Count of St. Germain

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Count of St Germain by unknown artist
Count of St Germain by unknown artist

The Count of St. Germain (fl. 1710–1784) has been variously described as a courtier, adventurer, charlatan, inventor, alchemist, pianist, violinist and amateur composer, but is best known as a recurring figure in the stories of several strands of occultism -- particularly those connected to Theosophy, where he is also referred to as the Master Rakoczi or the Master R. Some sources write that his name is not familial, but was invented by him as a French version of the Latin Sanctus Germanus, meaning "Holy Brother".[1][2][3]

Contents

[edit] Life

The scarcity of contemporary biographical detail about St Germain (alongside his own apparent self-mythologising) has supported the construction of many versions of his origins and ancestry, including that he was:

In a letter of 1745 Horace Walpole mentions a Count St. Germain as being arrested in London on suspicion of espionage (this was during the Jacobite rebellion) but released without charge:

...the other day they seized an odd man, who goes by the name of Count St. Germain. He has been here these two years, and will not tell who he is, or whence, but professes that he does not go by his right name. He sings, plays on the violin wonderfully, composes, is mad, and not very sensible. He is called an Italian, a Spaniard, a Pole; a somebody that married a great fortune in Mexico, and ran away with her jewels to Constantinople; a priest, a fiddler, a vast nobleman. The Prince of Wales has had unsatiated curiosity about him, but in vain. However, nothing has been made out against him; he is released; and, what convinces me that he is not a gentleman, stays here, and talks of his being taken up for a spy.[5]

A M. de Saint-Germain was Governor of Chengalaput, in India, in 1752.[6]

Giacomo Casanova describes in his memoirs several meetings with the "celebrated and learned impostor". Of his first meeting, in Paris in 1757, he writes:

The most enjoyable dinner I had was with Madame de Gergi, who came with the famous adventurer, known by the name of the Count de St. Germain. This individual, instead of eating, talked from the beginning of the meal to the end, and I followed his example in one respect as I did not eat, but listened to him with the greatest attention. It may safely be said that as a conversationalist he was unequalled.

St. Germain gave himself out for a marvel and always aimed at exciting amazement, which he often succeeded in doing. He was scholar, linguist, musician, and chemist, good-looking, and a perfect ladies' man. For awhile he gave them paints and cosmetics; he flattered them, not that he would make them young again (which he modestly confessed was beyond him) but that their beauty would be preserved by means of a wash which, he said, cost him a lot of money, but which he gave away freely.

He had contrived to gain the favour of Madame de Pompadour, who had spoken about him to the king, for whom he had made a laboratory, in which the monarch - a martyr to boredom - tried to find a little pleasure or distraction, at all events, by making dyes. The king had given him a suite of rooms at Chambord, and a hundred thousand francs for the construction of a laboratory, and according to St. Germain the dyes discovered by the king would have a materially beneficial influence on the quality of French fabrics.

This extraordinary man, intended by nature to be the king of impostors and quacks, would say in an easy, assured manner that he was three hundred years old, that he knew the secret of the Universal Medicine, that he possessed a mastery over nature, that he could melt diamonds, professing himself capable of forming, out of ten or twelve small diamonds, one large one of the finest water without any loss of weight. All this, he said, was a mere trifle to him. Notwithstanding his boastings, his bare-faced lies, and his manifold eccentricities, I cannot say I thought him offensive. In spite of my knowledge of what he was and in spite of my own feelings, I thought him an astonishing man as he was always astonishing me.[7]

Myths, legends and speculations about St. Germain began to be widespread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and continue today. They include beliefs that he is immortal, the Wandering Jew, an alchemist with the "Elixir of Life", a Rosicrucian, and that he prophesied the French Revolution. He is said to have met the forger Giuseppe Balsamo (alias Cagliostro) in London.

[edit] Literature about St. Germain

[edit] Biographies

There are several "authoritative" biographers who usually do not agree with one another. Probably the two best-known biographies are Isabel Cooper-Oakley's The Count of St. Germain (1912) and Jean Overton-Fuller's The Comte de Saint-Germain: Last Scion of the House of Rakoczy (1988). The former is a compilation of letters, diaries and private records written about the Count by members of the French aristocracy who knew him in the 18th century. Dr. Raymond Bernard's book "The Great Secret -- St. Germain" is biographical and covers the many aspects of the Counts life including his connection or being Sir Francis Bacon and the author of the Shakespeare Plays. Manley P. Hall in his "Secret Teachings of All Ages", describes some of the same attributes as Dr. Bernard, including the writings of Shakespeare being from a great adept like Francis Bacon. This would be the latters tool or vehicle to express wisdom of psychology, history, nature, the Elementals, tradition, literature, society, government, music and art.

