Claude Lecouteux - King Solomon the Magus: Master of the Djinns and Occult Traditions of East and West

KING SOLOMON
THE
MAGUS

In this splendid compendium, Claude Lecouteux brings together stories, folktales, lore, and legends associated with the Biblical King Solomon. King of ancient Israel, he founded castles and cities as well as a palace of glass and his most famous Temple in Jerusalem. Solomons legacy spread across the Middle East into Europe, Africa, and beyond. Reputed author of one thousand and five books of poems, psalms, and songs and three thousand parables, he also interacted with animals, whose languages he understood. Solomon was one of the great historical practitioners of magic. Solomons seal and ring gave him power over various kinds of spirits. All his possessionshis net, his throne, and his chalice among themwere infused with magical power. Claude Lecouteuxs masterly reconstruction of the wondrous world of King Solomon from ancient documents is by far the most comprehensive survey yet published of the many different aspects of this ancient and influential monarch.

NIGEL PENNICK, AUTHOR OFTHE ANCESTRAL POWER OF AMULETS, TALISMANS, AND MASCOTS AND ELEMENTAL MAGIC

Lecouteuxs indepth study and presentation of the legend and importance of the image of King Solomon in the magical mythol ogy fills an important role in our understanding of the history of the practice of magic in both Europe and Asia. Solomon was ascribed some of the most important magical grimoires and symbols and signs bearing his name that may be found from Arabia all the way into the realm of the Far North in Iceland.

STEPHEN E. FLOWERS, PH.D.,AUTHOR OF ICELANDIC MAGIC AND ORIGINAL MAGIC

This remarkable book, fully illustrated with archival images, shows Solomonthe mythical man, the mystical man, the personal and cultural manat ease in a world he co-created with his Creator.

GERALD HAUSMAN, AUTHOR OFRASTAFARIAN CHILDREN OF SOLOMON: THE LEGACY OF THE KEBRA NAGAST AND THE PATH TO PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING

Professor Lecoueux is a well-known historian of medieval cultural history. His new book on the legendary King Solomon represents a convincing proof of the authors erudition. This excellent work presents a wealth of relevant information about Solomons super normal wisdom, his relations to the world of spirits, his building of the Temple in Jerusalem, and much more. The authors analysis of Solomons relations to shamanism is also very useful. This is a fundamental study of one of the most enigmatic figures in history.

RONALD GRAMBO, FORMER PROFESSOR OF FOLKLORE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OSLO

The story of King Solomon is universal, found in different cultures and different sources. His close contact with God, his relations with djinns and exorcists as well as his love for women, made him a universal legend. In this book, the French scholar Claude Lecouteux presents the complete story of King Solomon for us to read.

AHMED OSMAN, AUTHOR OFTHE EGYPTIAN ORIGINS OF KING DAVID AND THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Julien Vronse (Orleans) for so kindly sending me his articles, and Ronald Grambo (Kongsvinger, Norway) who shared his observations about my manuscript, without which my research would not have been so fruitful. Emanuela Timotin (Bucharest) and Ion Talo (Cluj-Napoca) helped me discover the Romanian traditions concerning King Solomon; may they find here the expression of my gratitude. And I will not forget to thank my French publishers, Marie-Jeanne and Thierry Auzas.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

The Legend of King Solomon

Few sovereigns have left such a deep imprint in legends and folktales as King Solomon. A historical figure who built the Temple of Jerusalem and founded cities and fortresses, the son of David was Gods chosen prophet who had dominion over demons and owned many magical objects. This king, known for his wisdom, was the subject of a thousand stories and has found a place in the pantheon of men who left their mark on history. The Hebrews called him Schlomo; the Arabs, Sulayman; the Greeks and Romans, Salomoa family name that carries the notion of peace for his reign, and he was, according to all the traditions, quite peaceful. His memory has traveled through the centuries and can be found among the Arabs and Persians, as well as in the work of the church father Origen. His name can also be found among the Bulgarians, the Byzantines, the Russians, the Ukranians, the Egyptian Copts, the Egyptians, and the Ethiopians.

The primary sources of his legend are the books of Kings of the Bible, as well as Flavius Josephus, the Quran, and the Talmud. Over the course of time, these elements have been embellished, developed, and enriched with outside contributions, and, little by little, came together to form the history of a monarch whose notoriety is equaled only by that of Alexander the Greatboth kings serving as model monarchs for rulers throughout history. Furthermore, we can find certain episodes from the life of the Macedonian conqueror in the Solomonic history, for example, his descent to the bottom of the sea and his flight into the heavens.

The legend of the son of David has been the subject of countless studies, such as that of Ren Basset, who investigated the traces he left in Arabic literature, followed by the research of Pierre Saintyves. Eugne Hins collected the Ukrainian traditions; Lidia Shishmanova, those of Bulgaria; Vuk Stefanovic those of Serbia; and Isabel Florence Hapgood those of Russia. The echoes of his legend resound as far as Indonesia and Mongolia.

Novelists were also inspired by this figure. As examples, I can mention Henry Rider Haggard with King Solomons Mines (1885), Romain Garys Langoisse du roi Salomon (King Solomon, 1979), and Jos Rodriguez Dos Santoss A Chave de Salomo (The Key of Solomon, 2014).

Scriptwriters and producers followed on their heels: King Vidor offered us Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (1958), Jack Lee Thompson, Quartermain and King Solomons Mines (1993), and Iranian filmmaker Shahriar Bahrani, The Kingdom of Solomon in 2009.

In turn, graphic novels took on this subject: Catherine Zarcate gave us The Dream of Solomon, Eric Heuvel and Martin Lodewijk, King Solomons Treasure, and Vassaux and Facon, The Pillars of Solomon (1991). Video games were also not immune to the appeal of this subject, and among them we have Baphomets Knights: The Guardians of the Temple (2006) and Hidden Expedition: The Crown of Solomon (2014).

So just what could be the reason for this persistent infatuation with the son of David? Could it be his power over the genies and demons, referred to as djinns, divs, and peri, thanks to a ring the angel Gabriel gave him? This object is at the heart of his legend; it is what gives this king a supernatural, or even what we could call a wizardly, power. It draws its power from the carving of a divine name in the shape of a pentalpha that forms the name of YAHVE. This ring is an emblem of election justifying royal duties and provides a mediating role between the godhead and human beings. Without it, there would be no Solomonic gestures, no enslavement of the demons and genies, which the stories of Aladdin and the fisherman from