L'Ordre Kabbalistique de la Rose Croix (Kabbalistic Order of the Rosy Cross) (OKRC) was founded in Paris around 1888, with Marquis Stanislas de Guaita [1861-1897] as the first Grand Master. It had a council of 12 members, six of them being unknown "so that the order could be resurrected in case of decay".

L'OKR+C conferred degrees as a sort of free university. The teachings of the order mainly consisted of working with the classical occult disciplines such as QBL, Tarot, Astrology, Alchemy, Theurgy, Numerology, Divination and Rituals. The initiations consisted of 3 degrees, and one secret fourth degree. OKRC was closely attached to the Martinist Order and the Gnostic Church. The first exam resulted in a Bachelor's in Kabbalah and consisted of the study of the western tradition, particularly that of the Rose-Croix and the knowledge of the letters of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, their form, their name and their symbolism; the second conferred a Licentiate in Kabbalah focusing on the general history of religious traditions throughout history and how they reflect a more universal Truth as well as the study of certain Hebrew words. This part of the exam was oral. A second written part consisted of a philosophical, moral or mystical question whose answer ought to have been made evident to the candidate by this point; the third consisted of the defense of a thesis with discussions on all the points of the Tradition and conferred the degree of Doctorate of Kabbalah.

There has been much speculation about what lineages this order held, and both Alphonse Louis Constant (Eliphas Levi) [1810-1875] & Lord Edward George Bulwer-Lytton [1803-1873] have been mentioned as links to the early brethren, as well as other lesser known lineages. Also, the admirable doctor, Gérard Encausse (Papus) [1865-1916] is said to have had some genuine Rosicrucian connections. Both Papus and Levi seems to have been involved in a lineage containing people like Charles Nodier, Count Golitzyn and even Napoleon. However, it is certain that the older generations of French occultists have had some influence on their cultural successors, as for instance Saint-Yves d`Alveydre [1842-1909] and his concept of "Synarchy", something that even Rudolph Steiner adopted in his own theories. The OKRC attracted the leading continental occultists of the time, including people like Paul Adam [1862-1920], Jollivet-Castelot, August Reichel, Abbée Alta (Melingé), Francois Barlet, Marc Haven (Dr. Lalande) [1868-1926], Edouard Blitz, August Strindberg [1849-1912], Gabron et Thoron, Victor Blanchard (Sar Yesir) [-1953], Spencer Lewis, Lucien Mauchel, Paul Sédir (Yvon Le Loup) [1871-1926], Pierre Augustin Chaboseau, and several other well-known figures.

The Grand Masters of the order succeeding de Guaita were:

- Francois Charles Barlet (Albert Faucheux) [1838-1921]
- Gerard Encausse (Papus)
- Charles Detre (Teder) [1855-1918]
- Lucien Mauchel (Sar Chamuel) [-1936]
- Victor Blanchard (Sar Yesir) [-1939]
- Pierre Augustin Chaboseau [-1946]
- Georges Lagreze [-1954?]
- Robert Ambelain [-1994]

But there was a paralell line of succession, due to a schism resulting from the controversy of Masonic requisition:

- Francois Charles Barlet
- Gerard Encausse (Papus)
- Charles Detre (Teder)
- Jean Bricaud [1881-1934]
- Constant Chevillon (1880-1944)
- Charles-Henry Dupont [-1960]
- Phillipe Encausse [1906-1984]