The Rochefoucauld family, The Hunt of the Unicorn, and St. Germain.

The Hunt of the Unicorn and the Rochfoucauld Family. The Royal Blood of Europe.

Bradbury Cort Lindahl January 14, 2019.

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”-Christ from Revelation 22:13

Many great works of art were created in the renaissance era in Europe. Art at this time was beginning to break free of the religious and governmental concepts it had been used to portray over time. This trend may have included many pieces that were religious in nature yet meant to convey the personal views of the individual that had commissioned them. In some cases, there are even hidden tenets or themes included in such artwork. Many people have speculated this about the works of Leonardo and other masters of the era for example.

Here we will examine an amazing group of tapestries known of via the theme of the pieces as “The Hunt of the Unicorn.” The specific artists that had created these tapestries are unknown. What is known is that they were first noted as being owned by François Rochefoucauld VI as they were inventoried as being in his castle in Paris in 1680. The Rochefoucauld family includes an amazing legacy through history which may include associations with the Crusades, Chivalry, and possibly even the much venerated and controversial Knights Templar. Though the date of the creation of these tapestries is much later than the dissolution of the Knights Templar we may see some concepts hidden in these artworks that would have been considered heretical to the Catholic Church. Most importantly we will see later members of the Rochefoucauld family having a distinct impact on the history of the United States of America.

The name Rochefoucauld has also lately been associated with one of the most famous treasure hunts in the world at Oak Island, Nova Scotia. The rich history of Nova Scotia includes the famous d’Anville Expedition of Jean Baptiste Rochefoucauld duc d’Anville that was even immortalized by the pen of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem “The Ballad of the French Fleet.” Earlier we examined how the d’Anville Expedition may have been part of a series of French naval operations associated with Bonnie Prince Charlie and his attempted 1745 rebellion in Scotland. Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Stewart family has many French relations even extending to the de La Tour kin of the Rochefoucauld family. Indeed the Rochefoucauld and de La Tour families in turn have close ties to the Marquis de Lafayette who is a famous figure from the American Revolution.

While the d’Anville Expedition on paper was to liberate French Acadia from the English there are some historical footnotes that show how the duc d’Anville may have constructed the Money Pit on Oak Island possibly leaving something of great value there or nearby. As we may see the Rochefoucauld family also held a little-known connection to many great American Patriots during the era leading up to the Revolutionary War. Louis Alexandre Rochefoucauld was a direct associate of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. These men had even attended a literary salon at Louis Alexandre’s estate near Gisors. Louis Alexandre had even reproduced the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence in French for the first time and had them published. An examination of the artwork their family appreciated may enlighten us with regard to why their American association was true while also exposing other alternate beliefs they may have had with regard to their faith.

Here we will also examine the associations and overtones of the “Hunt of the Unicorn” as it relates to other aspects of history the Rochefoucauld family are involved in. Given the analysis of this author the tapestries do display some aspects of Christian history in allegory that may also lead us to some of the popular themes of the “sangreal” or “holy blood” of Christ that have been a popular notion in some recent books and movies. These theories state that Christ did not die on the cross and was spirited away to France by his wife Mary Magdalene where they had children and lived in secrecy. Is it possible that the Rochefoucauld family were among those that believed they were descendant of Christ’s theorized union with Mary Magdalene? Had they descended from the children or family of Christ? Were “The Hunt of the Unicorn” tapestries created as an allegory for something having to do with their alternate faith?

Though no one can prove that for sure given what we may learn from examining “The Hunt of the Unicorn” tapestries there are some clear allusions to the crucifixion of Christ and his subsequent resurrection. The series of seven tapestries display the progression of a story that includes a Unicorn being hunted, attacked, captured by a Virgin, killed, then resurrected. Many art historians speculate that this series of tapestries is indeed an allegory for the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. At one point the Unicorn is displayed with a wound on its right breast as happened to Christ on the Cross.

In the end the story of the Unicorn includes that this creature survives on the earth yet in a protected environment. This theory does seem to be a legitimate inspiration for the tapestries but why would someone choose to portray this aspect of Christ’s life in a kind of hidden or veiled manner? The resurrection and crucifixion are commonly displayed in Christian iconography so it is somewhat bizarre that an allegory is used in this case. This may be our first clue as to the true meaning of these tapestries.

While the answer to that question is complex, it may be that those that had commissioned the tapestries were attempting to clue the viewer in to an alternate version of the story of Jesus that they may have even felt they were part of. Though no Rochefoucauld has ever espoused the idea that they were part of what may be termed “the blood of Christ” we may see how this is possible given their possession and appreciation of this piece of great art.

Indeed, the history of the tapestries on the whole shows them to have been of value to those who search for the solution to historical mysteries in art, literature, and architecture. The Rochefoucauld family does have more than one interface with members of the family of the House of Orange who many also speculate as being associated with the concept of Jesus having come to France and siring children with Mary Magdalene. This would include King William III who is one of the namesakes of the College of William and Mary in Williamburg, Virginia. King William’s sigil or personal symbol resembles some of the hidden iconography present on the Unicorn tapestries.

