Secret Societies of the Middle Ages

"Secret Societies of the Middle Ages" by Thomas Keightley is a 19th-century historical exploration of covert groups that arose during the Middle Ages. It shines a light on the beginnings and traits of hidden organizations like the Assassins, Knights Templar, and secret Westphalian courts. The author tries to give a full view of these groups, showing their impact on politics, society, and religion. The story starts by explaining that secret societies were a way to keep knowledge safe when only a few people knew important things. It looks at how these groups were created to protect what they knew and to have secret meetings for talking about politics and making changes. Because these societies were secret, people often mistrusted them, which led to them being misunderstood and treated unfairly by those in power. The basis for the chapters that follow, which go into detail about specific societies and their place in history, is set up in this introduction.