According to a legend published in the 17th century Rosicrucian manifestos, the Rosicrucian Order was founded in 1407 by a German pilgrim named Christian Rosenkreuz (1378 - 1484), who studied in the Middle East under various occult masters. During his lifetime, the Order was alleged to be small, consisting of no more than eight members.
When Rosenkreuz died in 1484, the Order disappeared, only to be "reborn" in the early 17th century. Most modern Rosicrucians accept this legend to varying degrees. Some accept it as literal truth, others see it as a parable, and yet others believe Rosenkreuz to be a pseudonym for a more famous historical figure, usually Francis Bacon. According to a lesser known legend found in Masonic literature, the Rosicrucian Order was created in year 46 when an Alexandrian Gnostic sage named Ormus and his six followers were converted by one of Jesus' disciples, Mark. From this conversion, Rosicrucianism was born by fusing early Christianity with Egyptian mysteries. By this account, rather than being its founder, Rosenkreuz would have been initiated into and become the Grand Master of an already existing Order.
According to Emile Dantinne (1884-1969), the origins of the Rosicrucians may have an Islamic connection. As told in their first manifesto Fama Fraternitatis (1614) (early 17th century) Christian Rosenkreuz started his pilgrimage at the age of sixteen. This led him to Arabia, Egypt and Morocco, where he was put into contact with the sages of the East, who revealed to him the universal harmonic science. After learning Arabic philosophy in Jerusalem, he was led to Damcar. This place remains a mystery - it did not become Damascus, but it is somewhere not too far from Jerusalem. Then he went to Egypt, where he did not stay for long. Soon afterwards he embarked to Fes, a center of philosophical and occultist studies, such as the alchemy of Abu-Abdallah, Gabir ben Hayan, and Imam Jafar al Sadiq, the astrology and magic of Ali-ash-Shabramallishi, and the esoteric science of Abdarrahman ben Abdallah al Iskari.
However, Dantinne states that Rosenkreuz may have found his secrets amongst the "Brethren of Purity," a society of philosophers that had formed in Basra (Iraq) during the first half of the fourth century.
Their doctrine had its source in the study of the ancient Greek philosophers, but it became more pronounced in a neo-Pythagorean direction. They adopted the Pythagorean tradition of envisioning objects and ideas in terms of their numeric aspects. Their theurgy taught the divine and angelic names, conjurations, the Kabbalah, exorcisms, and other related subjects. The "Brethren of Purity" and the Sufis were united in many points of doctrine. They both were mystical orders deriving from Koranic theology, where dogma is supplanted by faith in the "Divine Reality." Many similarities with the Rosicrucian way were expressed in the manifestos and the "Brethen of Purity" ways of life as well.
Neither group wore special clothing, both practiced abstinence, they healed the sick, and they offered their teachings free of charge. Similarities also were evident in the doctrinal elements of their theurgy and the story of Creation in terms of emanationism. The curious legend in which the fabulous origin of the so-called society was established was so improbable, though ingenious, that the genesis of the Rosicrucians was generally overlooked or ignored in the writings of the time. Christian Rosenkreuz had discovered and learned the Secret Wisdom on a pilgrimage to the East in the 15th century. The metaphorical quality of these legends lends to the nebulous nature of the origins of Rosicrucianism. For example, the opening of Rosenkreuz's tomb is thought to be only a way of referring to the cycles in nature and to cosmic events.