A number of governments have treated Freemasonry as a potential source of opposition due to its secret nature and international connections.

After the founding of modern speculative Masonry in England in 1717, several Protestant states had restricted Masonic lodges: the Netherlands banned the lodge in 1735; Sweden and Geneva, in 1738; Zurich, in 1740; and Berne, in 1745.

Catholic Spain, Portugal, France and Italy had attempted to suppress Freemasonry after 1738.

Bavaria followed in 1784; Austria, in 1795; Baden, in 1813; Russia, in 1822.