There have also been numerous French and German biographies, among them Der Wiedergänger: Das zeitlose Leben des Grafen von Saint-Germain by Peter Krassa, Le Comte de Saint-Germain by Marie-Raymonde Delorme and L'énigmatique Comte De Saint-Germain by Pierre Ceria and François Ethuin.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro has written more than 20 fiction novels about the Count (casting him as a vampire), included in her short story collection The St. Germain Chronicles (1983). In it she provides her opinion as to his actual identity (the son of a wealthy, probably Jewish, diamond merchant).

[edit] Occult biography

A book titled "The Great Secret, Count St. Germain," by Dr. Raymond Bernard purports that St. Germain was actually Francis Bacon by birth, and who later authored the complete Plays attributed to Shakespeare. He also contends, as does the Saint Germain Foundation in Chicago, IL., that Francis Bacon was the child of Queen Elizabeth and Lord Dudley but that it was kept quiet. Francis was raised by the Bacon family; yet, throughout the Shakespeare Plays, there are numerous hints that he knows of his true birth as revealed in the plays itself, the numerous explicit hints in the text, pictures as well as the cipher code he employed.

[edit] Book attributed to St. Germain

One book attributed to Saint Germain himself is "The Most Holy Trinosophia of the Comte de St. Germain." There are also two triangular books in the Manly Palmer Hall Collection of Alchemical Manuscripts at the Getty Research Library which are attributed to Saint Germain.[1]

[edit] Books dictated by Saint Germain to Guy Ballard

Saint Germain is the central figure in the Saint Germain Series of Books published by the Saint Germain Press. The first two volumes, Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence, written by Godfre Ray King, describe Saint Germain as an Ascended Master, like Jesus, who is assisting humanity and the Earth at present. Godfre Ray King is the pen-name for Guy Warren Ballard. In these first two books, he discusses his personal experiences with Saint Germain and reveals many teachings that are in harmony with Theosophy and the other works referenced above. The third volume, "The 'I AM' Discourses" contains Material that is not to be found in any other corpus of Teachings or Doctrines. These three books are the foundational sacred scriptures of the I AM Activity.

There are 20 Volumes that make up the Saint Germain Series of Books which are also referred to as the "Green Books" published by the Saint Germain Press. Another work of great import which is said to be from the hand of Sir Francis Bacon (author of the Shakespeare Plays); before he Ascended and returned as Sanctus Germanus which means the "Holy Brother" or Saint Germain, is the book known as the "Comte de Gabalis". First printed in 1670, the book includes a picture of the Polish Rider (a famous painting at the Frick Collection in New York City), which is said to be of Sir Francis Bacon a.k.a the Comte de Gabalis (the Count of the Cabala). Lotus Ray King (Edna Ballard's pen name) and wife of Guy Ballard, talked about this book having been authored by the now known and familiar Ascended Master Saint Germain (RoundTable Talks).

[edit] Claimed encounters with Saint Germain

Several Theosophists claimed to have met Saint Germain in the late 19th or early 20th centuries:

  • Annie Besant said that she met the Count in 1896.
  • C. W. Leadbeater claimed to have met him in Rome in 1926 and gave a physical description of him as having brown eyes, olive colored skin, and a pointed beard; according to Leadbeater, "the splendour of his Presence impels men to make obeisance". [8] Leadbeater said that Saint Germain showed him a robe that had been previously owned by a Roman Emperor and that Saint Germain told him that one of his residences was a castle in Transylvania. According to Leadbeater, when performing magical rituals in his castle in Transylvania, Saint Germain wears "a suit of golden chain-mail which once belonged to a Roman Emperor; over it is thrown a magnificent cloak of Tyrian purple, with on its clasp a seven-pointed star in diamond and amethyst, and sometimes he wears a glorious robe of violet." [9]
  • Guy Ballard, founder of the "I AM" Activity, claimed that he met Saint Germain on Mount Shasta in California in August of 1930, and that this initiated his "training" and experiences with other Ascended Masters in various parts of the world. [10]
  • Edgar Cayce, the "Sleeping Prophet", was asked while in trance if Saint Germain was present. Cayce's reply was: "When needed." from reading # 254-83 on 2/14/1935
  • Dorothy Leon, living author, has claimed to have had several encounters with Saint Germain and is an avowed disciple of his.