The tapestries are very detailed and rich in color. Some of the threads used in their weaving were even wound with silver and gold producing rich colors that still are amazing today. One of the more mysterious aspects of the tapestries is that they all include strange initials that are bound by different arrays of corded knots located in the corners of each piece. These initials appear as the letter “A” that uses a “v” shaped crossbar similar to the form of the Auspice of Mary symbol valued by the Sulpician Order and Christianity as a whole. Some alternate theorists also associate this symbol as also referring to Mary Magdalene. The other letter in these repeated initials on the tapestries includes what appears to be a backwards letter “E” whose edges are curved also to resemble a number 3. The fact that the “E” is backwards and resembles the number 3 may be very telling in the overall analysis of the meaning of the tapestries.

Given the possible theme of the Blood of Christ hidden in these great works of art it may be obvious in the opinion of this author that these initials stand for the Greek letters Alpha and the lower case version of Omega which are obviously associated with Jesus Christ. These letters appear on many representations of the Christogram which this author has discussed prior in association with the famous ookedhay ecksay (trademark pending) seen on the Kensington Rune Stone in Minnesota as well as in other contexts throughout the world.

The lower case Omega resembles in turn a fisherman’s hook or the strange letter “E” seen on the tapestries. The Kensington Rune also includes the Latin letters of “AVM” among the so called Norse runic figures. “AVM” is obviously the Auspice of Mary symbol that resembles in turn the letter “A” in the strange initials included on each tapestry of the Unicorn collection. Hidden in this letter “A” are actually the three letters AVM.

Why is the letter “E” backwards as displayed on the tapestries? In short while many other art historians have speculated who “A.E.” is it may be that this is a reference to Jesus Christ. Most art historians already agree that the series of tapestries is an allegory for the life of Christ so this in many ways makes more sense than searching for whom this mysterious person was. The tapestries display an allegory for the death and resurrection of Christ so the initials on the pieces also refer to Jesus. (See illustrations at the end of this chapter).

Some insight may be gained by examining the life of the man who is noted as possessing the tapestries in 1680. François IV duc La Rochefoucauld, Prince of Marcillac was an amazing author and personage that many have even deemed to be the “Sir Francis Bacon” of France. François had many friendships with people including Madame Lafayette a direct forebear of the Marquis de Lafayette famous in the American Revolutionary War for his exploits in battle. The Duke is most famous for his book of Maxims that do resemble some of the works of Sir Francis Bacon. Though François and Bacon’s life overlapped the Duke was too young to have actually met Sir Francis.

One of the more telling aspects of François Rochefoucauld’s association with the “Hunt of the Unicorn” tapestries was his opposition to many of the edicts and rules set forth by Cardinal Richleau and the Catholic Church during the era in which he lived. It is entirely possible that the theme of the tapestries also represented his opposition to the common canon of the Catholic Church that would consider the hidden message of Christ’s survival of the crucifixion as being a heresy that could not be tolerated by the church. This may be why many art historians and analysts suggest the story of the Unicorn as portrayed on the tapestries is an allegory for the true life of Jesus Christ. François VI also was an avid attendee of many literary salons during his adult life. Salons such as this were often hotbeds of alternative views on faith and society at large.

Given this it is interesting that one of the tapestries in the series also includes the very faded initials of “F.R.” in the center of the work which are also arranged with a representation of a knotted cord. It is possible that these are indeed the initials of the person who had actually commissioned the weaving of these tapestries. It may be that François III Rochefoucauld (1521-1572) had been the person who had commissioned the tapestries. If so this would also supply us a link not only to beliefs that the Catholic Church would deem heretical but also to one of the largest massacres of Protestants to have ever occurred.

As it turns out the man who likely commissioned the creation of these tapestries François III Rochefoucald was killed at the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in the streets of Paris. This notable devastation of the Protestant Huguenot population of Paris if not France was witnessed by a cadre of English intelligence service figures that did include Robert Beale, Philip Sidney the author of the seminal work entitled “Arcadia” and his father in law Sir Francis Walsingham the “spymaster” of Elizabeth I. Of course, the Beale name is also associated with another lost treasure legend in Virginia.

At this time the Protestant Englishmen were appalled at what they had seen and this incident did not tend to quell the fires of dispute that had existed between the Catholic Church and England since the mid sixteenth century reformation of Henry VIII. In fact the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre may have helped to cement an alliance between like minded Englishmen and their French Protestant cohorts in opposition to the Catholic Church’s influence in France. Later in history this event would also contribute a great deal to the creation of the United States of America.

It is also notable that Scottish King James IV had owned tapestries that were described as being very similar to the Unicorn tapestries that the Rochefoucauld family had owned. In addition, these tapestries of James IV were located at Stirling Castle in Scotland which I have written of as a place where there are many mysteries in the representative artwork there. Though the original Unicorn tapestries from Stirling are missing direct copies of the Rochefoucauld’s Hunt of the Unicorn are now on display at Stirling Castle.

Stirling Castle is home to the octagonal Kings Knot and what may be termed an “Arcadian Mystery.” James IV was also a direct relative of the Duke of Albany Alexander Stewart who first married Catherine Sinclair the daughter of the William Sinclair the builder of Rosslyn Chapel. Upon her death, the Duke married a woman named Anne de La Tour d’Auvergne a direct relative of many important people in the saga of the Rochefoucauld family if not the entire historical legacy of the United States and Canada. This family relation would later be important in what may be considered the neglected or “hidden history” of Nova Scotia and the United States.

