We often heard about Illuminati in Hollywood movies, popular novels, and websites written by hardcore conspiracy theorists. According to the modern depiction of the word, Illuminati pertains to a secret group of powerful personalities that actually control the fate of the world by causing major events here and there. The most popular conspiracy theory about the Illuminati is that the group aims to force the nations to submit under a New World Order, that is why the Illuminati is working behind plain sight to cause conflicts in every corner of the globe. Another popular belief is that once the Illuminati established the New World Order, humanity is doomed and the end time will be upon us shortly.

Obviously, all of the things mentioned above are all mystical mumbo jumbo, and no one has solid evidences to prove such claims. The Illuminati, or Bavarian Illuminati, as viewed in history, is not up for world domination or to bring upon the end of the world. It is a secret society formed on May 1, 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, which aimed to search for the path to enlightenment. This phrase sounds broad, but it actually offers some revolutionary ideas that may help in improving the lives of ordinary people, especially those who lived in the early centuries. Without much understanding about the world they live in, people tend to believe everything that the influential personas and organizations tell them. The Illuminati wanted to stop such manipulations and oppression, but they preferred to do their work in secret.

Even as a secret society, the actions of the Bavarian Illuminati were still witnessed by some. Terry Melanson in 2008 wrote about some Illuminati sightings based on actual historical accounts. One of the things related to the Illuminati that Melanson was able to unravel is a painting of the Hanau-Wilhelmsbad spa, painted by Anton Wilhelm Tischbein in 1783. This spa had a huge significance in the Illuminati movement because it served as the location of the Masonic Congress in the summer of 1782, where the enlightened ones meet to discuss the pressing issues in Europe.