[edit] Esoteric activities

Many groups honor Saint Germain as an Ascended Master. He is referred to in Theosophy as the Master Rakoczy or the Master R.; in the Ascended Master Teachings he is referred to simply as Saint Germain or as the Ascended Master Saint Germain [2] [11]. As an Ascended Master, he is believed to have many magical powers such as the ability to teleport, levitate, walk through walls, inspire people telepathically, etc.

Theosophists consider him to be a Mahatma, Master or Adept. Helena Blavatsky said he was one of her Masters of Wisdom and hinted at secret documents. Some esoteric groups credit him with inspiring the Founding Fathers to draft the United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as providing the design of the Great Seal of the United States. (See P. Manly Hall's "Secret Teachings of All Ages.") [12] In the New Age beliefs regarding him, Saint Germain is always associated with the color violet, the jewel amethyst, and the Maltese cross rendered in violet (usually the iron cross style cross patee version); he is also regarded as the "Chohan of the Seventh Ray"[13] — according to Theosophy, the Seven Rays are seven metaphysical principles that govern both individual souls and the unfolding of each 2,158 year long Astrological Age. Since according to Theosophy the next Astrological Age, the Age of Aquarius, will be governed by the Seventh (Violet) Ray (the Ray of Ceremonial Order), Saint Germain is sometimes called "The Hierarch of the Age of Aquarius". According to the Ascended Master Teachings, Saint Germain is "The God of Freedom for the Earth".

In Theosophist Alice A. Bailey's books, Saint Germain is referred to as the Master Rakoczi or the Master R. Alice A. Bailey's book The Externalisation of the Hierarchy (a compilation of earlier revelations published posthumously in 1957) gives the most information about his reputed role as a spiritual Master. His title is said to be the Lord of Civilization and his task is the establishment of the new civilization of the Age of Aquarius. [14]. He is said to telepathically influence people who are seen by him as being instrumental in bringing about the new civilization of the Age of Aquarius. Alice A. Bailey stated that "sometime after AD 2025" Master Jesus, the Master Rakoczi (Saint Germain), Kuthumi, and the others in the Spiritual Hierarchy would "externalise", i.e., descend from the spiritual worlds, and interact in visible tangible bodies on the Earth in ashrams surrounded by their disciples. [15]

[edit] Previous incarnations

Theosophy


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According to Theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings, Saint Germain was incarnated as: (see notes 1, 2, and 3 for sources)

  • Ruler of a Golden Age civilization in the area of the Sahara Desert 70,000 years ago, originally a colony sent out from Atlantis.
  • High priest on Atlantis 13,000 years ago, serving in the Order of Lord Zadkiel in the Temple of Purification, located where the island of Cuba is now
  • Samuel, eleventh century B.C. Religious leader in Israel who served as prophet, priest, and last of the Hebrew judges
  • Hesiod, Greek poet whose writings serve as a major source for knowledge of Greek mythology and cosmology (circa 700 B.C.)
  • Plato, Philosopher who studied with students of Pythagoras and scholars in Egypt. He established his own school of philosophy at the Academy in Athens. (427 - 347 B.C.)
  • Saint Joseph, first century A.D., Nazareth. Husband of Mary and Guardian of Jesus
  • Saint Alban, late third or early fourth century, town of Verulamium, renamed St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. First British martyr — he had sheltered a fugitive priest, became a devout convert, and was put to death for disguising himself as the priest so he could die in his place
  • Proclus, c. 410 - 485 A.D. Athens. The last major Greek Neoplatonic philosopher, headed the Platonic Academy and wrote extensively on philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, and grammar
  • Merlin, c. fifth or sixth century, Britain. Magician and counselor at King Arthur's Camelot who inspired the establishment of the Order of the Knights of the Round Table
  • Roger Bacon, c. 1220–1292 A.D., England. Philosopher, educational reformer, and experimental scientist; forerunner of modern science renowned for his exhaustive investigations into alchemy, optics, mathematics, and languages
  • Organizer behind the scenes for the Secret Societies in Germany in the late fourteen and early fifteenth centuries. The creation of a fictional character named "Christian Rosenkreuz" was inspired by his efforts.
  • Christopher Columbus, 1451–1506 A.D. Believed to have been born in Genoa, Italy and settled in Portugal. Landed in America in 1492 during first of four voyages to the New World sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain
  • Francis Bacon, 1561–1626, England. Philosopher, statesman, essayist and literary master, author of the Shakespearean plays (according to the Ascended Master Teachings), father of inductive science and herald of the scientific revolution.

