542. Elizabeth I’s Sorcerer: Angels and Demons in Renaissance Europe

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Feb 24, 2025

Delve into the captivating life of John Dee, Queen Elizabeth I's magician and alchemist, who sought to converse with angels. Explore his perilous journey through the tumult of Tudor politics, juggling accusations of treason and witchcraft. Discover his mystical practices as he scryed for divine insights, all while teetering on the brink of destruction. Learn about his partnership with Edward Kelly and their ambitious but doomed attempts at angelic communication, set against the backdrop of 16th-century England's shifting religious and political landscape.

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ANECDOTE

John Dee: Court Magician

John Dee, a historical figure during Elizabeth I's reign, was an alchemist, magician, and polymath.
He worked with Edward Kelly, a medium who claimed to communicate with angels.

INSIGHT

Dee's Life Reflects Tudor England

Dee's life mirrors 16th-century England's tumultuous shifts between Protestantism and Catholicism.
He navigated these religious tensions, showcasing the era's complexities.

INSIGHT

Dee and the British Empire

Dee, obsessed with overseas exploration, coined the phrase "British Empire".
He advocated for colonization, shifting England's focus westward.

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In Tudor England, during the reign of Elizabeth I, there lived in the very heart of her court a magician, alchemist and polymath, bent upon conversing with the angels of heaven and other supernatural beings. His name was John Dee, and he would prove to.be one of the most remarkable men of his age, living long enough to witness both the dying days of the reign of Henry VIII, and the succession of Elizabeth’s heir. Throughout it all, he existed near the very epicentre of English royal power and religious controversy, dabbling with both treason and heresy, and the gruesome punishments for both, on multiple occasions. His life therefore holds a tantalising mirror up to the tumultuous periods through which he lived, and features some of the great stars of Tudor England. From the religious persecutions of Bloody Mary, when Dee came closest to destruction, to the rise of Elizabeth I, a learned scholar in her own right, who looked to him to explain the signs of the universe to her, and the birth of the British Empire - with Dee one of its earliest champions. His obsession with reading the divine language of heaven and thereby understanding the very deepest secrets of the universe, would see him scrying in mirrors to read the future at the risk of his immortal soul, travelling to Prague - Europe’s bastion of magic - and forging his famous relationship with the wily Edward Kelly. But, was it angels or demons who lured Dee across Europe, and into the very deepest depths of the occult..?

Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss England’s very own Merlin; John Dee, and his extraordinary life as the court magician of Elizabeth I, during a time of dawning empires and clashing religions.

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Producer: Theo Young-Smith

Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude

Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor

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