Oriental Rite of Mizraim

The Rite of Mizraim was created in Milan, Italy in the year 1805 , supposedly by several Masons who had been refused admittance into the Ancient and Accepted Rite . The name of this rite is taken from the Hebrew word for Egypt and as such the Rite of Mizraim played an important part in the development of what would later be defined as Egyptian Masonry. Egyptian Masonry may be said to have it's origins in the Egyptian Rite of Masonry as developed by Cagliostro in the closing years of the Eighteenth century. During the late 1780s and 1790s, modern Egyptology was coming into bloom as Napoleon was extending the French empire into Egypt and bringing treasures and artifacts back to Europe. All of Western Europe was abuzz with the exotic nature of Egyptian culture and the inherant mysteriousness of its long lost secrets. It was also at this time that the Rosetta Stone was discovered (1799) and serious work into unravelling ancient Egypt could begin. It should not however be assumed that the Rite of Mizraim was in any associated with the Egyptian Rite of Masonry nor was it created by Cagliostro. It is probable that the originators of the Rite of Mizraim were familiar with Cagliostro and his infamous Rite but close inspection of the two shows that they are not designed along the same lines. Of equal importance, it should be noted that the Antient and Primitive Rite of Memphis was not affiliated or connected to the Rite of Mizraim until the closing of the Nineteenth century when the two were revived and combined by John Yarker.



The Rite appeared in 1805 when its Grand Orient was formed in Milan. Lechangeur (who was refused admittance to the Ancient and Accepted Rite) became the head of the Rite of Mizraim and in all probablility was responsible for creating its degree structure. By 1812 the Rite had moved to Paris, principly under the direction of three brothers named Bèdarride and was firmly entrenched in France by 1814. Several attempts were made to incorporate the Rite under the auspices of the Grand Orient of France, all of which failed and the Rite was dissolved in 1817. The Rite continued to exist and make Masons clandestinely until 1822 when at the insistence of the Grand Orient it was closed by the Police. Two of the Bèdarride brothers, Marc and Michel reopened their Lodges in France, although there was little success in theior attmept to revive the Rite. In 1856, Michel Bèdarride transferred the Rite to Dr. Hayére in return for his paying off Michel's debts. Hayére assumed control of the Rite of Mizraim on March 29, 1856 and attempted to revive it to some of its earlier prominence.



The Rite of Mizraim possessed 90 Degrees and claimed to possess the long lost tradition of Egyptian Hermetics. Within these 90 degrees were a curious assortment of traditional Masonic dignities (mostly borrowed from the Ancient and Accepted Rite, and other High-Grade systems) and esoteric philosophies including the Kabalah and Alchemy.