(As heard on the #WeirdDarkness episode, “The Weird And Strange Side of True Crime” on August 01, 2024:https://weirddarkness.com/weirdstrangetruecrime/)
The word “demon” has been used throughout history to mean many different things. Being a general term for all sorts of baddies also makes its own case that demons are kinds of devils in that they fill no need—filling, as it were, the nomenclature.
So, like the gods of ancient Mesopotamia, there were demons for a thousand uses, functions, and attributes. Some, such as the demon Lamashtu, tormented pregnant mothers and ate unborn or newborn babies. In any case, though they were evil through and through, there was nobody to stop them except other demons.
But the Age of Reason did see, or at least raise up, modern devils, with James VI of Scotland and his demonology; Johann Weyer (a Dutch physician and demonologist); and the unknown author(s) of grimoires like Clavis Inferni: The Lesser Key of Solomon.
Demonology is the study of demons. In religious as well as occult lore, one frequently finds references to this subject: the sorts and divisions of demons, their powers, and, of course, their limitations; the clumsy wickedness of their ways; the many names they have and where they rank in the council.
One of the earliest works on demons from around that time was Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, or The False Monarchy of Demons, written in 1577. Weyer’s work gives us lists of all 69 demons (which would become 72 in the first book of the Anonymous Clavis Inferni).
With the publication of his most influential work, De Praestigiis Daemonum et Incantationibus ac Venificiis, in 1563, Johann Weyer became a prominent figure. This exposition of witchcraft was authoritative and comprehensive for its time and is still referenced in liturgical inquiries today.
But who was Johann Weyer, and what prompted him to study demonology? In 1993, the University of Iowa Press published a book describing Weyer as a Dutch physician whose thought has exercised an immense influence over modern psychiatry. Weyer’s work laid out a compassionate approach to dealing with those accused of witchcraft, advocating for care and understanding rather than confinement.
In 1597, King James VI of Scotland (later James I) published Daemonologie, which would forever immortalize his views on the subject. Daemonologie, published several years before the King James Bible, contained three books discussing ghosts, magic, and witches. It also detailed King James’ experiences with the 1590 North Berwick witch trials.
King James’ Daemonologie opened with the terrible condition of these innumerable slaves of Satan and witches. It provided a magnum opus of sorts to reassure those of little hope or injudicious disposition that Satan’s molestations truly take place and that the instruments involved merit the most severe punishment. Daemonologie’s publication in England had profound effects on those under King James’ sway, including his newly-annexed lands across the sea in Ireland.
James ended up feeling anxious that some of his materials “were maybe not genuine things” and had them carefully checked. Daemonologie was not meant to categorize different forms of demons or instruct every citizen about the “true essence” of magic. Rather, it was an attempt by King James and others in Europe in the 1590s to address the subject.
Despite these efforts, challenges to the theory of demonology arose in the early modern period. Many famous people wrote books warning against witchcraft, and most of these accusations were shown to be untrue. Yet demonology continued on; legions of horrible demons await you still.
In modern times, Ed and Lorraine Warren are among the most influential demonologists. They became involved in a variety of highly publicized hauntings, many of which have become famous. However, the Warrens have also faced their share of controversies, including allegations of abuse and fraud.
There have been other individuals who have claimed the title in our modern age, but the Warrens remain well-remembered. Despite this, demonology faces an uncertain future. Though it may have had little to do with our ancestors’ day-to-day lives, its impact on popular culture will endure. The novel “The Conjuring” was based upon, “House of Darkness: House of Light-The True Story, Vol. 1“, based on the Warrens’ experiences, earned the author $2 million in 2007 alone, with sequels bringing in significant returns from book contracts and film rights over the years.
Now that you know a bit about demonology and what it’s all about, let’s look at some of the antagonists you might come across in practicing it. Some (but by no means all) of the demons themselves…
The demon featured in the 1973 horror film “The Exorcist” is associated with Pazuzu, originating from Mesopotamian folklore. In Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, Pazuzu was a wind demon considered king among demons of the wind, bringing destruction. However, he was also thought to protect people by keeping more evil demons at bay.
Ördög, a shape-shifting demon of pre-Christian Hungarian faith, ruled the darkness and evil in this world. Legend has it that the spirit Isten (God) asked Ördög to help create the world in a story from Hungarian mythology.
Mammon, commonly known as the demon of greed and riches, is one of the three Imperial Princes of Hell, alongside Lucifer and Leviathan. In much of Christian religious writing, Mammon is depicted as a fallen angel, much like Lucifer, after challenging and losing to God.
In Christian demonology, Aamon is a Grand Marquis of Hell, overseeing 40 infernal legions and associated with life and reproduction.
Abaddon is mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, referring to a prince among locusts. The Bible uses Abaddon not only as an angel of destruction but also as a place associated with death.
