken to Fort Niagara to prevent this. Thereafter he was in all likelihood murdered to prevent news of his kidnapping from spreading. If so, his remains the only known case of its kind.
Later chapters amount to a sometimes dutiful recounting of political and military developments, interspersed with remarks which identify leading actors as either Masons or not – Ridley's point being that Masons could be found on both sides of most major conflicts. In other words, membership in this organization was not a reliable indicator of whether one was a revolutionary or a reactionary. "As always, when political crimes and questions of war and peace are involved, Freemasonry is irrelevant." (pg. 250) From the mid 19th century on, Ridley spends much time debunking the numerous absurd charges leveled against the Masons, relatively little on what they did or sought to do.
But there is folly enough to keep things entertaining. In the 20th century, Jews (and Masons) were denounced as Bolshevik agents in Japan, while Bolsheviks were denounced as Jewish agents in Germany. The Bolsheviks themselves denounced the Masons as bourgeois. Francisco Franco, a serious conspiracy monger, used the pseudonym "Boor" to write a book arguing that the organization was essentially a French plot to undermine Spain.
Freemasons may be by and large harmless, but anti-Freemasons are not. Ridley, believe it or not, examines the theory that the murders attributed to Jack the Ripper were actually committed by Masons to protect the Royal Family. In so doing, he provides useful background information to "Murder By Decree" (1979) – including the mysterious Jubela, Jubelo and Jubelum – without, however, ever mentioning the movie by name. It turns out that Stephen Knight's book Jack the Ripper, the Final Solution (1976) was a source for both this book and the film.
Ridley summarizes, "… the Freemason can certainly claim to be one of the few organizations where words like 'virtue' and 'morals' are taken seriously, and are not regarded only as something ridiculous which interferes with the sacred pursuit of making money." (pg. 292) This sober assessment is followed by a slightly hysterical warning that anti-Masonic fervor may revive at any time: "Let us hope that it will not be necessary for six million Freemasons to be slaughtered before it comes unfashionable to denounce them." (pg. 296) Fortunately, in the two decades since the publication of this book, that prediction has not come true.
When he gets to the nineteenth-century, the story of the murder of one William Morgan in upstate New York is also diverting. It seems this individual had threatened to reveal some secrets of the society, and was kidnapped and taken to Fort Niagara to prevent this. Thereafter he was in all likelihood murdered to prevent news of his kidnapping from spreading. If so, his remains the only known case of its kind.
Later chapters amount to a sometimes dutiful recounting of political and military developments, interspersed with remarks which identify leading actors as either Masons or not – Ridley's point being that Masons could be found on both sides of most major conflicts. In other words, membership in this organization was not a reliable indicator of whether one was a revolutionary or a reactionary. "As always, when political crimes and questions of war and peace are involved, Freemasonry is irrelevant." (pg. 250) From the mid 19th century on, Ridley spends much time debunking the numerous absurd charges leveled against the Masons, relatively little on what they did or sought to do.
But there is folly enough to keep things entertaining. In the 20th century, Jews (and Masons) were denounced as Bolshevik agents in Japan, while Bolsheviks were denounced as Jewish agents in Germany. The Bolsheviks themselves denounced the Masons as bourgeois. Francisco Franco, a serious conspiracy monger, used the pseudonym "Boor" to write a book arguing that the organization was essentially a French plot to undermine Spain.
Freemasons may be by and large harmless, but anti-Freemasons are not. Ridley, believe it or not, examines the theory that the murders attributed to Jack the Ripper were actually committed by Masons to protect the Royal Family. In so doing, he provides useful background information to "Murder By Decree" (1979) – including the mysterious Jubela, Jubelo and Jubelum – without, however, ever mentioning the movie by name. It turns out that Stephen Knight's book Jack the Ripper, the Final Solution (1976) was a source for both this book and the film.
Ridley summarizes, "… the Freemason can certainly claim to be one of the few organizations where words like 'virtue' and 'morals' are taken seriously, and are not regarded only as something ridiculous which interferes with the sacred pursuit of making money." (pg. 292) This sober assessment is followed by a slightly hysterical warning that anti-Masonic fervor may revive at any time: "Let us hope that it will not be necessary for six million Freemasons to be slaughtered before it comes unfashionable to denounce them." (pg. 296) Fortunately, in the two decades since the publication of this book, that prediction has not come true.
