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The Queen's Conjurer: The Science and Magic of Dr. John Dee, Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I
A fascinating portrait of one of the most brilliant, complex, and colorful figures of the Renaissance.
Although his accomplishments were substantial -- he became a trusted confidante to Queen Elizabeth I, inspired the formation of the British Empire, and plotted voyages to the New World-John Dee's story has been largely lost to history. Beyond the political sphere his intellectual pursuits ranged from the scientific to the occult. His mathematics anticipated Isaac Newton by nearly a century, while his mapmaking and navigation were critical to exploration. He was also obsessed with alchemy, astrology, and mysticism. His library was one of the finest in Europe, a vast compendium of thousands of volumes. Yet, despite his powerful position and prodigious intellect, Dee died in poverty and obscurity, reviled and pitied as a madman.
Benjamin Woolley tells the engrossing story of the rise and fall of this remarkable man, who wielded great influence during the pivotal era when the age of superstition collided with the new world of science and reason. Written with flair and vigor, based on numerous surviving diaries of the period, The Queen's Conjurer is a highly readable account of an extraordinary life.
Although his accomplishments were substantial -- he became a trusted confidante to Queen Elizabeth I, inspired the formation of the British Empire, and plotted voyages to the New World-John Dee's story has been largely lost to history. Beyond the political sphere his intellectual pursuits ranged from the scientific to the occult. His mathematics anticipated Isaac Newton by nearly a century, while his mapmaking and navigation were critical to exploration. He was also obsessed with alchemy, astrology, and mysticism. His library was one of the finest in Europe, a vast compendium of thousands of volumes. Yet, despite his powerful position and prodigious intellect, Dee died in poverty and obscurity, reviled and pitied as a madman.
Benjamin Woolley tells the engrossing story of the rise and fall of this remarkable man, who wielded great influence during the pivotal era when the age of superstition collided with the new world of science and reason. Written with flair and vigor, based on numerous surviving diaries of the period, The Queen's Conjurer is a highly readable account of an extraordinary life.
355 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
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March 15, 2019
The Queen's Conjuror is a biography of Dr. John Dee, a fascinating and much-maligned Renaissance man who was, among other things, Queen Elizabeth I's personal astrologer.
"And for these and such like marvellous acts and feats, naturally, mathematically, and mechanically wrought and contrived: ought any honest student and modest Christian philosopher be counted and called a conjuror?" pg 15
He had interests in astrology, science, mathematics and the occult, which, to modern eyes, may seem strange. But Dee viewed the inner workings of nature and the universe as a type of magic and his studies of it, through the use of science, was another way that Dee worshiped God.
"Queen Elizabeth, a symbol of Protestant sovereignty, told the French Ambassador Andre Hurault: 'There is only one Jesus Christ... the rest is dispute over trifles.' This, it seems, was Dee's view as well." pg 45
Part of Dee's study of nature was an attempt to find a "universal language." This universal language, Dee believed, was told to the Biblical Adam by God in the fabled Garden of Eden before the fall from grace. Dee hypothesized if a scientist could find this universal language, giving the secret name of beasts, plants and everything in creation, that it would unlock the secrets of the universe itself.
"In other words, Dee thought that the 'astronomical' symbols appeared to be the relics of a long lost universal language that transcended national and, by implication, religious barriers." pg 75
In addition to his legacy of mysticism and the Enochian alphabet, Dee is credited as the first man to formulate the idea of a 'British Empire' and he suggested that England develop its navy as a key to upholding that empire.
"The navy would become the 'master key' of English military strength, England would challenge the Spanish — to spectacular effect in its defeat of the Armada in 1588 — North America would be colonized, a British Empire would emerge, and the expeditions that Dee had in the last few years been helping to plan would lay its foundations." pg 123
Another reason I admire Dee — he amassed one of the largest libraries in Europe. Unfortunately, his home was looted during a long sojourn on the Continent.
