To goad or urge forward; to set on; to provoke; to incite; used chiefly with reference to evil actions; as, to instigate one to a crime
Someone who instigates an event causes it to happen. Jenkinson instigated a refurbishment of the old gallery = initiate + instigation in·sti·ga·tion The talks are taking place at the instigation of Germany
() From the Latin instigatus, past participle of instigare (“to instigate”) in- in + *stigare, akin to stinguere (“push, goad”). Akin to German stechen (“to prick”), English stick.