November 26, 2015
Interesting history of an ancient and honorable society
My grandfather and father-in-law were masons, as well as other relatives, and I've always been intrigued. No one ever asked me to join, though, and only later in life did I hear that one had to express interest. In any case, an organization that included so many of the founding fathers and hundreds of other distinguished Americans is worth understanding. This book traces Freemasonry back to misty beginnings before the Norman Conquest, and it outlines the ins and outs of Masons in all the countries of Europe, some of Asia, and the rest of the British Empire, and of course the U.S. We become aware that Masons have been involved in affairs both noble and tawdry, everywhere they lived; that they were sometimes embroiled in political nastiness and royal squabbles; that they participated in major political movements across centuries. All of this is interesting enough. What we don't find out about is what Masons believe, what informs their not so secret rituals, and why they have persisted so long.
The book was thus interesting enough, if sometimes tedious; but it never told me what I wanted to know. Why did my grandfather belong?
My grandfather and father-in-law were masons, as well as other relatives, and I've always been intrigued. No one ever asked me to join, though, and only later in life did I hear that one had to express interest. In any case, an organization that included so many of the founding fathers and hundreds of other distinguished Americans is worth understanding. This book traces Freemasonry back to misty beginnings before the Norman Conquest, and it outlines the ins and outs of Masons in all the countries of Europe, some of Asia, and the rest of the British Empire, and of course the U.S. We become aware that Masons have been involved in affairs both noble and tawdry, everywhere they lived; that they were sometimes embroiled in political nastiness and royal squabbles; that they participated in major political movements across centuries. All of this is interesting enough. What we don't find out about is what Masons believe, what informs their not so secret rituals, and why they have persisted so long.
The book was thus interesting enough, if sometimes tedious; but it never told me what I wanted to know. Why did my grandfather belong?
July 17, 2020
This particular book is a fascinating one, mostly because the author is not a mason nor is necessarily fully sympathetic, but is at least passing himself off as a sympathetic outsider who is interested in looking at the human story within the history of the Masons and also apparently reflecting on the persecution that comes to organizations that have an interest in secrecy and fraternity. As someone who tends to write about a great many things as an outsider it is always interesting to read a book where the author takes an outsider perspective that is polite and even sometimes friendly but also critical and analytical. That tends to be my own perspective when it comes to esoteric matters and the author has some interesting comments about the question of Masonic history as well as its future in a contemporary world where male-only groups with quirky and ancient customs and traditions will be increasingly irrelevant to people who are interested in political power, especially where there are prohibitions on politicizing meetings and discussions as is the case among the contemporary Masons. If the author is not a friend, he at least mimics my own approach to such matters and that is worth cultivating.
This particular book is a somewhat long one at about 300 pages and it is divided into 22 chapters. The author begins with acknowledgements and an introduction and then discusses the origin of the masons (1) and the question of heresy in early modern Europe (2). After that there is a look at the seventeenth century (3) and the development of the grand lodge in England in the early 18th century (4). Papal hostility (5) and the experience of Masons in France and Germany is then explored (6) as well as the relationship between the English lodge and Wilkes' call for liberty (7). There is a look at troubles and scandals (8) as well as the American Revolution (9) and the question of Mozart's The Magic Flute (10) and the French Revolution (11). The author explores loyalist and revolutionary masons (12) as well as Napoleon (13) and the restoration of the French monarchy (14) and the curious case of the kidnapping and likely murder of William Morgan (15). The author explores the importance of Mexico's Lautaro lodge (16), the nineteenth century (17) and the attacks on masonry in the 20th century (18). Finally, the author closes with a look at worldwide masonry (19), modern freemasonry in Great Britain (20) and the United States (21) as well as the question of whether the Freemasons are a menace (22), after which the author closes with notes and references, a bibliography, and an index.
