The illuminati are one link in a much longer chain of secret orders rumored to date back to the age of Horus and possibly beyond and all sharing various common aspects, namely the pursuit and sharing of scientific knowledge which, ultimaely, became a threat to the status quo i.e. the church. There is no doubt that the Catholic church sought to quash their endeavors through both non-violence and violence when the threat became intolerable. The Catholic church of the time was much more involved in the day to day life of men and women back then. Undermining their hegemony was considered blasphemy/satanic/sorcery/witchcraft/heresy/etc and was punishable by death and torture. I don’t find it difficult to believe that a crusade was ordered against the illuminati although it is more likely that this is fictional reference to the earlier crusade waged against the Templar Knights by order of King Phillip prior to their involvment with the ancient and accepted scottish right. The illuminati have always remained a bit of an enigma within the grand scheme of free masonry (at least to me). Their involvement with Templars seems highly likely but their Raison d’être remains something of a mystery.
In charity, I must say that you are sadly misinformed. The Catholic Church has not been been involved in these cabals that you reference. Secular powers, seeking to clothe themselves in the cloak of Religion, have done so, multiple times.
The two are not the self and same iterations.
God bless.
Sursum Corda
Minor nit.
There was no “crusade” waged against the Templars, except possibly in the metaphorical sense of any war or campaign being a crusade.
The attack on the Templars was instigated and implemented primarily by the King of France, although various Church leaders were quite happy to share in the spoils and allowed themselves to be used as cover for the nakedly mercenary motivation of the King.