The name “Abraxas” has appeared on many amulets and artifacts over the ages, believed by some to hold mystical power. Though called the “God above all Gods” by some Gnostics, Abraxas remains a somewhat mysterious figure, drawing interest from notable figures like Carl Jung and Hermann Hesse.
Baphomet, the goat-headed demon with wings, was allegedly venerated by medieval Knights Templar. Though originally tied to Gnosticism, Baphomet later became associated with Satan and the mystic beliefs of Aleister Crowley.
Beelzebub, another name for Satan, translates to “the Lord of the Flies.” Beelzebub was initially a god of the Philistines and later one of three satanic rulers in Abrahamic religions, often working alongside Mammon as one of the Seven Princes of Hell, representing gluttony in demonology.
Asmodeus is a demon king in Judeo-Islamic lore and the primary antagonist in the Book of Tobit, representing lust.
Astaroth, part of the “evil trinity” along with Beelzebub and Lucifer, was first mentioned in the grimoire “Book of Abramelin” and has appeared in later occult works as a Duke of Hell.
In several grimoires, Bael is described in various forms. The Lesser Key of Solomon adds: “[Bael] maketh men goe Invisible, he ruleth over 66 Legions of Inferiour Spirits, he appeareth in divers shapes; sometimes like a Cat, a Toad, [etc], or all these formes at once.” The Pseudomonarchia Daemonum of Johann Weyer describes him similarly to the Ars Goetia but with more detail regarding Bael’s features.
The Lesser Key of Solomon and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum mention Bifrons as one of the demons, described as an Earl who initially appears as a monster but becomes more human over time. Bifrons is known for his art of moving the dead from one sepulcher to another and teaching astronomy and geometry. He commands his own legions of demons, with accounts suggesting between six and 60.
The Chort is a demon from Slavic folk tales, allegedly the son of the god Chernobog and the goddess Mara. In folk Christianity, Chorts were seen as a step up from lesser Satanic minions, often portrayed as tricksters who tempt people into selling their souls for wealth or power.
Div-e Sepid, or White Demon, is a character in Persian folklore, particularly in the story “Shahnameh.” A demon who unleashes natural disasters on King Kay Kavus’s army, he is ultimately defeated by Rostam, who uses the demon’s blood to cure the king and warriors of blindness.
Eisheth, compared to the Christian “whor* of Babylon,” is a demon in Jewish legend known as Eisheth Zenunim, the Woman of whor*dom, who devours the souls of sinners. She symbolizes sin.
Leviathan is a large, malevolent sea serpent appearing in many books of the Hebrew Bible, representing chaos and later viewed by Christian theologians as the embodiment of the deadly sin of envy.
Furcas, a powerful Knight of Hell, commands 20 legions of demons. First mentioned by Johannes Weyer in 1583, Furcas is depicted as an old man with a long beard riding a pale horse, knowledgeable in various forms of magic and science.
Gaap, discussed in grimoires like The Lesser Key of Solomon, commands 25 legions of spirits. He is shown in human form, inspiring love, and assisting men in finding relationships, though sometimes rendering women sterile.
Malphas, mentioned in both Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and The Lesser Key of Solomon, is Hell’s President, commanding 40 legions of spirits. He is the second most powerful demon in Hell after Satan, with a particular fondness for ravens.
Marchosias, a Marquis of Hell, is represented as a wolf with griffin wings and a serpent tail. According to the Lesser Key, Marchosias was once an angelic being of the Dominions before his fall.
In medieval European folklore, an incubus is a male demon that seeks sexual intercourse with sleeping women, while its female counterpart, the succubus, seeks men. Children born of such unions were often believed to be destined for evil.
Orobas, a prince of Hell commanding 20 legions, is said to tell the future and answer any question about the past. He is the patron of horses.
Oni, creatures from Japanese myths, are large, horned beings with fangs and superhuman strength. They are often depicted as ogre-like creatures committing acts of mass murder and cannibalism, though some can be reformed into Buddhists.
Ronove, a Marquis and Great Earl of Hell, commands 20 legions. Described as a monster, he carries a staff and is known as a harvester of souls, arriving to collect the souls of humans and animals at death.
Lilith, from Jewish mythology, was allegedly the first wife of Adam, before Eve. She left heaven and refused to submit to Adam, later becoming a controversial figure with a cult following up to the 7th century AD.
Mephistopheles, a demon from German folklore, is best known for his role in the story of Faust, where he serves as the emissary between Faust and the Devil in exchange for knowledge and power.
The Devil or Lucifer, also known as Satan, is considered in Christianity as one of the highest angels who fell from grace. He became the supreme ruler of Hell, commanding many legions. Over time, his image grew more malevolent, especially as beliefs in demonic possession and witchcraft surged. While no religious text describes his appearance in detail, the image of a horned, cloven-hoofed figure is familiar in many pagan traditions.
(“Degenerate Demons and Dangerous Demonology” source: Austin Harvey, AllThatsInteresting.com:https://allthatsinteresting.com/demons)
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