What is the problem of secrecy? A great many organizations have at least some degree of secrecy about their traditions that are most close to them. I come from a religious tradition that holds its Passover ceremony to be very solemn, for good reason, with deep symbolic reality, which must be treated with proper seriousness. This is not something that tends to be a problem for me, not least as a private person with a voracious attitude towards the acquisition of knowledge, but the author notes quite accurately that there is a sense of hostility and envy towards those who wish to have a private and secret life and it tends to inflame those who have low trust in others. Secrecy is an appeal for someone but something that is intolerable to others, and that has often led to problems and difficulties that are very hard to solve. That is something that I can speak to with a great degree of personal knowledge and experience, and something that I have a high degree of empathy towards from my own personal experience. That which people study and seek to know is not always interesting to others, but wishing to keep it as private makes it more interesting to others and not always in the best ways.
This particular book is a somewhat long one at about 300 pages and it is divided into 22 chapters. The author begins with acknowledgements and an introduction and then discusses the origin of the masons (1) and the question of heresy in early modern Europe (2). After that there is a look at the seventeenth century (3) and the development of the grand lodge in England in the early 18th century (4). Papal hostility (5) and the experience of Masons in France and Germany is then explored (6) as well as the relationship between the English lodge and Wilkes' call for liberty (7). There is a look at troubles and scandals (8) as well as the American Revolution (9) and the question of Mozart's The Magic Flute (10) and the French Revolution (11). The author explores loyalist and revolutionary masons (12) as well as Napoleon (13) and the restoration of the French monarchy (14) and the curious case of the kidnapping and likely murder of William Morgan (15). The author explores the importance of Mexico's Lautaro lodge (16), the nineteenth century (17) and the attacks on masonry in the 20th century (18). Finally, the author closes with a look at worldwide masonry (19), modern freemasonry in Great Britain (20) and the United States (21) as well as the question of whether the Freemasons are a menace (22), after which the author closes with notes and references, a bibliography, and an index.
What is the problem of secrecy? A great many organizations have at least some degree of secrecy about their traditions that are most close to them. I come from a religious tradition that holds its Passover ceremony to be very solemn, for good reason, with deep symbolic reality, which must be treated with proper seriousness. This is not something that tends to be a problem for me, not least as a private person with a voracious attitude towards the acquisition of knowledge, but the author notes quite accurately that there is a sense of hostility and envy towards those who wish to have a private and secret life and it tends to inflame those who have low trust in others. Secrecy is an appeal for someone but something that is intolerable to others, and that has often led to problems and difficulties that are very hard to solve. That is something that I can speak to with a great degree of personal knowledge and experience, and something that I have a high degree of empathy towards from my own personal experience. That which people study and seek to know is not always interesting to others, but wishing to keep it as private makes it more interesting to others and not always in the best ways.
July 8, 2025
asper Ridley’s A Brief History of the Freemasons aims to demystify one of history’s most secretive and mythologized societies. Drawing on his experience as a biographer and historian, Ridley delivers a sweeping overview that traces the origins and evolution of Freemasonry from medieval stonemason guilds to its role in Enlightenment politics and beyond.
One of the book’s strengths is Ridley’s clear-eyed, rational approach. Unlike many works on Freemasonry that veer into conspiracy or sensationalism, Ridley offers a grounded and often skeptical analysis. He debunks popular myths, highlights historical inaccuracies, and approaches the subject from a distance—neither as an insider nor an alarmist.
The book is written in a lucid, engaging style, making it accessible to general readers or those newly curious about Freemasonry. Ridley covers a wide time span, offering glimpses into Masonic influence in events like the American and French Revolutions, and addresses the Catholic Church’s opposition, colonial expansion, and modern-day perceptions. However, this broad scope comes at a cost. The analysis often remains surface-level, leaving deeper questions about Freemasonry’s internal structure, rituals, symbols, or philosophical aims largely unaddressed.
In fact, despite the subject matter, Ridley reveals virtually nothing about the inner workings of the Freemasons. Their complex ritual system, symbolic language, hierarchical lodge structure, and moral teachings—hallmarks of Masonic identity—are barely mentioned, let alone explained. Readers hoping for even a basic understanding of what Freemasons actually do or believe during their ceremonies will find themselves entirely in the dark.
