The Masonic Magician: The Life and Death of Count Cagliostro and His Egyptian Rite - Hardcover

Faulks, Philippa; Cooper, Robert L D

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1905857829 ISBN 13: 9781905857821

Publisher: Watkins Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

Count Alessandro Cagliostro was a cult figure in European society in the tumultuous years leading to the French Revolution. As an alchemist, healer, and Freemason, he inspired both wild devotion and savage ridicule, becoming the subject of novels by Alexander Dumas, a drama by Goethe, and Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute." But Cagliostro's sincere belief in the magical powers, even the immortality, of what he called the Egyptian Rite of Freemasonry made him dangerous enemies, too. In 1789, he was arrested by the Inquisition and condemned to death for heresy. Now, the discovery of a mysterious manuscript found in the Archives of the Grand Lodge of Scotland may shine a light on Cagliostro's secret spiritual teachings, and allow us, finally, a full understanding of his beliefs. "The Masonic Magician" tells Cagliostro's extraordinary story, complete with the first English translation of the Egyptian Rite ever published. It presents the case made against him (that he was an impostor as well as a heretic), and finds that the Roman Church, and history itself, have done him a terrible injustice. This scholarly account, drawing on remarkable new documentary evidence, reveals that the man condemned was in fact a remarkable visionary and a true champion of Freemasonry--and that his teachings have much to reveal to us today.

About this title

About the Author:

Philippa Faulks is a researcher, historian and author of seven books. Her passion for seeking the stories of others compels her love of travel. She currently splits her time between the UK and the rest of the world. She lives in Suffolk, England.

Robert L.D. Cooper is a Scottish Freemason and curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library in Edinburgh. He is the keeper of the oldest Lodge records in the world dating from 1599. He writes and broadcasts on all aspects of Freemasonry, and has lectured on the topic throughout the world. He is the author of many books, including The Rosslyn Hoax? and Cracking the Freemason's Code. He lives in Edinburgh. Scotland

About this edition

• Publisher: Watkins Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1905857829
• ISBN 13: 9781905857821
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 317