[edit] Ascension into masterhood

These organizations believe that Francis Bacon made it appear that he died on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1626, and that he even attended his own "funeral" in disguise. He then supposedly traveled secretly to Transylvania (then part of Hungary, now part of Romania) to the Rakoczy Mansion of the royal family of Hungary. Finally on May 1, 1684 he is believed to have attained (by his knowledge of alchemy) his physical Ascension (attaining immortality and eternal youth at which time Francis Bacon adopted the name "Saint Germain."

[edit] St. Germain in popular culture

Anime

  • St. Germain appears as a villain in the anime series Le Chevalier D'Eon.
  • The main villain(Millennium Earl) from the series; "D. Gray-Man" is based on St. Germain.
  • A vampiric, eternally-living villain named Count Sangermaine figures heavily in the anime series Master of Mosquiton.

Comic Books

Computer Games

Film

Literature

  • Alexandre Dumas' fictional Count of Monte Cristo may have been inspired by Le Comte St. Germain. The two share many characteristics, including attire, appearance, wealth, alchemical capabilities, and mysterious origin. One of the characters even remarks to Monte Cristo, "[Y]ou still remain an enigma, do not fear. My mother is only astonished that you remain so long unsolved. I believe, while the Countess G---- takes you for Lord Ruthven, my mother imagines you to be Cagliostro or the Count Saint-Germain."
  • Umberto Eco's satirical work involving conspiracy theories, Foucault's Pendulum, features a putative St. Germain as the antagonist.
  • During a darts match in the novel "The Brentford Triangle", Professor Slocombe, a recurring character in the Brentford novels of Robert Rankin, is implied to have been Saint-Germain.
  • Diana Gabaldon's novel Dragonfly in Amber features St. Germain as a French nobleman and wine merchant dealing in the darker side of Parisian politics and high society in 1745. In her book, the Count is not immortal.
  • The author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro has written (as of 2006) two dozen fantasy books (including spin offs) concerning a vampiric character modeled after St. Germain.
  • St. Germain appears in Aleksandr Pushkin's short novel The Queen of Spades.
  • Author Katherine Kurtz featured Saint-Germain as the esoteric Master behind the scenes orchestrating the American Revolution in the novel Two Crowns for America (1996).
  • Fictional details of St. Germain's journey to Russia form part of the novel Wheel of Fortune (Колесо Фортуны) (1970–75) by the Russian writer Nikolay Dubov (Николай Иванович Дубов).
  • In the novel The Red Lion: The Elixir of Eternal Life by the Hungarian writer Mária Szepes, St. Germain appears as a companion of the protagonist. He is "the man that never dies".
  • The Comte de St. Germain(e) appears (also called Master Rakoczi) in Traci Harding's novel about magic and metaphysics called The Cosmic Logos.
  • The Comte is a persona adopted by one of the long-lived mystery characters in Raymond Khoury's 2007 novel The Sanctuary.
  • St. Germain appears in the head of Billy Ballantine in Tor Åge Bringsværd's "Den som har begge beina på jorda står stille" AKA "Den som har begge beina på jorda står stille (eller: Alveolene kommer!). Om de merkelige hendelsene som rystet London den 26. og 27. mai 1973. En digresjonsroman. Vel blåst!" St. Germain proves his ability to make gold, by turning a criminal into a golden statue and a preacher into a golden calf.

Manga

  • The author of the Japanese manga D.Gray-man, Katsura Hoshino, has heavily implied that the demonic villain of the series, the Millennium Earl, is based upon St. Germain.
  • In the fifth volume of the manga Rozen Maiden, "The Father" who created the magical doll protagonists is revealed to be St. Germain.

Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games

  • A major setting in the browser-based MMORPG Nexus War is St. Germaine Island, almost certainly a reference to the Count, given the game's heavy magical elements.

Music

  • French socialite and singer Richard Chanfray achieved minor celebrity status in the 1970s by claiming to be the Comte de St Germain. He was Dalida's lover for several years.
  • Canibus makes a reference to the Comte de St. Germaine in the song "Poet Laureate Infinity"
  • St. Germain is the stage name of Ludovic Navarre, a French electronica and nu jazz musician.
  • A plea to St. Germain features in the lyrics of the song "I'm So Free" by Lou Reed on his 1972 album Transformer.[16]

Role-Playing Games

  • The role-playing game Unknown Armies features St. Germain as an immortal yet very human, enigmatic and complex figure also referred to as "The First and Last Man".