"In short, Dee's house had been ransacked not by an ignorant peasant mob, but by pupils and associates. Their motives remain unclear. They may have seized the books to settle outstanding debts, or to discover the secrets they contained, or to hide them from others." pg 278
Although he died in poverty and obscurity, he affected society then and today, and represented an era where science, religion, and mysticism were intimately entwined.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy history, mysticism, and a curious combination of the two.
"And for these and such like marvellous acts and feats, naturally, mathematically, and mechanically wrought and contrived: ought any honest student and modest Christian philosopher be counted and called a conjuror?" pg 15
He had interests in astrology, science, mathematics and the occult, which, to modern eyes, may seem strange. But Dee viewed the inner workings of nature and the universe as a type of magic and his studies of it, through the use of science, was another way that Dee worshiped God.
"Queen Elizabeth, a symbol of Protestant sovereignty, told the French Ambassador Andre Hurault: 'There is only one Jesus Christ... the rest is dispute over trifles.' This, it seems, was Dee's view as well." pg 45
Part of Dee's study of nature was an attempt to find a "universal language." This universal language, Dee believed, was told to the Biblical Adam by God in the fabled Garden of Eden before the fall from grace. Dee hypothesized if a scientist could find this universal language, giving the secret name of beasts, plants and everything in creation, that it would unlock the secrets of the universe itself.
"In other words, Dee thought that the 'astronomical' symbols appeared to be the relics of a long lost universal language that transcended national and, by implication, religious barriers." pg 75
In addition to his legacy of mysticism and the Enochian alphabet, Dee is credited as the first man to formulate the idea of a 'British Empire' and he suggested that England develop its navy as a key to upholding that empire.
"The navy would become the 'master key' of English military strength, England would challenge the Spanish — to spectacular effect in its defeat of the Armada in 1588 — North America would be colonized, a British Empire would emerge, and the expeditions that Dee had in the last few years been helping to plan would lay its foundations." pg 123
Another reason I admire Dee — he amassed one of the largest libraries in Europe. Unfortunately, his home was looted during a long sojourn on the Continent.
"In short, Dee's house had been ransacked not by an ignorant peasant mob, but by pupils and associates. Their motives remain unclear. They may have seized the books to settle outstanding debts, or to discover the secrets they contained, or to hide them from others." pg 278
Although he died in poverty and obscurity, he affected society then and today, and represented an era where science, religion, and mysticism were intimately entwined.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy history, mysticism, and a curious combination of the two.
January 3, 2012
This is an historically dense read, almost overwhelming, but overlayed with a very human and tragic plot. Dee was a brilliant renaissance scientist who became obsessed with communicating with angels through 'skryers.' It's hard to determine if his often reluctant skryer, Edward Kelley/Talbot was psychotic or cunning or both. In the end Kelley ended up making a name for himself as an alchemist (the student become the master; though he is subsequently tracked down and arrested for fraud or some such) while Dee himself faded into ignonomy, his famous library at Mortlake trashed.
I was fascinated to find connections here with Stephenson's books Cryptonomicon and Quicksilver in that Dee was a student of cryptography and owned copies of famous books like Trithemius' Steganographia, an archetypal example of the Cryptonomicon of Stephenson's invention.
I was fascinated to find connections here with Stephenson's books Cryptonomicon and Quicksilver in that Dee was a student of cryptography and owned copies of famous books like Trithemius' Steganographia, an archetypal example of the Cryptonomicon of Stephenson's invention.
March 25, 2025
It’s time to bring back the ability to irrevocably tarnish the reputation of people you don’t like by vaguely insinuating that they’ve been “consorting with devyls” or engaging in “unholy magicks”. Elizabethan life hack!
Great book about a guy who was constantly not quite getting things over the line. This fella seems to have made his entire name historically by being consistently thwarted at every turn.
Great book about a guy who was constantly not quite getting things over the line. This fella seems to have made his entire name historically by being consistently thwarted at every turn.
May 13, 2014
A very enjoyable and readable account of John Dee and how such an inquiring mind was so misled by skryers who cozened him. Sad that he was so gullible! From Amazon;A fascinating portrait of one of the most brilliant, complex, and colorful figures of the Renaissance.