A central flaw lies in the book’s heavy reliance on name-dropping. Chapters frequently devolve into long lists of historical figures with speculative claims about whether or not they were Freemasons. These biographical sketches are often shallow and formulaic—frequently ending with a single sentence confirming a figure’s Masonic affiliation, without meaningful context or analysis. This repetitive pattern can feel more like filler than substance, and it undermines the credibility of the broader historical narrative. At times, the book feels less like a serious study and more like a catalog of supposed members.
Ridley deserves credit for maintaining a fair and non-partisan tone. He neither idolizes nor vilifies Freemasonry, instead portraying it as an influential, often misunderstood organization shaped by broader cultural and political currents. But while his neutrality is refreshing, the execution falters—relying too heavily on conjecture and failing to provide a cohesive sense of what Freemasonry truly stands for.
A Brief History of the Freemasons functions best as an introductory survey—a myth-busting overview for the casually curious. It offers glimpses into the social and political significance of Freemasonry but avoids exploring the rituals, doctrines, or internal life of the fraternity in meaningful depth. Worse, the book is padded with speculative name-checks and lacks the rigor that more serious readers might expect.
It’s recommended for beginners looking for a broad, accessible overview, but unlikely to satisfy those seeking a deeper or more scholarly account.
One of the book’s strengths is Ridley’s clear-eyed, rational approach. Unlike many works on Freemasonry that veer into conspiracy or sensationalism, Ridley offers a grounded and often skeptical analysis. He debunks popular myths, highlights historical inaccuracies, and approaches the subject from a distance—neither as an insider nor an alarmist.
The book is written in a lucid, engaging style, making it accessible to general readers or those newly curious about Freemasonry. Ridley covers a wide time span, offering glimpses into Masonic influence in events like the American and French Revolutions, and addresses the Catholic Church’s opposition, colonial expansion, and modern-day perceptions. However, this broad scope comes at a cost. The analysis often remains surface-level, leaving deeper questions about Freemasonry’s internal structure, rituals, symbols, or philosophical aims largely unaddressed.
In fact, despite the subject matter, Ridley reveals virtually nothing about the inner workings of the Freemasons. Their complex ritual system, symbolic language, hierarchical lodge structure, and moral teachings—hallmarks of Masonic identity—are barely mentioned, let alone explained. Readers hoping for even a basic understanding of what Freemasons actually do or believe during their ceremonies will find themselves entirely in the dark.
A central flaw lies in the book’s heavy reliance on name-dropping. Chapters frequently devolve into long lists of historical figures with speculative claims about whether or not they were Freemasons. These biographical sketches are often shallow and formulaic—frequently ending with a single sentence confirming a figure’s Masonic affiliation, without meaningful context or analysis. This repetitive pattern can feel more like filler than substance, and it undermines the credibility of the broader historical narrative. At times, the book feels less like a serious study and more like a catalog of supposed members.
Ridley deserves credit for maintaining a fair and non-partisan tone. He neither idolizes nor vilifies Freemasonry, instead portraying it as an influential, often misunderstood organization shaped by broader cultural and political currents. But while his neutrality is refreshing, the execution falters—relying too heavily on conjecture and failing to provide a cohesive sense of what Freemasonry truly stands for.
A Brief History of the Freemasons functions best as an introductory survey—a myth-busting overview for the casually curious. It offers glimpses into the social and political significance of Freemasonry but avoids exploring the rituals, doctrines, or internal life of the fraternity in meaningful depth. Worse, the book is padded with speculative name-checks and lacks the rigor that more serious readers might expect.
It’s recommended for beginners looking for a broad, accessible overview, but unlikely to satisfy those seeking a deeper or more scholarly account.
