From infamous fallen angels like Satan to supernatural beings worshipped by the occult, meet some of the worst demons from history.
Throughout history, the word “demon” has been used in a variety of contexts. In most instances, a demon refers to an evil supernatural entity, typically from Hell, who can possess, attack, or otherwise torment a person. But this definition is not a one-size-fits-all descriptor of demons.
In ancient Mesopotamian religion, for example, demons were deities who served a litany of purposes. Some, such as the demon Pazuzu, controlled the wind and could bring destruction — but also served to ward off other malevolent and scary demons. Others, like Pazuzu’s rival Lamashtu, tormented pregnant women and terrorized unborn and newborn babies.
The modern understanding of demons, however, largely arose with the conception of demonology as perpetuated by figures such as King James VI of Scotland, Dutch physician and demonologist Johann Weyer, and the anonymous author of the grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon.
Like the infamous Lucifer, Mammon is said to be a fallen angel in some Christian literature, cast out of Heaven after a revolt against God. Wikimedia Commons
Governing 40 infernal legions, Aamon is seen as the demon of life and reproduction. Wikimedia Commons
Interestingly, in the Bible, Abaddon is not only the name of a fallen angel, but it's also the name of a place of destruction, which is often linked with the realm of the dead.Wikimedia Commons
Gnostics have described Abraxas as the "God above all Gods," yet the exact nature of this demon remains somewhat mysterious.
Despite its vague nature — or perhaps due to it — Abraxas has attracted the attention of a wide variety of people, including Carl Jung, Hermann Hesse, and Carlos Santana. Wikimedia Commons
Originating as a Philistine god, Beelzebub was later adopted by Abrahamic religions as a major demon and has since become closely linked with Lucifer. However, in demonology, Beelzebub stands beside Mammon as one of the Seven Princes of Hell, often representing the sin of gluttony. Wikimedia Commons
Asmodeus is the main antagonist of the Book of Tobit, though it was later interpreted as the demonic personification of lust. Wikimedia Commons
First mentioned in the grimoire Book of Abramelin, Astaroth has made appearances in numerous occult works. This demon has often been regarded as a Duke of Hell. Wikimedia Commons
Other texts, such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, claim that Bael appears as a three-headed creature, bearing the heads of a man, a cat, and a toad. Wikimedia Commons
These texts describe Bifrons as an earl who appears in a monstrous form. Eventually, he is said to gradually appear more human. Though he's mostly known for moving bodies between graves, Bifrons is also known for teaching subjects like astronomy and geometry.
Some descriptions also claim that Bifrons commands his own legions of demons, though the number of demons under his rule could be anywhere between six and 60. Wikimedia Commons
They have been said to be tricksters, playing pranks on unsuspecting people. More ominously, they also try to convince people to sell their souls in exchange for wealth or power.Wikimedia Commons
As the story goes, the demon summons a ferocious storm of hail, boulders, and tree trunks to destroy the army of King Kay Kavus, then captures the king and his commanders and imprisons them in a dungeon.
It is the Persian mythical hero Rostam who ultimately frees Kay Kavus and slays Div-e Sepid, using the demon's blood to cure the blindness that had been inflicted upon the king and his men while in captivity. Wikimedia Commons
While her role varies depending on the source, Jewish tales describe Eisheth Zenunim, the "Woman of Whoredom," as a demonic figure who eats the souls of the damned. She is considered to be a personification of sin. Wikimedia Commons
Weyer described Furcas as "a knight and commeth foorth in the similitude of a cruell man, with a long beard and a hoarie head, he sitteth on a pale horse, carrieng in his hand a sharpe weapon, he perfectlie teacheth practike philosophie, rhetorike, logike, astronomie, chiromancie, pyromancie, and their parts: there obeie him twentie legions."Wikimedia Commons
Gaap is said to rule 25 legions of spirits, but he often appears in human form to incite love. In his human form, Gaap is said to help women find a lover. He then renders them infertile. Wikimedia Commons
Malphas often appears as an anthropomorphic raven, though he is also said to appear in human form as a man with a hoarse voice.Wikimedia Commons
Marchosias, like some other demons, had once belonged to an angelic order — specifically, the Dominions — before falling. Wikimedia Commons
An oni has an evil nature that can lead it to commit horrific acts, such as mass murder and cannibalism. However, some tales state that these creatures are capable of changing their ways and converting to Buddhism.Wikimedia Commons
Ronove is said to be the taker of old souls, who comes to Earth to harvest the souls of dying humans and animals. Wikimedia Commons
As time went on, the image of Satan gradually took on more and more malevolent characteristics, especially as belief in demonic possession and witchcraft grew.
