The Rosicrucian Manifestos

Enlightened spirits value all aspects of life over monetary wealth. But, the alchemists of old are said to have spent their lives in study of how to turn lesser metals into gold. It is often said that their manifestos are coded blueprints to the actual creation of gold. The suggestion is that they actively sought what should mean so very little to the enlightened. Is that what they were doing? If it was not their goal, what was their goal? The "Rosicrucian Trio" contains the three prominent Rosicrucian Manifestos: "Fama Fraternitatis", "Confessio Fraternitatis" and "The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz." The Introduction by Michael R. Poll suggests that these manifestos were written with a very different meaning that is far more in line with the enlightened.

The Rosicrucian Trilogy features modern translations of Fama Fraternitatis(1614), Confessio Fraternitatis (1615), and The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz (1616) with 30 original illustrations by Hans Wildermann. Four hundred years ago, the publication of these 3 anonymous documents launched the Rosicrucian movement. The story of Christian Rosenkreuz and his secretive order, as told in the Fama Fraternitatis, had political repercussions that continue to this day, while The Chemical Wedding is a landmark in European fantasy fiction. This present book offers the 3 founding documents in reliable, readable, modern English. Fully annotated and with modern introductions, these new translations explain the historical context, shed light on the beginnings of the Rosicrucian Order, and bring this fascinating material to a wider readership.

At the centre of the Rosicrucian manifestos was a call for ‘general reformation’. In Reformation, Revolution, Renovation, the first book-length study of this topic, Lyke de Vries demonstrates the unique position of the Rosicrucian call for reform in the transformative context of the early seventeenth century. The manifestos, commonly interpreted as either Lutheran or esoteric, are here portrayed as revolutionary mission statements which broke dramatically with Luther’s reform ideals. Their call for reform instead resembles a variety of late medieval and early modern dissenting traditions as well as the heterodox movement of Paracelsianism. Emphasising the universal character of the Rosicrucian proposal for change, this new genealogy of the core idea sheds fresh light on the vexed question of the manifestos’ authorship and helps explain their tumultuous reception by both those who welcomed and those who deplored them.

The "Rosicrucian Trio" contains the three prominent Rosicrucian Manifestos. The Introduction by Michael R. Poll suggests that these manifestos were written with a very different meaning that is far more in line with the enlightened.

Markham's Brotherhood presents the original Rosicrucian manifestos in an easily accessible Modern English version with explanatory notes to enlighten the reader, offering greater depth without obstructing the reading experience. This new edition of the founding Rosicrucian writings brings them to life for the modern reader.

The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz, often looked upon as the third Rosicrucian manifesto, has an entirely different tone from the other Rosicrucian documents. Unlike the Rosicrucian manifestoes, which address the transformation of society, The Chemical Wedding is concerned with the inner transformation of the soul. It is a deeply interior work, one which asks the reader to step into its world of symbols and walk with Christian Rosenkreutz along his path of transformation. Despite its importance as a key text of the Western esoteric traditions, this is the first ever contemporary English translation of The Chemical Wedding, made especially for this edition by Joscelyn Godwin. Also included in this edition is an introduction and commentary by Adam McLean, which illuminates the transformative symbolism.