Since their foundation in 1540, the Society of Jesus, otherwise known as the Jesuits, have had a transformative impact on religion, society and culture across the globe. But the history of this remarkable religious order has been clouded by myth and intrigue.
Here are 10 facts about the Jesuits:
1. Ignatius Loyola was an unlikely religious leader
Nobody would have predicted that Iñigo de Loyola would end his days living in Rome under self-imposed vows of poverty and chastity. From his birth in 1491, the nobleman looked destined for a life of chivalry, fighting and fun. Loyola’s fate transformed when a bomb shattered his leg at the Battle of Pamplona in 1521.
Convalescing at his family castle, Loyola had little entertainment beyond books on Jesus and the saints. When he reflected on his old life of derring-do and brawling, Loyola now became ill-at-ease. When he considered living like the saints, he felt a deep sense of calm. Sure that God was telling him to take up a religious life, Loyola travelled to the Holy Land.
2. The first Jesuits were university room mates
Loyola’s first followers were fellow students at the University of Paris. Though he had reached the Holy Land in 1523, Loyola’s plans to settle there were scuppered when Franciscan missionaries sent him away. Loyola studied in Spain, where he ended up in front of the inquisition after giving out religious advice and preaching to women who fell into states of ecstasy.
