The Society of Jesus, whose followers were called Jesuits, was set up by

The Society of Jesus, whose members are known as Jesuits, was founded by Ignatius of Loyola, a Spanish nobleman and soldier-turned-mystic [3]. In 1534, while at the University of Paris, Ignatius and six companions, including Francis Xavier, took vows of poverty and chastity [1]. The order was established as a response to the Protestant Reformation, aiming to reform the Catholic Church from within and combat the spread of Protestantism through education and missionary work [3]. It received official papal approval from Pope Paul III in 1540. While Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli were key figures in the Protestant movement, Ignatius Loyola led the Catholic Counter-Reformation through this new society [2]. Today, the Jesuits remain one of the largest religious orders in the Roman Catholic Church, dedicated to service and education.

Sources

1. [1] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
2. [3] Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Changing Cultural Traditions > Debates within Christianity > p. 118
3. [2] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > Zwingli (1484–1531) > p. 141