Bael
Bael · First of Solomon's 72 Spirits — King of the East
First demon listed among the 72 spirits in the 16th-century grimoire Lesser Key of Solomon, a great king of the East. Originally the Canaanite-Phoenician god of fertility 'Baal,' he was degraded by Judeo-Christian tradition from foreign deity to powerful demon-king of Solomonic magic. He commands 66 legions of demons.
Origin
The Old Testament's repeated warnings against Canaanite 'Baal' (a common noun meaning 'lord') led the Jewish-Christian tradition to demote him into an idol, then a demon. In the 16th-century Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and Lesser Key of Solomon, he stands as first of the 72 spirits — the mightiest demon-king sealed by Solomon.
Features
- Three heads — toad, human, cat
- Vast form with eight spider-like legs
- King of the East, commanding 66 legions
- Speaks with a hoarse voice; renders the conjurer invisible
Usage
In Solomonic magic, said to grant invisibility to the conjurer. In modern occultism and fantasy, frequently cited as the archetypal demon-king. Also a theological symbol of the rejection of Canaanite religion.