The Illuminati refers to various groups, both real and fictional, often associated with conspiracy theories about secret societies controlling world events. Historically, the term originates from the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded in 1776 that aimed to promote reason and secularism. In popular culture, the term has come to represent a shadowy elite believed to manipulate political and economic systems from Behind the Scenes. However, there is no credible evidence supporting the existence of a modern-day Illuminati as described in these theories.