<b>For thousands of years secret societies</b> - guardians of ancient esoteric wisdom - have exercised a strong and often crucial influence on the destiny of nations. Though largely ignored by orthodox historians, the Freemasons, Knights Templar and Rosicrucians affected the course of the French and American Revolutions as well as the overthrow of the mediaeval feudal order. Inevitably, the true ideals and esoteric practices of these societies have, at times, been perverted by self-serving individuals. The Nazis and the Bolsheviks, British security forces, the founding fathers of America and the Vatican have all justified their actions - for good or for ill - by claiming the mystic ideals of secret societies.

Michael Howard
272 pages - 152 x 229mm