It is both sad and notable that a man who had been responsible for a representative work of art such as the Unicorn tapestries had been killed for the views that are likely expressed on the tapestries. How much more Protestant can one get other than to espouse the existence of the bloodline or family of Christ even possibly extending to François III himself? This concept as discussed would have also been a thorn in the side of the Vatican as this concept would be a direct threat to the canon of the Church and their view of the divinity of Christ as opposed to him having walked the earth as a common man would have. In addition, the entire heretical belief that surrounds the importance of Mary Magdalene would have also directly opposed the Vatican’s view of the role of women in matters of faith.

Amazingly the concept of the opposition to women’s roles in religion is one that goes far back into history. As in many cases it appears that a series of strong women had left a legacy of their right to be involved in matters of faith that impacted them directly. Historical figures like Queen Semiramis, Cleopatra, Empress Theodora, Empress Sophia, and even Mary Magdalene herself serve as icons that the church does not appreciate or promote as being important. Interestingly all of these women are portrayed as prostitutes or figures of low moral value by their opposition.

Empress Theodora may be a good example to examine in relation to the Unicorn tapestries. Theodora was the wife of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Justinian along with Theodoric the Great created the grand architecture of Ravenna, Italy. Ravenna may be home to the original archetype of the array of architecture we see on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem today. Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna is home to one of the most impressive arrays of mosaics in the world. These pieces include a mosaic of Christ sitting on the globe, clean shaven and dressed in the imperial purple robes of Byzantine Royalty. An examination of the architectural history of Ravenna may be very revealing in terms of the mythology of Mary Magdalene.

The story of the art and architecture of Ravenna goes hand in hand with the concept of Christ having survived the resurrection. In fact an examination of the history of Theodora and Justinian reveals many strange tenets of history not the least of which is that Byzantine Royalty likely believed that they indeed were the survivors of the family of Jesus Christ. If the mosaics of Ravenna are analyzed in a similar vein to the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries then similar conclusions may also be drawn.

Theodora was born in Alexandria, Egypt and was schooled in Coptic forms of Christianity that did include what may be termed the Apocryphal Gospels. This may have even included the so called Gospel of Mary Magdalene that many modern scholars point to as proof of her having been the wife of Christ. The history of Theodora has many parallels to the story of Mary Magdalene and even includes the fact that she was a “dancing girl.” In that era that is somewhat analogous to her having been a prostitute. Theodora was a strong person who in many ways shared the duties of her husband Justinian I and she was even termed an Augusta or female ruler.

In many ways the mosaic of Theodora and her retinue at Basilica San Vitale is similar to the themes represented in the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries. Theodora is displayed in her royal garb along with her priestesses and priests. Note “priestesses” including her sister and niece Sophia who would later become Augusta. What is notable in the mosaic is that her priests and priestesses are wearing what may be termed Coptic tunic patches that were unique to that form of Christianity during this era.

Theodora is also depicted holding a jeweled chalice that represents in many interpretations the chalice that holds the Blood of Christ. Representations of a jeweled chalice such as this are often interpreted as being the Holy Grail. Here we have Theodora sending us a very similar veiled message related to the role of women in matters of faith that is also displayed on the Unicorn tapestries. Many people who study the Blood of Christ phenomena also relate the Chalice to the female aspect of this bloodline. Though it is not documented a historical figure such as Empress Theodora may have had a large value of a figure such as Mary Magdalene.

Ravenna was first created as the seat of the Christian faith by Emperor Honorius in the fifth century. Honorius ruled the western Empire while his brother Arcadius ruled the Eastern Empire including Constantinople. It is starting in this period of history that we see some Byzantine rulers intermarrying with what would later be termed the Merovingian Dynasty.

Merovingians of course are considered by many who study the theories of Mary Magdalene and Jesus in France as having been the progeny of Christ. In this way Byzantine rulers may have been displaying a hidden tenet of a faith that also may have been practiced by none other than Emperor Constantine himself. It is not out of the realm of possibility that the royal class of the Byzantine Empire would develop an exclusive and hidden form of Christianity in which they would be the keepers of the true nature of that faith. It is clear that even later Holy Roman Emperors such as Charlemagne and Frederick II had beliefs that they were linked to Byzantine Royalty.

It is interesting that the name of Emperor Arcadius is also an early reference to the Byzantine appreciation of the earlier mythology of the Greek Culture. Arcadius is named for the mythological figure of Arcas whom via a series of events is cast into the sky as Ursa Minor and his mother is cast as Ursa Major. Both figures represent the two circumpolar bears in the sky with Ursa Minor i.e. Arcas’ tail including the pole star. This story seems to have been valued over a long period of time and was obviously valued a great deal during the era of Sir Francis Bacon and Philip Sidney.

It is in this way that the Pole Star is included in the theme of Arcadia seen throughout history and appreciated in many different ways. In turn this theme is present albeit in veiled manner in much of the architecture of Ravanna and later in history associated with what may be termed a “New Atlantis” or “New Jerusalem” array of architecture. Emperor Arcadius himself was said to have married a member of the Merovingian Dynasty prior to the time they converted to Christianity. In fact the marriage of Arcadius may have been one of the factors that contributed to their conversion to that faith.

