Avalonia - The hierarchy of spiritual creatures from Keys to the Gateway of magic

One of the results of the work we have been doing for the last three years has been a clearer picture of the Renaissance perception of the hierarchy of spiritual creatures. Magicians of this period did not make the same distinctions as are commonly used in modern magic, and would be as likely to work with fairies as they would be with angels, demons or Planetary spirits. The whole body of invocatory or evocatory magic was part of a unified corpus of magical practice, and within this practice was a whole range of spiritual creatures. This is demonstrated by the same invocatory style being used to summon archangels, demons, Enochian governors, planetary spirits or Olympic spirits.

We came across some fascinating contextual material in manuscript. These documents set the Enochian system clearly within the context of the 9 Orders of Angels, although they also included various other orders of angels and spiritual creatures, giving a coherent hierarchy which makes for a clearer picture for working with such grimoires.

Interestingly, within the grimoires the nine orders of angels have different names to those used in Qabalah, resulting in some confusion, as e.g. The Seraphim in the grimoires correspond to the Chaioth haQadosh of the Qabalah, whereas the Seraphim of the Qabalah correspond to the order of Potestates or Powers in the grimoires. These differences are listed below, with the Qabalistic names for the orders of Angels bracketed behind the grimoire names.

In this volume, there is a lot made of the hierarchy, and this is important as any particular spiritual creature should be called in the name of his superior, so it pays the invocant to know who that is.

At the top of the Heavens are the 18 fiery regions – the Superior and Celestial Heavens wherein reside the 7 Great Archangels who dwell directly in the presence of the divine. Although this list differs from one authority to another, the usual is Metatron, Raziel, Tzaphkiel, Tzadkiel, Michael, Raphael and Gabriel. Under these are the 9 Orders of Angels:

The Superior Hierarchy

1. Seraphim (Chaioth haQadosh) under Metatron/Methratton
2. Cherubim (Auphanim) under Raziel
3. Thrones (Aralim) under Tzaphkiel/Cassiel, who also rules the Olympic Spirit Aratron, the Planetary Spirit Zazel and the Planetary Intelligence Agiel

The Middle Hierarchy

4. Dominations (Chasmalim) under Tzadkiel/Sachiel, who also rules the Olympic Spirit Bethor, the Planetary Spirit Hismael and the Planetary Intelligence Yaphiel/Yophiel
5. Potestates or Powers (Seraphim) under Khamael/Samael, who also rules the Olympic Spirit Phaleg, the Planetary Spirit Bartzabel and the Planetary Intelligence Graphiel
6. Virtues (Malachim) under Michael, who also rules the Olympic Spirit Och, the Planetary Spirit Sorath and the Planetary Intelligence Nakhiel

The Inferior Hierarchy

7. Principalities (Elohim) under Haniel/Anael, who also rules the Olympic Spirit Hagith, the Planetary Spirit Kedemel and the Planetary Intelligence Hagiel
8. Archangels (Bene Elohim) under Raphael, who also rules the Olympic Spirit Ophiel, the Planetary Spirit Taphthartharath and the Planetary Intelligence Tiriel
9. Angels (Cherubim) under Gabriel, who also rules the Olympic Spirit Phul, the Planetary Spirit Schad Barschemoth ha-Shartathan and the Planetary Intelligence Malkah be-Tharshisim ve-ad Be-Ruachoth Shechalim

Additionally there are the Militia of Heaven, containing 7 other orders which are:

* The Doctrinal Order
* The Tutelary Order
* The Procuratory Order
* The Ministerial Order
* The Auxiliary Hierarchy
* The Receptory Order of Souls
* The Order of Assistants

The 12 Zodiacal Presidential Angels are also under the 7 great Archangels, as are the 28 Mansions of the Moon, each with its Presidential Angel, and the 72 Shemhamphorash Angels, who rule the Quinarys (5° angles) of Heaven.

Below the 18 fiery heavens are the 30 Airy or Inferior regions of the Heavens (the Aethyrs), wherein reside the 91 Aerial Princes, who rule over the 4 Angelic Rulers of the Watchtowers, each ruling 6 Seniors, each ruling 16 Angels, each ruling countless spirits

Below all these angelic regions are the infernal spirits. These are ruled by the three Kings of the infernal hierarchy - Lucifer, Beelzebub and Sathan

Sathan rules the four Kings of the Air, better known as the four Demon Princes, each of whom has a subordinate demon bishop and numerous lesser demons. The demon princes are:

Oriens in the East, under whom is the Demon Bishop Theltryon

Amaymon in the South, under whom is the Demon Bishop Boytheon

Paymon in the West, under whom is the Demon Bishop Sperion

Egyn in the North, under whom is the Demon Bishop Mayerion

Under each of the Bishops are many named demons, such as Vassago, Belial and others, and under them numberless other demons and spirits.

An interesting observation made in the The Nine Keys, indicates that as a rule the magician would call spiritual creatures appropriate to the work in hand, rather than always going for the “big guns” as it were:

“To conclude Dr. Rudd’s Doctrine of the Nine Hierarchies of Angels and the better to understand him, that although the glorious Methratton and Raziel may be invocated for some great signal and weighty matters [such as] to prevent ruin of states and kingdoms and persons in great authority, yet it is the opinion of Dr. Dee and Dr. Rudd, and Iamblichus that ancient magician, that it is rarely practiced since the Olympic powers are sufficient to be invocated and advised with.”

--------------------------------------------