Bael is a King of the Ars Goetia, ruling 66 legions of spirits.
Key facts
| Rank | King |
|---|---|
| Legions | 66 |
| Powers | Invisibility, Knowledge & sciences |
| Enn (modern chant) | «Ayer secore on ca Bael» |
| Alternate names | Baal |
| Sources | Ars Goetia, Pseudomonarchia, Biblia (Baal) |
| Seal no. | 01 / 72 |
| Cardinal king | Oriens · East (E) |
| External IDs | Wikidata · Wikipedia |
On this page
How it appears
He manifests with three heads—of a toad, a man, and a cat—and speaks with a hoarse voice.
What you ask of it
He is asked above all for the gift of invisibility: to make him who possesses it unseen. He also grants wisdom and cunning to whoever invokes him correctly.
Provenance
Bael stands at the beginning of Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), as a king whose power is situated in the East. The Ars Goetia took him from that tradition of spiritual offices and placed him as the first spirit, preserving his principal function of granting invisibility. Already attested in the Livre des Esperitz (15th c.) as «Beal (f180r)» and in the Liber Officiorum Spirituum (Folger V.b.26, 16th c.) as «Baall (no. 1)».
The seal: printed edition and facsimile
Bael's main seal follows the printed Mathers–Crowley (1904) form; the Sloane MS 2731 manuscript facsimile is shown separately for comparison.
The main image and SVG/PNG downloads reproduce the printed form of S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley's 1904 edition, using the normal vector pack documented on Wikimedia Commons (public domain/CC0). The Sloane MS 2731 facsimile remains separate for comparing manuscript variants; it is not used as the main image.
The FULL manuscript facsimile («Lemegeton, Clavicula Salomonis», Sloane MS 2731) is in our library; the original is held at the British Library (Sloane MS 2731).
How it is summoned
In antiquity
According to the Ars Goetia, the operation is the same for all 72 spirits:
- The magician draws the magic Circle and never steps out of it during the whole work.
- A few paces away he draws the Triangle of Art: there, and only there, must the spirit manifest.
- On his breast he wears the lamen bearing the demon's seal, engraved in metal.
- He recites the conjurations, calling it by its names and by the divine names.
- If the spirit resists or delays, the constraint and the 'chain of spirits' are used.
- Once the request is granted, he gives it the license to depart, and never before.
The ancient tradition records his forms of cat, toad, and man, his hoarse voice, his royal rank, and his power to make the operator invisible. It attributes to him no hour, offering, operative orientation, or exclusive precaution distinct from the common Goetic procedure.
Source: Ars Goetia (17th c.); already in Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, 1577
The common Goetic operation also adds, when needed: to constrain a resisting spirit (Wellcome MS 110, c74–c78), to show it the Pentacle of Solomon once manifested (Ars Theurgia-Goetia), to work in its planetary hour and day (by rank), and finally to give it licence to depart —and never before (Wellcome MS 110, c53). Practise the full rite at The Practitioner's Table.
What is the “chain of spirits”?
Modern · not ancient
- Print or draw its seal and place it before you on a clean surface.
- Light a candle and, if you wish, some incense; still your mind and set your intention.
- Intone its enn softly and repeatedly, eyes on the seal, until you feel a shift in the air.
- State your request clearly and respectfully, not as a command.
- Give thanks, let the candle burn down a little and close; modern practice is devotional, with no coercive conjuration.
Enn (modern chant): «Ayer secore on ca Bael»
Source: Enn of modern demonolatry (lists disseminated by S. Connolly, The Complete Book of Demonolatry, 2006)
Modern practice often reads his invisibility as discretion, silent authority, or passing unnoticed; that expansion is not an ancient ritual rule.
Modern experiences (personal gnosis)
In modern demonolatry, particularly following S. Connolly's 'The Daemonolatry Goetia' (2010), contemporary practitioners describe Bael's presence as deeply authoritative, firm, and grounding. Beyond literal invisibility, he is worked with today to remain unnoticed in hostile environments, protect secrets, and strengthen personal leadership, being perceived as an ancient intelligence that demands strict respect.
Personal gnosis (UPG): how contemporary practitioners say they experience it. This is subjective experience, not a historical source or doctrine; it does not come from the ancient grimoires and may not be real.
Source: S. Connolly, 'The Daemonolatry Goetia' (2010); tradición demonólatra contemporánea.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Bael?
Bael is one of the 72 spirits catalogued in the Ars Goetia (the first book of the Lemegeton, 17th c.) and in Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577); it is listed with the rank of King. It is not a deity or a biblical figure: it is an entry in these historical spirit-catalogues.
What is the sigil (seal) of Bael?
The seal image of Bael that we display and offer for download follows the printed Mathers–Crowley (1904) form, using the normal vector pack documented on Wikimedia Commons (public domain/CC0). The Sloane MS 2731 manuscript facsimile is provided separately because Lemegeton witnesses preserve variants.
What is Bael's rank in the Ars Goetia?
Bael is a King, ruling 66 legions of spirits according to the Lesser Key of Solomon.
How do you summon Bael?
According to the ancient sources (the Lemegeton, the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum), Bael is summoned with the goetic rite: the Circle and the Triangle of Art are traced, its seal is engraved and worn, the candles are lit and the conjuration is spoken by the divine names; if it delays, it is constrained, and at the end it is given the licence to depart. This is historical-documentary material, not a how-to for real summoning.
What does Bael do? What is it invoked for?
He is asked above all for the gift of invisibility: to make him who possesses it unseen. He also grants wisdom and cunning to whoever invokes him correctly.
What sources does Bael come from?
Bael stands at the beginning of Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), as a king whose power is situated in the East. The Ars Goetia took him from that tradition of spiritual offices and placed him as the first spirit, preserving his principal function of granting invisibility.
What is the enn (chant) of Bael?
The enn of Bael circulating today is «Ayer secore on ca Bael». It is a MODERN demonolatry chant (late 20th c.); it does not appear in the old grimoires.
Of the same rank · King
Of the same power · Invisibility
→ Where does «your demon by birthdate» come from? See how the different systems distribute the 72 spirits: Goetia Correspondences.
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