When Magic is King
- adelatorre49
- Jan 26, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 1, 2022
A reflection on the relationship between ancient royalty and magic.
Something that really struck me in our learning so far this semester is how intertwined royalty and magic seems to have been over the history of ancient civilizations. In looking back at our text, one example that comes to mind are the statues of lamassu, winged creatures with the body of a bull or lion and the head of a man, that guarded palace doors.
Another example are the onmyōji, practitioners of exorcisms and diviners in Japan who became court officials and practiced their craft after being appointed by the designated Divination Bureau.
Another instance are the early Islamic astrologers who transcribed horoscopes for entire dynasties that were said to determine how the shifting of stars and planets would influence the course of nations.
“... claiming to possess magical powers was not something that was looked down upon, but rather was something that could enable a practitioner to secure a position of respect in a ruler’s court.”
In each of these examples and many more, claiming to possess magical powers was not something that was looked down upon, but rather was something that could enable a practitioner to secure a position of respect in a ruler’s court. Beyond guaranteeing one’s personal wellbeing and safety, a coveted court position would also provide a practitioner with the time and resources to immerse themselves in the study of their chosen craft.
In these cases, a practitioner’s occult art was not only sanctioned by the ruler, but would likely have been considered an invaluable asset to any empire, as it provided rulers a chance to supposedly glimpse their future, understand what lay ahead of them, and even overcome obstacles in their paths.
To a certain extent, these magical practitioners relied heavily on rulers to provide support and protection for them, and as we see repeatedly throughout history in Ancient Rome, England in toward the 13th century, and Japan as Emperor Meiji came to power, these practitioners and their arts could quickly fall out of favor and power, and become persecuted.
The combination of living at the will and whim of rulers must have caused practitioners to feel a certain pressure to align their predictions of findings with the desire of their rulers. To that end, I wonder what sort of loyalty, if any, these practitioners felt to their patrons over their craft and if this mutual relationship impacted the content or integrity of magic practitioners’s art.
Great post, thanks. I appreciate your insights into the connection between power and magic. The two have been closely aligned for several thousand years. Your examples are both valid and interesting. I would add that ruler themselves were often thought to have supernatural powers, such as the "King's Touch," which supposed healed people. In many ancient civilizations rulers were considered gods, such as the Egyptian Pharaohs. for several thousand years rulers sought to use magic to reinforce their power. I wonder if court magicians were generally terrified about what would happen to them if--and when--their spells, potions, and incantations failed to heal or predict. Thanks for posting about the connections between magic and power.