Secret Societies
They’ve been around for thousands of years…orchestrating some of history’s most controversial events. And if not for their radical actions, you may never have even known they existed. Every Thursday, take a journey through hidden passageways and become a member of Parcast’s diabolical series, SECRET SOCIETIES. Each society is explored in 2 episodes—exposing the people and context responsible for its founding, and analyzing the psychology behind their beliefs.
26
O.T.O. Pt. 2
He inspired the Beatles, sacrificed goats, and faked his own death.
38 min
27
O.T.O. Pt. 1
The occult society of magicians, Ordo Templi Orientis, has divided public opinion since its founding in Germany around 1890.
38 min
28
The Bilderberg Group Pt. 2
Knowledge about the Bilderberg Group hit the mainstream in the 2000s.
37 min
29
The Bilderberg Group Pt. 1
Since its founding in 1954, the Bilderberg Group, an association made up of the world's richest and most powerful people, have met in secret in luxury hotels around the world.
40 min
30
The Hashashins Pt. 2
With Hasan-i-Sabbah now dead, the Assassins looked to someone to carry on his legacy.
37 min
31
The Hashashins Pt. 1
Throughout the history of Islam, schisms led to the formation of different branches or sects.
38 min
32
The Cathars Pt. 2
Many historians believe that the last Cathar died in 1321. They had been slaughtered in a decades-long inquisition led by the Catholic Church.
36 min
33
The Cathars Pt. 1
They first appeared in Europe sometime during the 12th century. But unlike other secret societies, the Cathars didn’t choose to hide—they were forced to.
35 min
34
Molly Maguires Pt. 2
They were famous in the coal mining region of Pennsylvania. Before the end of the 19th century, twenty of the Molly Maguires’ alleged leaders would be hanged for their heinous crimes. But the question remains, did this menacing Irish society even actually exist?
35 min
35
Molly Maguires Pt. 1
In the 1800s, Irish farmers began protesting against greedy landlords and excessive tithes.
36 min
36
Crossover Week: Dictators (Joseph Stalin Pt. 2)
Now in total power, Joseph Stalin went on to transform the Soviet Union into a modernized country—but at the cost of millions of lives. In order to fulfill his vision of communism, the deaths of peasants and political enemies were required.
39 min
37
Crossover Week: Dictators (Joseph Stalin Pt. 1)
Before he became the leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world, Joseph Stalin was an idealistic, but ruthless revolutionary. A Marxist from a young age, he devoted much of his life to overthrowing Imperial Russia. But as his star rose among the Russian socialists, so too did his list of enemies.
41 min
38
The Rosicrucians Pt. 2
Recent allegations and revelations about the Rosicrucians have accused them of mind control, ritual suicide, and white supremacy.
44 min
39
The Rosicrucians Pt. 1
Between 1610 and 1614, a series of anonymous letters claimed to reveal hidden knowledge about a mystical secret society.
42 min
40
The Council on Foreign Relations Pt. 2
Their power allowed them to attain a nearly impossible reach in politics, big business, and the media after the end of World War II. Some have even accused the Council on Foreign Relations of using the U.S. government...to create a New World Order.
37 min
41
The Council on Foreign Relations Pt. 1
Since its founding in 1921, the Council on Foreign Relations has claimed to be an independent political think-tank.
38 min
42
The Triads Pt. 2
From blood rituals to massacres to drug rings, the Triads are still making headlines around the world. A group that was created with a sense of greater purpose has now come to worship one thing: money. And they'll do anything to turn a profit.
38 min
43
The Triads Pt. 1
Brotherhood. Political rebellion. Mutual aid. The origin of the Triads in the 17th century is almost virtuous. How, then, has their name become synonymous with corruption, crime, and bloodshed?
38 min
44
The Knights Templar Pt. 2
The Knights Templar grew in wealth and power for several centuries, becoming what many have labeled as the first multinational corporation.
38 min
45
The Knights Templar Pt. 1
It was a Medieval order of Christian warriors, founded on principles of chastity and commitment to the word of God. Their rituals of the Knights Templar were in keeping with their godly public image—on the surface. But even the most honorable of organizations can be corrupted.
38 min
46
The Hellfire Club Pt. 2
When Francis Dashwood founded the London Hellfire Club, he was primarily interested in partying and starting quarrels.
41 min
47
The Hellfire Club Pt. 1
Black masses. Human sacrifice. Satanic rituals. Are these the practices of an 18th century secret society, or merely legend?
41 min
48
The Carbonari Pt. 2
By 1820, the Carbonari had enough influence within Naples to launch their long-awaited revolution.
41 min
49
The Carbonari Pt. 1
In the early 1800s, the Italian Kingdom of Naples fell under the control of a succession of autocratic rulers.
37 min
50
Skull and Bones Pt. 2
There are numerous theories about how actively engaged Yale’s Skull and Bones alumni are in implementing a “New World Order.”
41 min