Da Vinci Code History

Da Vinci Code history is based on a powerful conspiracy maintained by a secret European society known as the Priory of Sion. In his book, Dan Brown states the following “facts” to support the history of the Da Vinci Code:

“The Priory of Sion -- a European secret society founded in 1099 -- is a real organization. In 1975, Paris’s Bibliotheque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Dossiers Secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Leonardo da Vinci.”

Da Vinci Code History – A Little Research Reveals the Truth about the Priory of Sion
If the history of the Da Vinci Code is based on the Priory of Sion, then the historical veracity of the novel’s premise rises and falls with the truth of that so-called secret society. Well, it turns out that the Priory of Sion was actually formed in 1956 by Pierre Plantard and Andre Bonhomme. Plantard wrote creative manuscripts about this secret society and its role in maintaining the true history about Jesus Christ and His marriage to Mary Magdalene. He hired known forger Philippe de Cherisey to reproduce his manuscripts on ancient-looking parchments. It’s these parchments that supposedly surfaced when a local French priest was renovating his church. Also, some of these forged parchments did, in fact, make it to the Bibliotheque Nationale. Here are some of the “facts” mentioned in the forged documents that underlie the Dan Brown story:

• A list of “Grand Masters” in the Priory of Sion dating back to the Knights Templar, including Newton, Botticelli, Hugo, and da Vinci.
  
  
• The role of the Priory of Sion as protectors of the Merovingian dynasty -- the literal descendants of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene.
  
  
• The conspiracy of the Roman Catholic Church to kill off the Merovingian dynasty and its protectorate in order to maintain religious power through the contrived succession of Peter, rather than the hereditary succession of Mary Magdalene.

Da Vinci Code History – No Historical Connection at all!
The Da Vinci Code history was pure fabrication. There is no ancient connection whatsoever, and the documents have been considered a hoax for nearly two decades. In fact, de Cherisey admitted to his forgery in court, and the BBC did a full documentary on the matter in the 1990’s. The expose included letters from the late 1950’s among Plantard, de Cherisey, and a man named Gerard de Sede, which confirmed their hoax in detail and how they would counter criticisms with new information and allegations to keep the conspiracy going for as long as possible. ¹

The fabricated history was originally delivered to the public in Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Historians quickly debunked the book’s various forgeries and unsupported conclusions. However, Dan Brown found the right place to recycle the conspiracy myth -- a mainstream, high adventure, fiction novel. . .and he’s knocked this one out of the park!

Although it seems that Da Vinci Code history fails the test of historical credibility, the fast-paced conspiracy thriller is a fun read indeed!

Da Vinci Code Truth – Learn More!

¹ See, Laura Miller, “The Da Vinci Con,” The New York Times Book Review, Sunday, February 22, 2004, 23; Hank Hanegraaff and Paul L. Maier, The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction?, Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, 12;
Josh McDowell, The Da Vinci Code: A Quest for Answers, Green Key Books, 2006;