Of course, not everyone considers Satan to be an evil figure. Theistic Satanism, for example, regards him as a deity meant to be worshipped.
Although Satan's appearance is never fully described in any religious texts, his appearance has come to be associated with the image of a cloven-hoofed, horned creature with a forked tongue, which is an amalgamation of various pagan deities. Wikimedia Commons
Learn about some of history's scariest demons in the gallery above, then read more about the early study of demonology below.
History's Early Compendiums Of Scary Demons
Demonology is, as the name suggests, the study of demons. It is referenced in both religious and occult circles, and generally covers the hierarchy of demons, their powers and limitations, attributes, and various names. Some also refer to it as a branch of magic dealing with malevolent spirits.
One of the earliest prominent examples of a demonological text was Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, or the False Monarchy of Demons, which was released in 1577. Weyer's text lists in total 69 demons in their hierarchy. (The Ars Goetia, the first book of the anonymous grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon, would later raise this number to 72 demons.)
Even before the publication of Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, Weyer had already established himself as a predominant scholar in the field of demonology upon the release of his most influential work, De Praestigiis Daemonum et Incantationibus ac Venificiis, or On the Illusions of the Demons and on Spells and Poisons, back in 1563.
Public DomainJohann Weyer, a physician who wrote extensively on demons and witchcraft.
So who was Johann Weyer and what led him to demonology? According to a 1993 publication from the University of Iowa, Weyer was a Dutch physician whose work has largely influenced the modern-day field of psychiatry.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Weyer largely opposed the ongoing fear surrounding witchcraft in Europe. He spoke out against the persecution of people who were accused of being witches, and pioneered the idea of treating a mentally ill person with compassion and empathy.
But it was the publication of Daemonologie by King James VI of Scotland (later known as James VI and I) in 1597 that solidified the study of demonology in history. And his goals were far different from Weyer's.
King James' Role In Demonology And The Witchcraft Panic
Daemonologie was published several years before King James' version of the Bible, and it contained three books that served in part as a philosophical dissertation on magic, sorcery and witchcraft, and spirits and ghosts. The text also included King James' classification of demons, which stemmed from the king's involvement in the 1590 North Berwick witch trials.
The book begins:
"The fearful abounding, at this time and in this country of these detestable slaves of the devil, the witches (...) hath moved me to dispatch in post, this following treatise of mine (...) to resolve the doubting (...) both that such assaults of Satan are most certainly practised, and that the instrument thereof merits most severely to be punished."
In essence, Daemonologie largely supported the ongoing persecution and trials of accused witches in King James' territories.
Wellcome Library, LondonThe title page of King James' Daemonologie.
As explained in the study "James VI The Demonologist King," James claimed that many of his sources for the work were based on the testimonies of confessed witches, past cases from history, and, of course, the Bible.
King James' goal with Daemonologie was not to create a definitive classification of demons or inform the masses of the "true nature" of magic, but rather to prove that the Devil was enacting his will on Earth — and to justify witch hunting and witch trials throughout Europe.
He used Biblical teachings to convince Christians of the existence of witchcraft, and amassed numerous dissertations on magical studies to draw comparisons between ancient magical practices and beliefs and the Devil.
Demonology In The Modern World
Despite its centuries-old roots and a modern understanding that many historical witch trials had not targeted actual witches, demonology is still alive and well today — and so are legends of scary demons.
Perhaps the most prominent example of modern-day demonology can be found in Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were self-proclaimed demonologists who involved themselves in a number of high-profile alleged hauntings, including the Amityville Horror Case and the Enfield Haunting.
Of course, the Warrens are controversial figures, with The Hollywood Reporter releasing an account that detailed the alleged abuse the Warrens inflicted on each other and on an underage girl who Ed pursued an inappropriate relationship with, despite meeting her when she was just 15.
There have been other people in the modern age to affix to themselves the title of "demonologist," but the Warrens are certainly the most well-known.
That said, the field of demonology itself is becoming more obscure in the modern, secular world. What remains of this field are a few medieval manuscripts that have survived the passage of time. However, the influence of demonology on popular culture is not going away anytime soon, especially since The Conjuring franchise is one of the most popular in the world.
After learning about scary demons from history, read about the Zozo demon, the Ouija board spirit. Then, see 30 disturbing images found in a Persian book on demonology.