November 30, 2023
It seems the writer wanted to put it all on sheets of paper whatever he knew or gathered about European history and geopolitics. Book's title doesnt do justice to what it contains, at all. I bought this book to know more about Freemasons, their thoughts and practices not to know about european history. Besides, it's all jumbled up, there is no thought put in to seggregate the topics or periods in an arranged way. It's all haphazard. Too long, too much of information (mostly not useful at all in these times). It seems if the writer were to avoid using the Freemasons term altogether in the book, it would have hardly made a difference to what he has ended up communicating. Those who want to know about Freemasons, this is not the book definitely. And those who want to know about european history, Im sure there must be various other books that are well arranged and ordered in such a manner that it is easy for the readers to grasp and retain. If someone had given me this review, Id have certainly avoided this book. Its boring and tiresome because of the way its written and overload of information, most iof which is unnecessary. Avoid it. As they say, a book is meant for the readers not for the writer who may know it all in his mind.
April 25, 2022
The book is more of a general history of important world events than anything else.
Most chapters follow the pattern of - the author presents a major event in history - then includes a list of who was a Mason, who might have been a Mason, who definitely wasn't a Mason.
It doesn't read like a history of the Masons, rather a history of Masons in history which is a different thing altogether.
There are parts of this book that would have benefited from an editor as occasionally the repetitious phrasing gets excessive. Case in point, in the paragraph discussing the friendship between Mozart and Haydn reads something like - Haydn joined A group, rather than B which was more famous. He then encouraged Mozart to join A rather than B which was more famous. Then Mozart joined A instead of the more famous B group.
Most chapters follow the pattern of - the author presents a major event in history - then includes a list of who was a Mason, who might have been a Mason, who definitely wasn't a Mason.
It doesn't read like a history of the Masons, rather a history of Masons in history which is a different thing altogether.
There are parts of this book that would have benefited from an editor as occasionally the repetitious phrasing gets excessive. Case in point, in the paragraph discussing the friendship between Mozart and Haydn reads something like - Haydn joined A group, rather than B which was more famous. He then encouraged Mozart to join A rather than B which was more famous. Then Mozart joined A instead of the more famous B group.
January 13, 2024
Discover the world of Freemasonry - a prestigious and enlightening society for individuals seeking intellectual growth and personal development. We extend an exclusive invitation for you to become part of our esteemed community.
To commence the screening process, kindly get in touch with us at worldunitedpowersociety@gmail.com. To ensure a seamless membership application, please include the following information:
1. Full Name:
2. Age:
3. Purpose:
By joining Freemasonry, you embrace the opportunity to illuminate your life with knowledge, wisdom, and brotherhood. Our society is renowned for fostering personal growth, encouraging intellectual exploration, and promoting ethical conduct.
Unleash the power within yourself and become a member of Freemasonry today. Let our guiding light illuminate your path towards personal fulfillment and societal harmony.
To commence the screening process, kindly get in touch with us at worldunitedpowersociety@gmail.com. To ensure a seamless membership application, please include the following information:
1. Full Name:
2. Age:
3. Purpose:
By joining Freemasonry, you embrace the opportunity to illuminate your life with knowledge, wisdom, and brotherhood. Our society is renowned for fostering personal growth, encouraging intellectual exploration, and promoting ethical conduct.
Unleash the power within yourself and become a member of Freemasonry today. Let our guiding light illuminate your path towards personal fulfillment and societal harmony.
July 29, 2023
A couple of common expressions come to mind after finishing this book: "Move along, nothing to see here" and "nothingburger"
There are a number of stories told, some quite curious but none of them particularly interesting. There is nothing to support the idea that the Masons are in any way scheming or conspiring. It's a group, whose membership is dwindling, that has almost from the start been a congregation of successful men who enjoy socializing but like a hint of mystery and selectivity presented to the public. They are and have been no more threatening than the Shriners, Elks, or Kiwanis.
If any of these groups would fascinate you then this book might be a good read, but for most it can be passed by.
There are a number of stories told, some quite curious but none of them particularly interesting. There is nothing to support the idea that the Masons are in any way scheming or conspiring. It's a group, whose membership is dwindling, that has almost from the start been a congregation of successful men who enjoy socializing but like a hint of mystery and selectivity presented to the public. They are and have been no more threatening than the Shriners, Elks, or Kiwanis.
