Bavarian Illuminati

Two years after the inception of the Illuminati Weishaupt wrote two other members code named Marius and Cato (Jacob Anton von Hertel, and Franz Xavier Zwack respectively) with a request to change the name of their secret society to the “Order of the Bees”. This change would have included the changing of all other secret keywords in the order to a bee theme (from the current roman style code words). The idea was soon after scraped.

Lanz while traveling to Silesia stops in Regensburg to meet with Illuminati founder Adam Weishaupt. Weishaupt had met up with Lanz near the city gates, where Lanz is struck by a bolt of lightning.

Lanz is taken to a near by chapel by concerned citizens but he is already dead. Bavarian authorities search the body and find secret documents that according to Illuminati researcher Terry Melanson contained:

"(1) the names of Lodges and villages or towns in which they are located;
(2) the name of the Master of the Chair, the two wardens directly below him, and any other influential members of the Lodge;
(3) what system does it practice;
(4) how long has the Lodge been active;
(5) the manner in which it is directed or operated;
(6) how many degrees it confers above that of the three symbolic grades;
(7) if they are aware of the Order of the Illuminati;
(8) what opinion they have formed of it;
(9) what are their thoughts concerning the persecutions of the Freemasons and Illuminati in Bavaria, and who they think is responsible;
(10) what they say about the Disciples of Loyola and the Jesuits. He was also instructed not to reveal his status as an Illuminatus, with hope of provoking genuine responses."

Another interesting point Melanson makes is that Lanz was a supposed priest of God, and this looks like a clear cut case of divine retribution against Lanz, and the order of the Illuminati.

*Note some Freemasons deny this historical event such as the article "A Bavarian Illuminati primer" by Trevor W. McKeown, but other oculists such as Mark Booth state it as fact in his new age book "The Secret History of the World". It is important to keep in mind that these secret societies have sworn upon death to protect the secrets of the order and even lying about events is an acceptable practice to them.

In an effort to disband the Illuminati and Freemasonry in the country of Bavaria the then Duke Karl Theodor issues a ban on the practice of subversive secret societies. Unlike the first edict this one specifically bans Freemasonry and the Order of the Illuminati by name.

Several ex and discontented members of the Bavarian Illuminati got word up to Duke Karl about plans the Illuminati had against seated royalty and the Catholic church - which the Duke was both. The Duke issued an edict which stated that all secret societies that were unauthorized by the government were illegal and to be disbanded. The edict did not specifically state that the Freemasons and the Illuminati were the targets, but the groups were not authorized and fell under the persecution of the government of Bavaria.

A warrant for the arrest of Adam Weishaupt went out and he was forced into hiding. He was assisted in escaping from Ingolstadt by fellow Illuminati member Joseph Martin who helped him get to Nuremberg dressed as a laborer.

The paper trail that the police were following from the death of Jacob Lanz when he was struck by lightning finally led the investigators the the house of Illuminati co-founder Zwack. The search lasted two days. According to author Jüri Lina this was where the most important Illuminati documents were held.