All of this may hint that when the theme of Arcadia is present at place like Rennes le Chateau, Shugborough Hall, Stirling Castle, Virginia, and Nova Scotia i.e. “Acadia” that a “clewe” is being given that a myth or legend is present that may have applications in reality. The theme of Arcadia is present in the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries.

Over time this bloodline may have extended to members of the House of Orange of France and in association their related families including the Rochefoucauld and de La Tour families. It may be that this is the root reason that we see the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries having been so valued by the Rochefoucauld family over time leading up to the unfortunate death of François III at the Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in Paris in 1572. An unfortunate example of history repeating itself is the additional unfortunate demise of Louis Alexandre Rochefoucauld the friend of Thomas Jefferson who had printed the Declaration of Independence in French and his demise as part of the French Revolution later in history. The Rochefoucauld family seems to have always stood up for alternate views of religion and politics and their family has paid the price for these views over the centuries.

It is interesting that two monumental pieces of art can be used to expose the entire concept of the Blood of Christ and what it really means in the context of later historical events. It is no surprise that over time leading to the era after the American and French Revolutions that we see the Rochefoucauld family being involved in some aspects of the development of the United States and Canada. Some later members of the family were even exiled in the United States after the French Revolution extending all the way through the Napoleonic period of French history.

With is this in mind it is no surprise that later their family legacy can be connected to historical oddities such as the Oak Island Money Pit, and other similar mysterious tenets of history that may have been designed to relay beliefs such as those of Mary Magdalene and the Blood of Christ over time extending to the new world which France had helped to develop. It seems that some members of the Rochefoucauld family were informed about some of the concepts of the Arcadian mysteries. In fact they among other families and organizations may have seen these mysteries of art and history as a way to express their views in a mystery school manner in which they could not be accused of heresy. Others who held these values for instance would have recognized the hidden story in the Unicorn tapestries.

Today the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries are displayed at the Cloisters in New York City. The Cloisters are the part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that displays medieval artwork. The Cloisters were built by the Rockefeller family who had purchased the tapestries from the Rochefoucauld family and keep them at the museum for all to enjoy and contemplate.

The Cloisters are in fact the Cloisters of the Cuxa, Saint Guilem, Bonnefont, and Trie monasteries of Europe that were disassembled and brought to America by George Gray Barnard and were subsequently purchased by the Rockefeller family who rebuilt them in northern Manhattan in New York City. In addition to housing the medieval collection of the Rockefeller’s the museum includes the collections of famous financier J.P. Morgan and Joseph Brummer. Other famous art collecting families such as the Hearst family of California have also rebuilt two medieval monasteries in the United States including the Monastery of New Clairvaux in Vina, California which includes the chapter house from the Cistercian Monastery of Santa Maria de Ovila in Spain.

Here we are being led to a circle of people that one Francis Bannerman VI was associated with all of whom held extensive personal collection of relics as well as a grand appreciation of history at large. Bannerman of course is famous for his military surplus and relic business which resulted in his construction of the “Bannerman’s Castle” on Pollipel Island in the Hudson River just north of West Point, New York. Any examination of Francis Bannerman should take into account that he was a very wealthy arms dealer who is often termed a military surplus dealer. This man had the interest in history and the money to have created the entire phenomena suggested by the Cremona Document most of which is false and meant to portray a certain cultural or nationalistic value. 

St. Germain, Rochefoucauld and the Mysteries of Oak Island and Rennes le Chateau.

We have noted how Oak Island and Rennes le Chateau both seem to display tenets of their history that involve the theme of Arcadia. The use of this imagery may simply supply the seeker with a clue that something of note is present to a specific group or organization that had assured this imagery would be associated with places that are important to them. Many times a complex treasure story or legend is attached that may also be valid or possibly simply another clue. Some aspects of what had been done in this realm tend to lure the seeker from one significant site to the next in a trail of understanding.

As this story unfolds we have seen how Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and others were exposed to the world of European intrigue during their time in France. Both men attended literary salon’s in the company of people like Louis Alexandre Rochefoucauld, the Cassini’s, as well as the Marquis de Condorcet and his wife Sophie de Grouchy who owned Chateau Villette. This period of French history includes a great deal of subterfuge that may have involved what would be considered Rosicrucian concepts today. It may be that later these men created similar educational mysteries that emphasized an American point of view. Their time in France had familiarized them with the way this had been done in Europe for centuries.

It is clear given our study of people like Sir Francis Bacon and Philip Sidney that some hidden concepts may have been concealed in literature, art, and architecture. The same concepts were obviously at play in France and may have even served as a model for the way Elizabethan England appreciated and used these things for their benefit. This may be one of the reasons that Elizabeth funded Philip Sidney’s Grand Tour of Europe during which he met many interesting and powerful people and likely had kept notes about their political leanings and values of things like Alchemy and Rosicrucian thought. It is valuable to any national interest to know what any potential enemy would value. In a strange way what Sidney had done presages the influence of one of the most amazing characters of the eighteenth century in the person of the Comte St. Germain.