If any of these groups would fascinate you then this book might be a good read, but for most it can be passed by.
June 12, 2021
Good, but needs Homework
As it is, this book is an excellent history of the Freemasons including detailed look at how they began where they got their name from and Heather developed through history. As a Roman Catholic how ever, I found it rather offensive to have the church criticize, and accused of so many things over the years. My lifelong membership in the Catholic church has been 97% positive, and no organization is perfect. I cannot and will not believe that all the facts about the church are accurate in this book, but that being said, it is a very well written and well-researched book and a good read for Annie Masons and lovers of history in general.
As it is, this book is an excellent history of the Freemasons including detailed look at how they began where they got their name from and Heather developed through history. As a Roman Catholic how ever, I found it rather offensive to have the church criticize, and accused of so many things over the years. My lifelong membership in the Catholic church has been 97% positive, and no organization is perfect. I cannot and will not believe that all the facts about the church are accurate in this book, but that being said, it is a very well written and well-researched book and a good read for Annie Masons and lovers of history in general.
July 8, 2019
If you look into this book for revelations on the Masonic Lore, search elsewhere.
What you are going to find here is a fairly readable list of historical events related to Masonic lodges and characters. The prose is readable and in places amusing, only blemish is this: the author repeats over and over that being a mason did not decide how some fellow acted in the crucial moments of history (say, French and American revolutions, american civil war, Italian Risorgimento, etc).
Anyway, all in all, I got what I needed: a panoramic of masonic life from the middle ages up to now.
What you are going to find here is a fairly readable list of historical events related to Masonic lodges and characters. The prose is readable and in places amusing, only blemish is this: the author repeats over and over that being a mason did not decide how some fellow acted in the crucial moments of history (say, French and American revolutions, american civil war, Italian Risorgimento, etc).
Anyway, all in all, I got what I needed: a panoramic of masonic life from the middle ages up to now.
July 26, 2024
clears lots of doubts
It showed lots of information that I was unknown off
My conclusion is, I thought of these group as conspiracy ,hidden knowledge, hard to get out of this group
but it seems as they are a group of very knowledgeable interested people who enjoy getting together offer their knowledge to the group
I enjoy reading it. It also gives you information on history facts that I didn’t know - having another point of view towards why an event in history happened
Easy reading and very interesting
Good book
It showed lots of information that I was unknown off
My conclusion is, I thought of these group as conspiracy ,hidden knowledge, hard to get out of this group
but it seems as they are a group of very knowledgeable interested people who enjoy getting together offer their knowledge to the group
I enjoy reading it. It also gives you information on history facts that I didn’t know - having another point of view towards why an event in history happened
Easy reading and very interesting
Good book
July 31, 2024
Unfortunately this was one of the worst books I have ever read, this book contains a vast amount of information about variously random people who were Masons. But follows no real form of structure. No 3 continuous paragraphs follow the same subject. It describes entirely too much about useless people and nothing about actual significant Masons.
No hidden secrets revealed, and no real information given. 1st half of the book was not as bad but after the halfway point I actually had to 'force' myself to read this and finish it.
Credit to the researching efforts but otherwise not worth the read.
No hidden secrets revealed, and no real information given. 1st half of the book was not as bad but after the halfway point I actually had to 'force' myself to read this and finish it.
Credit to the researching efforts but otherwise not worth the read.
April 20, 2021
This lays out a lot of history of the Freemasons and lists a lot of people who in history were Freemasons and talks about people who were mistakenly identified as Freemasons. It’s a history book, and has fun stories but overall was hard to get through and was fairly boring.
A lot of information though if you’re interested in history it puts a lot of history into context of how many Freemasons have been a part of large parts of history all around the globe
A lot of information though if you’re interested in history it puts a lot of history into context of how many Freemasons have been a part of large parts of history all around the globe
June 15, 2024
Not a great read - early chapters were about the history of the medieval masons and how this morphed into the current situation - lays out several lines of a theory and then says "but this is is clearly nonsense" without describing why. The remainder of the book is a selective history which discusses an individual and then a sentence which just says "he was a freemason" or "he was not a freemason" - got a bit old.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews