Martines de Pasqually was born in Grenoble, around 1710, from a father of Spanish origin and a French mother. He was military in France for a few years with the rank of lieutenant. In 1747, he was in the service of Spain and fought in Italy at its service. In his book The Life of Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin, on page 9, the historian Jacques Matter writes about him: "He (Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin) met Martines de Pasqually, one of these extraordinary men, great hierophant of secret initiations which, to communicate their mysteries, seek less the great reputation than a confidential setting." He considers the masonry of his time being apocryphal, that is, diverted from his goal. In Foix, he founded a chapter, the Temple of the Élus Cohëns. However, it is in Bordeaux that the activities of the Order of the Élus Cohëns begin. Martines moved there in April 1762 to establish the general center of his activities.