Video Games

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Schroeder, Werner Ascended Masters and Their Retreats Ascended Master Teaching Foundation 2004, pages 250 - 255
  2. ^ Luk, A.D.K.. Law of Life — Book II. Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications 1989, pages 254 - 267
  3. ^ Booth, Annice The Masters and Their Retreats Summit Lighthouse Library June 2003, pages 312 - 322
  4. ^ The Comte de St. Germain by Isabel Cooper-Oakley. Milan, Italy: Ars Regia, 1912
  5. ^ Letter to Sir Horace Mann, Dec. 9, 1745, available on Project Gutenberg at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12073/12073.txt
  6. ^ Butler, E. M.: The Myth of the Magus; Cambridge University Press, 1948; p. 189
  7. ^ The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoires of Casanova, Complete, by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2981/2981.txt
  8. ^ Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path. Adyar, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1927 (Revised from 1925 edition) (Reprint: Kessinger Publishing, 1997) Page 32
  9. ^ Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path. Adyar, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1927 (Revised from 1925 edition) (Reprint: Kessinger Publishing, 1997) Page 240
  10. ^ King, Godfre Ray. Unveiled Mysteries. Chicago, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 1934
  11. ^ Source of Image of St. Germain (based on the description of him given by C.W. Leadbeater when he claimed to have met him in Rome in 1926) shown above distributed by ZakaiRan and painted by New Age Artist Peter Fich Christiansen
  12. ^ Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of All Ages "An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy Being an Interpretation of the Secret Teachings Concealed within the Rituals, Allegories and Mysteries of all Ages" H.S. Crocker Company, Inc. 1928
  13. ^ "Saint Germain" (claimed to have been dictated to Mark Prophet) Studies in Alchemy Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA:1974 Summit Lighthouse . See biolographical sketch of Saint Germain, pages 80-90,
  14. ^ Bailey, Alice A. The Externalisation of the Hierarchy New York:1957--Lucis Press (Compilation of earlier revelations by Alice A. Bailey) Page 667
  15. ^ Bailey, Alice A. The Externalisation of the Hierarchy New York:1957--Lucis Press (Compilation of earlier revelations by Alice A. Bailey) Page 530
  16. ^ I'm So Free song lyrics | Lou Reed | Transformer | GoldLyrics.com

[edit] Further reading

[edit] Adherents' literature

  • "Unveiled Mysteries" by Godfre Ray King, Saint Germain Press, Schaumburt, Illinois.
  • "The Magic Presence" by Godfre Ray King, Saint Germain Press, Schaumburg, Illinois.
  • "The 'I AM' Discourses" by Ascended Master Saint Germain, Saint Germain Press, Schaumburg, Illinois.
  • Bernard, Raymond.Great Secret Count St. Germain. Health Research Publishers, Washington, 1993 (reprint ed.). ISBN 0-7873-0095-0.
  • Fuller, Jean Overton. The Comte de Saint-Germain: Last Scion of the House of Rakockzy. London: East-West Publications, 1988. ISBN 0-85692-114-9.
  • Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path Adyar, Madras, India: 1925--Theosophical Publishing House
  • Prophet, Elizabeth Clare. Saint Germain: Master Alchemist. Gardiner, Montana: Summit University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-922729-95-6.
  • Prophet, Elizabeth Clare. Saint Germain's Prophecy for the New Millennium: Includes Dramatic Prophecies from Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, and Mother Mary. Gardiner, Montana: Summit University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-922729-45-X.
  • Prophet, Mark L. and Elizabeth Clare Lords of the Seven Rays Livingston, Montana, U.S.A.:1986 - Summit University Press
  • Saint Germain. Saint Germain on Alchemy: Formulas for Self-Transformation. Gardiner, Montana: Summit University Press, 1988. ISBN 0-916766-68-3.

[edit] Encyclopedic reference

  • Melton, J. Gordon Encyclopedia of American Religions 5th Edition New York:1996 Gale Research ISBN 0-8103-7714-4 ISSN 1066-1212 Chapter 18--"The Ancient Wisdom Family of Religions" Pages 151-158; see chart on page 154 listing Masters of the Ancient Wisdom; Also see Section 18, Pages 717-757 Descriptions of various Ancient Wisdom religious organizations

[edit] Scholarly studies

  • Campbell, Bruce F. A History of the Theosophical Movement Berkeley:1980 University of California Press
  • Godwin, Joscelyn The Theosophical Enlightenment Albany, New York: 1994 State University of New York Press
  • Johnson, K. Paul The Masters Revealed: Madam Blavatsky and Myth of the Great White Brotherhood Albany, New York: 1994 State University of New York Press

[edit] External links