Many times, specific individuals would be tasked as presenting a philosophy in this manner that would inspire the political mood of a given region or country. St. Germain may have filled this role while also serving specific political ends that he held relations to. In the modern world we even see social media and the internet supplying us with many avenues for the same concept to be applied on a broader scale. In the past people who may be considered Magi may have been used to influence important people and historical events. Dr. John Dee and Michael Scot both fit the bill as Magi in the sixteenth and fourteenth centuries. Dee in the service of Queen Elizabeth and Scot in the service of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II King of Naples and Sicily. Frederick was even a forebear of the German branch of the Stewart family that are the monarchs of the United Kingdom today.

Castel del Monte an amazing octagonal structure built by Frederick II also has an interesting role to play in the production of a literary work named “Amadis de Gaula.” This literary work was said to have been produced by Infante Enrique during his imprisonment at Castel de Monte during the reign of Frederick’s successor Charles II of Anjou. There are distinct similarities between parts of the plot of “Amadis de Gaula” and Philip Sidney’s “Arcadia” among which are the inclusion of Knights in drag dressed as women. Bosom buddies anyone? Among other similarities of the two books is the inclusion of a treasure vault situated on an island. In the case of “Amadis de Gaula” the treasure vault on the island is surrounded by the Masonic pillars of Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty. “Amadis de Guala” also inspired the later work of Cervantes who penned “Don Quixote” as a parody of the exploits of the Knight Amadis.

Starting in the mid eighteenth century a man known of as the Comte de St. Germain arose in French and European society and seemed to fill the same bill as both Dee and Scot not only in the royal courts of Europe but among those who may have opposed monarchies and wished to establish Republics in their homeland. St. Germain’s contemporary magi were known of as Cagliostro and Casanova. There are some indications that St. Germian may have even been associated with the infamous Illuminati.

These men are judged by later history as having been spies whose goals were to either bilk their victims out of large amounts of money or to affect the social and political climate of their adversaries in a negative manner. These men seemed to wander the royal courts of Europe while at the same time spreading a kind of Cabbalistic occult mania to the gentry who attended. Casanova’s name is synonymous with a womanizer. Some view them as spies others view them as outright criminals bent on lining their own pockets. All three of these men were well versed in the Rosicrucian and alchemical lore of the day. Cagliostro and Casanova were noted as being associated with Freemasonry. St. Germain may have also been a Freemason and he is associated with many alchemical and Rosicrucian concepts.

Given this St. Germain did seem to have a legitimate concern for people as well as their forms of government. St. Germain seemed to empathize with royalty but also is noted as supporting the notion of a United States of Europe in his lifetime. This concept would not even be attempted until the late twentieth century in the form of the European Union. St. Germain also spent time in England and was even an Admiral in the Russian Navy known of as “Admiral Welldon.” St. Germain serves as an example as to how superstition was still alive and well in the political spectrum of the days of the mid to late eighteenth century. Many wealthy and influential people of the day practiced alchemy and a kind of Rosicrucian philosophy that was also present in some forms of Freemasonry during this eighteenth century period. Though there is no record of it Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin travelled in all the right circles to have met him at some point.

Part of the legend of St. Germain also states he spent extensive time in India and was responsible for many early Theosophical concepts that would later inspire people like Madame Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott. He was also said to have warned many French nobles of the upcoming French Revolution. If true then it is clear that St. Germain had some very powerful and influential people behind him and his goals. In a strange way he even helped to inspire many of the strange concepts that are still at play today with regard to California’s mystic centerpiece Mt Shasta. St. Germain’s association with the propagation of what today would be considered New Age concept is one of the earliest records of this and is notable.

Given St. Germain’s views on liberty and independence it is no surprise that there are legends of him having come to America during Revolutionary times and having a large impact on at least two historical legends involving the design of the United States Flag and the Declaration of Independence. It is even possible that St. Germain had been part of the infamous illuminati.

It is clear that the family group we have established including the de La Rochefoucauld, de La Tour, Lafayette, Turrene, de Fluery, and Blanchefort families may have had an interest in whatever the mysteries of Rennes le Chateau and Oak Island represent. It is then no surprise to note that a prominent member of the Rochefoucauld family was directly involved with St. Germain and his quest for the Philosopher’s Stone valued by Alchemist’s the world over. In fact the image of the philosopher’s stone had likely inspired many lost stone myths including the one that was said to have fallen into the hands of Admiral Jonquierre and was lost at the Battle of Cape Finesterre according to researcher Louis Buff Parry.

What we may see here is why it is important to note that Thomas Jefferson had traveled the Languedoc region of France and is documented as coming within ten miles of Rennes le Chateau. During this trip Jefferson described the region as being “the land of corn, wine, and oil” in a letter to his daughter. This is a direct Masonic reference. There is no doubt that Jefferson was exposed to the kind of intrigues and mysteries put forth by these “Magi.” Whether he bought into them or not is another question. In fact the second part of Jefferson’s trip is still a secret today. His journal entries stop at Monaco though it is known he toured parts of Italy after that point.

