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Who founded the Society of Jesus?

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Title page of a 1568 Welsh Christian doctrine book by Morys Clynnog, featuring Welsh text and a woodcut illustration of the crucifixion of Jesus at the center. — Counter-Reformation Title page of *Athravaeth Gristnogavl* (1568; “Christian Doctrine”), a Roman Catholic catechism translated into Welsh by Morys Clynnog as part of the church's Counter-Reformation efforts.

The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534.123

Ignatius, a Spanish soldier who experienced a religious conversion while recovering from battle wounds, formed the order with six companions at the University of Paris. The group took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and they were officially established by papal approval from Pope Paul III in 1540.145

As a central force in the Counter-Reformation, the Jesuits were dedicated to reconstructing church life and teaching in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Due to their commitment to education, missionary work, and direct obedience to the pope, they are often referred to as the shock troops of the Counter-Reformation.35