German empiricist Popularphilosoph, founder of the Order of the Illuminati, a secret society which has inspired a number of conspiracy theories. Although the Order was dissolved in the s, it was not buried and forgotten but continued to live on in speculations about omnipotent secret masters whose influence has pervaded historical and political turning points such as the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and the founding of the European Union.
Umberto Eco made references to Weishaupt's brainchild in Foucault's Pendulum Adam Weishaupt was born in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. His father, Johann George Weishaupt, was a professor of law. Von Inkstatt was a proponent of the philosophy of Christian Wolff and rationalism. When the German physician and forerunner of the modern practice of hypnoitism Anton Mesmer studied in Ingolstadt, Ickstatt was his professor.
It is possible that Mesmer met the young Adam. From early on, Weishaupt was a voracious reader with a wide range of interests from history to economics to politics to philosophy. His godfather's private library comprised over volumes. Inkstatt had also a collection of forbidden and controversial books, mostly written French, which attracted Weishaupt's curious mind.
His early education Weishaupt received from Jesuits; his excellent memory made him an outstanding student. At the age of fifteen Weishaupt entered the University of Ingolstadt, where he studied philosophy and history, graduating in It was during these years, that he became radically sceptical: the Bible appeared to him unworthy to be taken seriously.
Moreover, Weishaupt developed a lifelong distaste for the works of Cicero. After finishing his dissertation, entitled Ius civile privatum , Weishaupt served four years as a tutor and catechist. In he was appointed as professor of civil law at the University of Ingolstadt. The next year, he married Afra Sausenhofer from Eichstatt; she died in Weishaupt then married the sister of his deceased wife.