With this in mind it is no surprise that a woman named Jeanne de La Rochefoucauld studied with St. Germain for what was said to have been a four-year period prior to switching her allegiances to another famous Magi of the eighteenth century known of as Casanova. Mrs. Rochefoucauld was also directly related to the de La Tour family via her sister’s marriage. Here we are being supplied with a link between the influence of the Comte St. Germain and at least two of the mysteries we are inspecting in this volume. Though it is possible St. Germain could be involved in Rennes le Chateau or Oak Island it is more important to note how some of the overtones of those stories and reality could be associated with concepts often connected to his character whether he was involved directly or not.

Both Rennes le Chateau and Oak Island Nova Scotia have significant ties to this family group in the form of the mystery that surrounds both places. Is it possible that St. Germain was involved in planning or designing the way these stories would later be told? This is interesting to at least consider as he is also associated with the American iconography of both the design of the U.S. flag and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Here again we may see St. Germain operating in the same manner that Philip Sidney and Sir Francis Bacon had in league with Elizabeth’s “spymaster” Francis Walsingham. It may be that St. Germain’s name was simply added to these legends of American history later by those that value him.

As part of both of these stories it has only been speculated that St. Germain was the strange professor who had attended a meeting about the design of the flag with both Washington and Jefferson. Again, it is only speculation that he ever came to the colonies or U.S. at that time. No one knows for sure and no documented proof is available though St. Germain’s whereabouts were not known over large portions of his life. St. Germain had at least inspired two of the most potent legends of Americana with regard to the Declaration of Independence and American Flag. It is also not out of the question that some other powerful person had anonymously been the person to do these things and that somehow later St. Germain was suggested as that person. Prominent Masonic mystic Manly P. Hall whose wife is part of the Bruton Vault mystery of Williamsburg also believed and told the story of St. Germain having done these things.

St. Germain as a result has even been associated later in history with the myths and legends of Mt. Shasta, California where the St. Germain Foundation is headquartered as well as the “I Am Activity” that also venerates St. Germain. St. Germain is viewed by these groups as a prophet who became an “ascended master” along with other familiar figures in this study like Sir Francis Bacon. Indeed the concept of the ascended master goes hand in hand with the practice of alchemy that includes the elixir of life and philosophers stone each of which may provide a longer life and youthful looks to those that can master their secrets in an alchemical context. Lessons learned in pursuit of these things are also deemed to be of value to the seeker. The fact that St. Germain is also associated with the legends of Mt. Shasta at a much later date speaks to his influence and reputation if nothing else.

The most interesting legend in United States history that involves St. Germain includes the meeting of the Continental Congress in which they are debating whether to sign the Declaration of Independence or not. As the debate raged in Philadelphia a strange cloaked figure appears in the balcony or mezzanine and implores the congressmen to sign the Declaration. In a rousing and inspiring speech, he tells them they have the chance to redefine freedom and create a Republic that would break the chains of royal and religious control of men once and for all.

As a result this inspirational speech had the desired effect as the congressmen where now inspired and rushed to sign the document. Though this speech may have been a reality no one has conclusively proven that St. Germain was involved in this or with the design of the U.S. Flag. Still people who are part of the “I Am Activity” and St. Germain foundation do point to this as truth and even famous early twentieth century Masonic Mystic Manly P. Hall had repeated these stories as if they were true. Either way true or false these legends serve to emphasize the accomplishments and influence of the Comte St. Germain. No matter the speculation it is clear that there was a real historical figure named St. Germain who did influence many people during that era.

It is no surprise that Jeanne de La Rochefoucauld was a friend of St. Germain’s. This was the same social set of literary salon’s that had also served as venues for the discussion of concepts like the American and French Revolutions. It is also interesting that many of these concepts were also the domain of the infamous Illuminati of which St. Germain could have easily been a member. Some of the doctrine of the Illuminati had indeed trickled into the philosophy of Freemasonry during this period in France if not all of Europe. Many views of St. Germain portray him as a supporter of these concepts.

Many of the concepts included in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were also supported by the Illuminati. Freedom of Religion and control of the state via a Republican form of government were among those things promoted by the Illuminati. Given this it is interesting that Franklin and Jefferson as well as others were also exposed to these concepts during their time in France. This was the age of enlightenment and St. Germain was central to this movement and did inspire a wide range of people who felt that they had been disenfranchised by the system of royalty that had ruled Europe for so long.

St. Germain had traveled in the same circles as many of the powerful French people discussed in relation to Oak Island and Rennes le Chateau had. It is surprising that there are no records of Jefferson or Franklin having met or socialized with him. Is it possible his influence had been part of what was going on at both places as well? We do see both the treasure hunts at Oak Island and Rennes le Chateau having many seemingly Rosicrucian connections.

We are now aware of the involvement of several French and Scottish families related to the Stewart Kings and the Baron of Nova Scotia William Alexander. We are also aware of the fact that the Baron of Nova Scotia’s family made a large contribution to the American Revolution as many of his descendants had come to America at an early date. Alexandria, Virginia is named for his family. From a broad perspective, it is possible that St. Germain actually did come to America at some point though this cannot be proven by any documented evidence.

