The Arch Conjuror of England: John Dee

Front Cover
Yale University Press, Apr 24, 2012 - Biography & Autobiography - 384 pages

Outlandish alchemist and magician, political intelligencer, apocalyptic prophet, and converser with angels, John Dee (1527–1609) was one of the most colorful and controversial figures of the Tudor world. In this fascinating book—the first full-length biography of Dee based on primary historical sources—Glyn Parry explores Dee's vast array of political, magical, and scientific writings and finds that they cast significant new light on policy struggles in the Elizabethan court, conservative attacks on magic, and Europe's religious wars. John Dee was more than just a fringe magus, Parry shows: he was a major figure of the Reformation and Renaissance.

 

Contents

The Rays of Celestial Virtue
16
Conjuring the Future
30
A Royal Occult Institute
38
The Kabbalah of Creation
47
The Great Conjuror
60
Hunting for the Philosophers Stone
71
War Amongst the Alchemists
81
Recovering the Lost Empire
94
Reforming the Calendar
146
Laski and the Second Coming
162
Chief Governor of our Philosophical proceedings
179
The Magnificent Master Alchemist
194
The CounterRevolution Against Magic
205
Conjuring up a Spanish Conquest
217
Exiling the Conjuror to Manchester
238
Demonising the Exorcists
257

The Philosophers Stone and Empire
103
Rehabilitating The ArchConjuror
114
Defending Elizabeth against the Dark Arts
127
The winking eye of Achitophel
138
Further Reading
273
Index
322
103
331
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2012)

Glyn Parry is a senior lecturer in history, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He lives in New Zealand.

Bibliographic information