What is Rosicrucianism?
Rosicrucianism is a spiritual and cultural movement that originated in Europe in the early 17th century following the publishing of many books that purported to reveal the existence of a previously unknown esoteric order to the world and piqued the interest of many. The order’s cryptic theology is “based on esoteric truths from the past,” which “give insight into nature, the physical cosmos, and the spiritual realm” and are “hidden from the common man.” Although the manifestos do not go into great detail on the subject, they do include references to Kabbalah, Hermeticism, Alchemy, and Christian mysticism.
Rosicrucian
The term Rosicrucian comes from and denotes an individual who follows Rosicrucianism. Rosicrucianism is a spiritual and cultural trend that originated in Europe in the early 17th century after publishing various texts purported to reveal a hitherto unidentified esoteric order to the world and created, pursuing its wisdom appealing to many.
The mysterious principle of the order is ‘created on esoteric facts of the archaic past,’ which are ‘hidden from the average man, deliver insight into nature, the material universe, and the spiritual domain.’ The manifestos do not elaborate considerably on the subject but incorporate connections to Kabbalah, Hermeticism, alchemy, and Christian mysticism.
The Rosicrucian manifestos celebrated a ‘ubiquitous reformation of mankind’ through a science that allegedly kept an enigma for decades until the philosophical climate might accept it. Controversies emerged on whether they were a fraud, whether the ‘Order of the Rosy Cross’ lived as defined in the manifestos, and whether the entire thing was an analogy concealing a movement that existed but in a separate state.
In 1616, Johann Valentin Andreae infamously established it a ‘ludibrium.’ Some thinkers of esotericism indicate that Andreae later completed this statement to protect himself from the outrage of the spiritual and political organizations of the day, which were biased toward free speech and the concept of a ‘universal reformation,’ for which the manifestos contacted.
An instance of the rosy cross character predating the early Rosicrucian manifestos is shown on the main panel of the Harbaville Triptych, which is Byzantine and arrives from the 10th or 11th century. The logo is a Calvary cross with a rose in its interior, similar to what the masonic/Rosicrucian thinker Manly Palmer Hall declared to be the tangible symbol of the Rosicrucians.
In his piece ‘Silentium Post Clamores’ 1617, the Rosicrucian Michael Maier 1568–1622 defined Rosicrucianism as having originated from a ‘Primordial Tradition’ in the subsequent message: “Our roots are Egyptian, Brahmanic, emanated from the enigmas of Eleusis and Samothrace, the Magi of Persia, the Pythagoreans, and the Arabs.”
The manifestos affected many figures pursuing esoteric understanding by pledging a spiritual conversion at a tremendous upheaval. Seventeenth-century occult scholars like Maier, Robert Fludd, and Thomas Vaughan interested themselves in the Rosicrucian worldview. According to the chronicler David Stevenson, it was significant for Freemasonry as it appeared in Scotland.
Many esoteric communities have proclaimed to emanate from the authentic Rosicrucians in later periods. The Rosy Cross or Rose Cross represents Rosicrucianism. The most effective of all these organizations was the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which emanated from Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and measured numerous famous figures among its partners. The most extensive is the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, an international community in San Jose, California.
Rosicrucian Manifestos
Origins
Between 1614 and 1617, three unidentified manifestos were issued, first in Germany and subsequently throughout Europe. These manifestos included the Confessio Fraternitatis The Confession of the Brotherhood of RC, circa 1615, the Fama Fraternitatis RC The Fame of the Brotherhood of RC, circa 1614, and then the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosicross anno 1459 circa 1617.
The Fama Fraternitatis shows the tale of a German doctor and mystic scholar directed as ‘Father Brother C.R.C.’ later recognized in a third manifesto as Christian Rosenkreuz, or ‘Rose-cross’. The year 1378 is illustrated as being the inception year of ‘our Christian Father,’ and it is noted that he lived 106 years.
After researching in the Middle East under different masters, perhaps sticking to Sufism, he could not extend the wisdom he had gained to foremost European scientists and scholars. Instead, he assembled a small group of friends/supporters and established the Rosicrucian Order; this can be inferred to have happened around 1407.
During Rosenkreuz’s lifetime, the ranking was said to contain no more than eight associates, each a physician and “all bachelors of professed virginity.” Each partner launched an assurance to cure the sick without receiving payment, hold a private fellowship, and find a substitute for himself before he passed. Three such generations had expired between c. 1500 and c. 1600: when scientific, intellectual, and religious freedom had developed so that the public might aid from the Rosicrucians' proficiency so that they were now pursuing good men.
Reception
The manifestos were, and persist in being, not taken word-for-word by many but considered either hoaxes or symbolic messages. They state: “We convey unto you by legends, but would voluntarily bring you to the right, simple, comfortable, and ingenious description, performance, declaration, and understanding of all unknown.”
The first Rosicrucian manifesto was affected by the creation of the reputed hermetic scholar Heinrich Khunrath of Hamburg, writer of the Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae 1609, who was in turn controlled by John Dee, writer of the Monas Hieroglyphica 1564. The invitation to the royal marriage in The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz unlocks Dee’s intellectual key, the Monas Hieroglyphica logo. The author also asserted the brotherhood owned a book that corresponded to the works of Paracelsus. Adam Haslmayr, a companion of Karl Widemann, reported a note about the Rosicrucian people who exposed the Theophrastiam on 24 December 1611.
In his autobiography, Johann Valentin Andreae 1586–1654 argued that the anonymously broadcasted Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz was one of his pieces, and he defined it as a ludibrium. In his latest creations, he created alchemy, a thing of ridicule, and placed it along with music, art, theater, and astrology to classify less severe sciences. According to some authorities, his position in the source of the Rosicrucian legend is contentious. But according to others, it was commonly acknowledged.
Rosicrucian Enlightenment
Rose-Cross
In the early 17th century, the manifestos generated excitement throughout Europe by reporting the presence of a secret brotherhood of alchemists and scholars who were training to convert the arts and sciences and spiritual, political, and philosophical topography of Europe.
Battles and wars of politics and religion destroyed the continent. The works were re-issued numerous times, observed by multiple brochures, profitable or otherwise. Between 1614 and 1620, about 400 manuscripts and textbooks were issued that examined the Rosicrucian records.