Richard Spence
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 12
Language
English
Description
Explore the roots of the 28-year-old Adam Weishaupt's secret society, the Order of Perfectibilists, which later became the Order of the Illuminati, or, in German, the Illuminatenordern: The Order of the Enlightened. Discover how Weishaupt envisioned nothing less than "A New World," which necessitated destruction of Christianity and all other forms of religion.
Author
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Language
English
Description
Step into the sweltering world of New York City in the 1970s, where social misfit David Berkowitz committed a series of murders, and then claimed he was possessed by an evil spirit and was part of a Satanic cult. Like the Manson murders and the Zodiac killer, the "Son of Sam" spree poses difficult questions about psychology and the nature of evil.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 22
Language
English
Description
Get to know the elite secret societies that only recruited members who were already (or would likely be) rich or influential, including the Bohemian Club, the Schlaraffia, the Sath-Bhai or Asiatic Brethren, the FOGC, the Skull & Bones Society, and more. These primarily men-only clubs are rumored to have dabbled in black arts, unusual rituals, and conspiratorial agendas.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 18
Language
English
Description
Discover how some politically driven secret societies have far-reaching impact, as Professor Spence dives into a period of time when America was full of Soviet espionage and clandestine communist activity. Through a number of interlinked histories, he demonstrates how the Communist party relied on proven secret-society techniques, such as selective recruitment and fanatical loyalty.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 16
Language
English
Description
Do criminal gangs really qualify as secret societies? Yes: They're selective in membership, require oaths and initiations, and members usually advance through grades or ranks. From the early 20th-century Thuggees of India to the modern-day mafias that have arisen in cities all over the world, you'll get to know the seedy underbelly of society like never before.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 13
Language
English
Description
The Freemasons don't hide their existence. However, they did popularize the idea of secrecy: adopting a clandestine set of identifying factors, ensuring their rituals and initiations are complicated and intimidating, and even having a term for outsiders or non-members. Discover the multiple evolutions and adaptions of Freemasons, which have helped to keep this group shrouded in mystery.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 7
Language
English
Description
The 1930s saw economic crisis, the rise of Hitler, Stalinist terror, and the general decline of democracy. Were the events coincidence or consequences? Was there a hidden hand at work undermining democratic institutions and encouraging dictatorship? And was this hidden hand something called Synarchy? Dive into the movements and events that have been tied back to various Synarchy ideas.
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English
Description
More than 50 years later, the Zodiac case remains as cold as the chilly night this infamous serial killer slayed the first victims. Like an American Jack the Ripper, the Zodiac killer maintains a grip on our imagination because the killer might still be out there-somewhere. Review what we know about this captivating crime spree.
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Series
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English
Description
Despite countless books, films, and documentaries, the Manson murders still have unanswered questions and unsolved mysteries. Like so many crimes of the century, the question isn't who, but why? Explore the information, and misinformation, about the Helter Skelter murders that ended the 1960s.
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Series
Language
English
Description
Shift your attention to another political conspiracy-the murder of the Russian Tsar Nicholas and other Romanovs at the hands of the Bolsheviks. For more than a century, the facts of this murder have been dissected and debated. As you will learn, time has added few facts but plenty of speculation and myth.
31) Crimes of the Century: A Selective History of Infamy: American Nightmare: The Lindbergh Kidnapping
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English
Description
Delve into one of the best-known and most debated murder cases in American history. Richard Hauptmann-dubbed "the most hated man in the world"-was executed for kidnapping and killing aviator Charles Lindbergh's baby, but did he act alone? Who received the ransom money? What exactly happened in 1932?
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 1
Language
English
Description
Get a brief introduction to the realm of secret societies you will study throughout this series as seen through the personal experience of Professor Spence in his home town of Taft, California. Often demonized by their enemies and misunderstood by outsiders, many secret societies have become the stuff of myths and conspiracy theories.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 6
Language
English
Description
Start with the history of the smaller secret societies that were popping up all over Germany at the end of the 19th century. Then look at how the larger societies and individuals, which have already been covered, will weave through the background of Hitler's rise to power. Then explore how the Nazi leader came to embrace secret-society methods for his own purposes.
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Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 8
Language
English
Description
Travel back to Ancient Greece to hear what we know of the Eleusinian Mysteries, among the most ancient and prestigious of the Greco-Roman world. This first secret society, which had endured for almost 2,000 years, counted among its members the likes of Socrates, Plato, Plutarch, and Cicero. Professor Spence also considers if secret societies ever die or if they just change into something else.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 17
Language
English
Description
In this episode that focuses on the worldwide impact of Aleister Crowley, Professor Spence highlights the murky connections between secret societies, occultism, and espionage. You may be surprised to see the number of world-changing events Crowley (credited with being "the wickedest man in the world") had his hands in.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 9
Language
English
Description
Travel to a historic empire that stretched from Anatolia to Central Asia as you get to know The Assassins, whose roots reach back at least as far as the beginning of Islam in the 7th century. See how "assassin," our generic term for professional killer, is linked to the asaiyun, who were notably the cause of 200 years of terrorism and murder.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 5
Language
English
Description
Were the Bolsheviks a political movement or a secret society? Dive into this question as you survey the rich history of governmental secret societies who combated revolutionary conspiracies with their own conspiracies. You will gain a vivid appreciation for the allure of the elite and the power of conspiracy, and you'll see that there is no better active minority than a well-oiled secret society.
38) Crimes of the Century: A Selective History of Infamy: The Moscow-to-Mexico Mission to Kill Trotsky
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Series
Language
English
Description
As we have seen, political assassinations are rife with conspiracy, and often leave a flashing question mark in the history books. Here, you examine the murder of Leon Trotsky, a Soviet leader exiled in Mexico. What appears on the surface to be a seamless plot to kill a political rival owes much to chance, as well as Trotsky's own stubborn nature.
Author
Series
Real History of Secret Societies volume 10
Language
English
Description
Professor Spence starts with the 1244 fall of Montsegur, which most history books note as the Cathars' last stand as an organized movement. Yet, as Professor Spence demonstrates, this influential group shows up over and over throughout history. See how the Cathars inherited and adapted much older beliefs, and how they undoubtedly influenced other groups to come.