Demonology

Demonology is the study of demons and the hierarchies of demons. Like with Angels, there are many different types of demons though there are many more known individually than when it comes to angels. Demons have made many appearances in Modern Media such as anime, movies and are used often as fodder or powerful enemies in many video games.

## The Hierarchies and Functions of Demons

Demons have been catalogued, ranked and classified since at least 100–400, the period in which the Testament Belial and djinn presenting their credentials to King Solomon (Jacobus de Teramo, Das Buch Belial, 1473) of Solomon appeared, describing Solomon’s magic ring for commanding the djinn and listing the names and functions of various Hebrew, Greek, Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian and perhaps Persian demons. Christian demonologists of the 16th and 17th centuries catalogued demons into hierarchies of hell and ascribed to them attributes and duties, including ambassadorships to various nations. Johann Weyer, who devised the most complex hierarchy, estimated that there were 7,405,926 demons serving under 72 princes. The grimoires of ceremonial magic also give their own hierarchies. Some of the major demons important to witchcraft cases are:

Asmodeus. The demon of lechery, jealousy, anger and revenge. His chief objectives are to prevent intercourse between husband and wife, wreck new marriages and force husbands to commit adultery. He is also one of the chief demons involved in possession. Throughout history, he has been regarded as one of the most evil of Satan’s infernal demons. He is usually portrayed as having three heads, those of an ogre, a ram and a bull, all sexually licentious creatures; having the feet of a cock, another sexually aggressive creature; and having wings. He rides on a dragon and breathes fire.

Asmodeus has his roots in ancient Persia. He is identified with the demon Aeshma, one of the seven archangels of Persian mythology. The Hebrews absorbed him into their mythology, where he attained the highest status and most power of all demons in Hebrew legends. According to the Hebrews, he is the son of Naamah and Shamdon.

He was part of the seraphim, the highest order of angels, but fell from grace. In other Hebrew legends, he is either associated with or is the husband of Lilith, the demon queen of lust. Sometimes he is said to be the offspring of Lilith and Adam.

Asmodeus migrated into Christian lore, becoming one of the Devil’s leading agents of provocation. Witches were said to worship him, and magicians and sorcerers attempted to conjure him to strike out at enemies. Grimoires admonish anyone seeking an audience with Asmodeus to summon him bareheaded out of respect. Weyer said Asmodeus also ruled the gambling houses. He was one of the infernal agents blamed for the obscene sexual possession of the Louviers nuns in 17th-century France.

Astaroth (also Ashtaroth). A male demon who evolved from the ancient Phoenician mother goddess of fertility, Astarte or Ashtoreth. In his male incarnation, he has little to do with man’s sexual nature. He is a teacher of the sciences and a keeper of the secrets of the past, present and future and is invoked in necromantic rituals of divination. He appears as an angel in human form, by some accounts ugly and by other accounts beautiful. He does, however, possess a powerful stench. Weyer said Astaroth was a grand duke of hell and commanded 40 legions of demons. Astaroth is listed as one of the three supreme evil demons, with Beelzebub and Lucifer, in the Grimoire Verum and Grand Grimoire, which date from about the 18th century.

Beelzebub, “Lord of the Flies” (L. Breton, in Collin de Plancy’s Dictionnaire Infernal, 1863) The demon is said to instigate cases of demonic possession, most notably that of the Loudun nuns in France in the 16th century. The nuns accused a priest, Father Urbain Grandier, of causing their possession. At Grandier’s trial, a handwritten “confession” of his was produced detailing his pact with the Devil, witnessed and signed by Astaroth and several other demons.

Beelzebub. Known as “Lord of the Flies,” Beelzebub was the prince of demons in Hebrew belief at the time of Jesus. The Pharisees accused Christ of exorcising demons in Beelzebub’s name. In medieval times, Beelzebub was regarded as a demon of great power. A sorcerer conjured him at his own risk of death by apoplexy or strangulation; once conjured, the demon was difficult to banish.

When he manifested, it was as a gigantic, ugly fly. Beelzebub was said to reign over witches’ sabbats. Witches denied Christ in his name and chanted it as they danced. There are many stories of his copulating with witches in wild orgies; to do this, he apparently appeared in other than fly form.

Beelzebub was among the demons blamed for the possession cases of the nuns of Loudun and Aix-en-Provence in 17th-century France, forcing the nuns into lewd behaviour.

Baal. Many small deities of ancient Syria and Persia carried this name, which means “the lord” (from the Hebrew bá’al), but the greatest Baal was an agricultural and fertility deity of Canaan. The son of El, the High God of Canaan, Baal was the lord of life and ruled the death-rebirth cycle. He engaged in a battle with Mot (“death”) and was slain and sent to the underworld. The crops withered, until Baal’s sister, Anath, the maiden goddess of love, found his body and gave it a proper burial. The Canaanites worshipped Baal by sacrificing children by burning. As a demon in Christianity, Baal was triple-headed, with a cat’s head and a toad’s head on either side of his human head. He imparted visibility and wisdom.

Belial. One of Satan’s most important and evil demons, who is deceptively beautiful in appearance and soft in voice, but full of treachery, recklessness and lies. He is dedicated to creating wickedness and guilt in mankind, especially in the form of sexual perversions, fornication and lust.

Belial’s name probably comes from the Hebrew phrase beli ya’al, which means “without worth.” The ancient Hebrews believed Belial was the next angel created after Lucifer and was evil from the start, being one of the first to revolt against God. After his fall from heaven, he became the personification of evil. Weyer said Belial commanded 80 legions of demons (at 6,666 demons per legion) and served as infernal ambassador to Turkey. Magicians of that time believed that sacrifices and offerings were necessary to invoke him. Belial was reputed to break his promises to magicians, but those who managed to gain his true favour were handsomely rewarded.

Belial’s name is sometimes used as a synonym for Satan or the Antichrist. In the Old Testament, the phrase “sons of Belial” refers to worthlessness and recklessness. Belial also is known as Beliar.

Lucifer. In Latin, his name means “light-bringer,” and he originally was associated with Venus, the morning star. His rebellion against God caused him and his followers to be cast from heaven. The fallen angels lost their beauty and power and became “fiendes black.” The name “Lucifer” was sometimes applied to Christ, as the light-bearer, but by the Middle Ages, both “Lucifer” and “Satan” were used as names for the Devil. Lucifer could apply to the Devil in either his pre-fall or post-fall state. In the hierarchies of demons, Lucifer is emperor of hell and ranks above Satan, one of his lieutenants (ranks and distinctions not made in theology). When conjured, he appears as a beautiful child. Lucifer was said to rule Europeans and Asiatics.

## Demons

SatanBeelzebubAsmodeusAzazelBa'alBaelAbaddonBelberithIfritAgrat bat MahalatAlastorBelphegor