Freemasons in 18th Century Book Trade in the Habsburg Monarchy
Freemasons in 18th Century Book Trade in the Habsburg Monarchy

Summary/Abstract: The article examines the dissemination of freemasonic books within the Habsburg monarchy during the 18th century. The author focuses on the role of those booksellers who belonged to the Order of Freemasons or supported it, on the kinds of Freemasonic literature they dealt in, and on the way those books circulated in the Habsburg Monarchy. By analyzing booksellers’ catalogues, she is able to reconstruct the relations that were established between authors, publishers and booksellers. Being largely banned, books on Freemasonry enjoyed the popularity of all illicit goods. They were thus sold not only by booksellers who were Freemasons, though we know that a large number of booksellers were indeed Freemasons.

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