Hidden treasures and coded scripts on stones and parchments do seem to be the kind of things that would also be included in fictional works. Yet all of these people came from a culture where they undoubtedly had heard similar stories in relation to the Rosicrucian mysteries that Charlemagne and earlier Byzantine and Roman rulers had left behind. Many of these “Man in the Mountain” myths do resemble tenets of organized Rosicrucian philosophy later. In that mix is the fact that these “mysteries” are also meant to teach the initiate while also tempting them with golden riches or rarified information. The early mysteries of Charlemagne did include relics and manuscripts as well that were deemed to be authentic. If what we are seeing at Oak Island or Rennes le Chateau is related to this philosophy then there is a chance that some material items of wealth or information were left in association.

Even during his life St. Germain had his detractors and debunkers. The Marquis de Crequy who is even related directly to this family group was an outspoken critic of St. Germain’s who even researched him and his ideas and came away doubting him. This speaks to what a charismatic person St. Germain was and how much people chose to believe him even though he also had a reputation as a kind of odd fellow. St. Germain was said to never eat in front of other people. Some of his older friends insist that he looked the same even if they had not seen him for thirty years. Given this and all of the other legendary aspects of the man it is no surprise that stories also linking him to the creation of the United States are told.

It is definitely possible that he had come to the colonies during the Revolutionary War or the time just after when the U.S. was still getting organized. It is true that many of the things he is attributed to as promoting were American ideals that also later expressed themselves in the French Revolution. This story may also include the fact that the French Revolution had begun not long after his return to France in that era though he passed away prior. It may be that later Constantine Beltrami had come to the young United States and used some of the same methods that had been employed by St. Germain to gain his goals.

Another legend of St. Germain has him warning Madame Pompadour the mistress of Louis XV that the revolution was coming soon. Here we may see in the character of St. Germain that our group of elite French families involved in Oak Island and Rennes le Chateau were indeed among those who wished to also establish a Republic in France at that time. This concept is emblematic of why someone like Louis Alexandre Rochefoucauld would have had an interest in publishing the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution in the French language for the first time.

Many of these people may have also viewed Nova Scotia or Canada as a place that would also be part of their new country just as the United States had early in its creation. It does look as if the families of de Crequy, Rochefoucauld, de La Tour, Lafayette, de Fluery Blanchefort and others had wished to even band together with the United States in creating a country that would also include their influence. This may be why so many of these families did seek refuge or exile in the United States during the Napoleonic era which had not been part of their plan. We may also see this family group being involved in clandestine banking that may have required them to hide large amounts of gold specie at places like Rennes le Chateau or Oak Island. Their legacies may have also included access to any of the old traditional treasures that were said to have been stashed within their domains in Southern France.

None of this means that important relics or treasure weren’t included as their family legacies had also been involved in many different periods of French and European history including the Crusades, Knights Templar, Cathar movement, Huguenot movement, and other aspects of culture that may have gone counter to the traditions and mores of the Catholic Church and monarchies that supported the Church. It may be that the concept of Mary Magdalene and the “blood of Christ” is also associated with this point of view. If the stories of the Temple Treasure, Knights Templar Secrets, and Canterbury Cathedral treasure are true then these families are among the prime suspects to have controlled a treasury that held these historical items.

It may also be significant that the Comte St. Germain holds family ties with the Stewart family of exiled Kings who resided in France during much of his time there. Via his brother St. Germain was a Stewart relative to both the Hanoverian Stewarts and their ousted cousins the Stewart family that was descendant of Mary Queen of Scots which included James I, Charles I and II, James II and finally Bonnie Prince Charlie.

It is clear that the exiled Stewart family is also directly related to the de La Tour’s and other members of this French family group that seemed to support the notion of independence for France and the American colonies. The de La Tour name is important in the scheme of Oak Island, Rennes le Chateau, and even the famous Beale Treasure of Virginia. At this time in Europe it is also documented from many different sources that the exiled Jacobites had indeed created a new form of Freemasonry based on the imagery and ideals of the earlier crusading Knights Templar. These organizations continued to have an impact on the development of the United States up to and beyond the Civil War era.

It may be that St. Germain was also an asset of their intelligence gathering and manipulation operations. This means that St. Germain may have actually been a provocateur and spy in the service of James II and later Bonnie Prince Charlie. The image of the original Knights Templar and the way they opposed the monarchy and were persecuted by the Church would go hand in hand with the image of the new Templars of the Masonic fraternity. All of this intrigue does seem tailor made to aid the Stewarts in their goal of retaking the crowns of England, Ireland, and Scotland. In the end they may have had to change their plans in an effort to take over the American colonies. All of this is also bizarre when one considers the strong links between the Vatican and the exiled Stewart family.

It is also clear that these Jacobite fallen kings were involved in the legends of Rennes le Chateau and Oak Island. Both places may be termed “Arcadian Mysteries” in that the image of Arcadia exemplified by the Poussin painting “The Shepherds of Arcadia” has come to be associated with both places of mystery. It seems that at each instance of an Arcadian Mystery a member of the exiled Stewart family is involved or had even created the history surrounding such things. The Arcadian theme is evident in many such similar mysteries as time went on. Both the legends of the Bruton Parish Church Vault and Beale Treasure in Virginia seem to include elements of this tradition.

