
audiobook
by G. B. (Giovanni Battista) Nicolini
PREFACE.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
INTRODUCTION.
HISTORY OF THE JESUITS. - CHAPTER I. 1500-40. ORIGIN OF THE ORDER.
CHAPTER II. 1540-52. CONSTITUTIONS OF THE SOCIETY.
CHAPTER III. 1540-53. HIERARCHY.
CHAPTER IV. 1541-48. THE PROGRESS OF THE ORDER, AND ITS FIRST GENERAL.
CHAPTER V. 1547-1631. THE FEMALE JESUITS.
CHAPTER VI. 1548-56. THE FIRST OPPOSITION TO THE ORDER, AND DEATH OF LOYOLA.
CHAPTER VII. 1541-1774. MISSIONS.
A determined inquiry into the Society of Jesus, this work traces the order’s beginnings in the 16th‑century Iberian Peninsula and follows its expansion across Europe. The author presents the Jesuits as a uniquely organized and ambitious brotherhood, intent on shaping religious and political life wherever they settle. From the outset, the narrative stresses the tension between their Catholic allegiance and the Protestant societies they encounter, especially England.
Drawing on a wealth of contemporary sources, the author examines the order’s doctrines, educational methods, and covert strategies for advancing papal influence. He argues that the Jesuits’ loyalty to the Pope, rather than to any secular sovereign, creates a persistent challenge to civil liberty and national stability. The text balances detailed historical episodes with a clear, polemical stance on the perceived dangers of their presence.
Listeners will find a vivid portrait of a religious movement that has long provoked fear and fascination. The book offers insight into the broader clash of faiths that shaped early modern politics, making it valuable for anyone interested in the interplay of religion, power, and identity.
Language
en
Duration
~16 hours (936K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Clarity and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2019-06-10
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

An Italian political activist, professor, and polemical writer, he is best remembered for anti-Jesuit and anti-papal works that circulated in the English-speaking world as well as in Italy. His writing grew out of the turbulent world of 19th-century liberal and nationalist debate.
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