St. Germain was in fact present in London, England as the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion of Bonnie Prince Charlie was taking place. It was also during this rebellion that certain lost amounts of gold specie meant to have been used in the rebellion may have eventually ended up at Oak Island. Earlier we discussed how this gold may have been evacuated to France and later taken to Nova Scotia as part of the d’Anville Expedition of Jean Baptiste de La Rochefoucauld duc d’Anville. The story of Admiral Anson and the Chevalier St. George may apply here. The Anson family had also promoted an Arcadian Mystery in the form of the Shepherds Monument of Shugborough Hall which included a rendering of he Poussin painting.

At this time in London St. Germain was even charged with espionage and subsequently released. This incident further shows how St. Germain may have actually been an agent of the exiled Stewart family of Bonnie Prince Charlie. It may also be that St. Germain was part of the Templar Masonic apparatus associated with Bonnie Prince Charlie as well as the Grand Orient Masonic organizations of both France and Italy. St. Germain represents a kind of “x factor” in all of these concerns. Even a document such as the much debated “Cremona Document” could have been partially the work of such a man. These concepts may have been known of by anyone who took the time to analyze this history including a progression of hucksters and treasure hunting syndicates later during the treasure hunting craze of the nineteenth century.

It would be no surprise if St. Germain was involved with the exiled Stewart’s and their use of Freemasonry as a kind of intelligence service at that time. Casanova who also was involved in the occult predilections of Jeanne de la Rochefoucauld and was also associated with Francois de La Rochefoucauld Marquis de Rochebaron. In fact it is noted that this Francois Rochefoucauld had also sponsored Casanova in his initiation into a so called “Scottish” Lyonnais (Lyon, France) lodge of Freemason’s that even included the Chevalier Ramsay who was directly associated with James II and Bonnie Prince Charlie. This lodge is noted as having an interest in the Cabbala.

All of these interactions between figures known as “Magi” and the Rochefoucauld family are interesting and also serve to emphasize their role as free thinkers and lovers of freedom. The involvement of Rochefoucauld family members in the Scottish Rite as associated with the exiled Stewart family in turn may also link us to the mystery of The Great Cyclic Cross of Hendaye involving the d’Abbadie family of Hendaye, France. The d’Abbadie family were long associated with the Basque regions of France if not the entire Pyrenes region. The d’Abbadie family had also played a large role in colonial affairs in early French Acadia.

The d’Abbadie’s were the stewards of the St. Germiane en Laye summer palace of Louis XV that the exiled Stuarts or Stewarts were given as their home upon their exile from the throne of England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. James II had even been assisted by his “backstairs page” Abbadie in his final escape from England to St. Germaine en Laye near Paris. Is it possible the name of St. Germain was a fictional nod to the name of their summer palace? Here we may even be supplied with a hint that it may have been St. Germain who was the Marquis St. George who had been captured by Admiral Anson along with Blaise d’Abbadie at the battle of Cape Finesterre.

St. Germain was an accomplished violinist as the Chevalier St. George was said to have been. St. Germain is also noted as being in London in 1749 when he gave two violin performances there. During his visits to England there were always those who noted his quirky demeanor and the fact that he claimed never to have been with a woman. Some of the people who commented on his in their journals and publications all were impressed with the man though many of them also expressed concerns that he was a spy or con man.  St. Germain was even arrested under suspicion of being a spy and later released due to lack of evidence. The timeline of the dates during which St. Germain was in England do not correspond with the time that the Chevalier St. George was supposed to have been there so Blaise d’Abbaide still stands as the prime suspect to have been the Chevalier St. George.

Given the mysterious and unknown nature of the Comte St. Germain we may never know the truth of how much he may have been involved in places like Oak Island or Rennes le Chateau. Likewise it is only speculation that he had anything to do with the development of America though this is possible. What is clear is that he was associated with others that we can prove were involved in these things.

The association between Casanova, Cagliostro, and St. Germain with members of the Rochefoucauld family are interesting and serve to emphasize how the occult was viewed in France during the same period the Oak Island and Rennes le Chateau Treasure legends were developing. Both places obviously had also included the influence of the Scottish Stewart family of fallen kings in league with their French relatives.

It is possible that the influence of these “Magi” did effect the kind of Rosicrucian or occult overtones of both places of mystery. It may also be considered a distant possibility that these magical hucksters were also directly involved in planning these things though there is no proof of this noted anywhere. We may be left with the impression via all of these associations that Oak Island and Rennes le Chateau may have also been the result of the intrigue of the exiled Stewart’s Bonnie Prince Charlie, James II and their supporters.

In reference to Jeanne de La Rochefoucauld:

She is described by the Marquise de Créquy as " the most obstinate of the alchemists and the most determined snowblower of her time ", " She is a lost woman," said my aunt, the Baroness; she has her head upside down, and all her good will go by the bellows. " She worked for four years on the cabal and the Philosopher's Stone with the so-called Count of St. Germain, which did not fail to cost him a hundred thousand crowns. " The Signor Alessandro Cagliostro made him spend, a few years later, four or five hundred thousand francs to evoke the shadows of Paracelsus and Maitomut, who were to reveal to him the last Arcanum of the Great Work . " She ended up falling into the hands of another Italian imposter, named Casanova, who had the delicacy of never asking for money, but only rich jewels to form constellations . "