Although his accomplishments were substantial -- he became a trusted confidante to Queen Elizabeth I, inspired the formation of the British Empire, and plotted voyages to the New World-John Dee's story has been largely lost to history. Beyond the political sphere his intellectual pursuits ranged from the scientific to the occult. His mathematics anticipated Isaac Newton by nearly a century, while his mapmaking and navigation were critical to exploration. He was also obsessed with alchemy, astrology, and mysticism. His library was one of the finest in Europe, a vast compendium of thousands of volumes. Yet, despite his powerful position and prodigious intellect, Dee died in poverty and obscurity, reviled and pitied as a madman.
Benjamin Woolley tells the engrossing story of the rise and fall of this remarkable man, who wielded great influence during the pivotal era when the age of superstition collided with the new world of science and reason. Written with flair and vigor, based on numerous surviving diaries of the period, The Queen's Conjurer is a highly readable account of an extraordinary life.
Although his accomplishments were substantial -- he became a trusted confidante to Queen Elizabeth I, inspired the formation of the British Empire, and plotted voyages to the New World-John Dee's story has been largely lost to history. Beyond the political sphere his intellectual pursuits ranged from the scientific to the occult. His mathematics anticipated Isaac Newton by nearly a century, while his mapmaking and navigation were critical to exploration. He was also obsessed with alchemy, astrology, and mysticism. His library was one of the finest in Europe, a vast compendium of thousands of volumes. Yet, despite his powerful position and prodigious intellect, Dee died in poverty and obscurity, reviled and pitied as a madman.
Benjamin Woolley tells the engrossing story of the rise and fall of this remarkable man, who wielded great influence during the pivotal era when the age of superstition collided with the new world of science and reason. Written with flair and vigor, based on numerous surviving diaries of the period, The Queen's Conjurer is a highly readable account of an extraordinary life.
February 25, 2008
This book was a lot of fun for me. It had history and magic and, most importantly, a huge bibliography of old books. I personally love books that direct me to other books.
John Dee, for those of you that can't read the title, was an adviser Queen Elizabeth. On the surface, he was a well-read, intelligent mathematician whom the Queen trusted. But, privately, he was an astrologer who apparently talked to angels. Woolley never breaks the barrier of calling Dee crazy, nor does he support Dee's claims of speaking with spirits. What Woolley does is present the information in Dee's journals and combines them with other historical events from other sources. We get a complete picture of Dee's life. I'm still digesting what to take home from this book. Dee's story is a tragic one, but tragic for the lost possibilities. What could Dee have done if he had stayed in England and attached himself more closely to Court.
Got burned at the stake is one option.
But Dee was a forward thinking scholar. Sure he dabbled in the magic arts, but mathematics, astronomy and chemistry were all considered witchery back then. I personally think that Dee had more good to do, other than suffering in the Holy Empire and low countries for a few decades, before returning to a ruined life in England.
October 15, 2014
Excellent humanist study (The proper study of mankind being man.) of the Renaissance man par excellence. Dee saw himself as England's own philosopher, but couldn't quite get the throne to acknowledge him as such, but was delegated to the position of being more of an intelligenser, who is able to get info from foreign princes and kings in places like the Holy Roman Empire that were off limits to those of the Protestant persuasion. His avid book collecting brought him into contact with the top minds of his era, whom he either traveled to meet or who came to him. His curiosity also led him into dubious areas of study of the Cabala and angels, which set him far apart from the irreligious Christian churches, requiring him to become isolated and secretive about his doings.
When a new star appears in the sky it is the awaited sign that the old world views are coming apart and a new era is about to begin in the sign of the Fiery Trigon. This new freedom of thought brought to The Renaissance and Reformation a freedom from superstition in expanding fields of knowledge and science, but also pushed the heavens further away from the hand of God that had created them with the help of angels, causing the temptation to despair in the reducing act of man's position on a minor planet rather than the center of the universe as formerly believed was the case.
Dee saw his mission as to recover the lost language of Eden through spiritual communications with angelic beings. Dee regarded these "Actions" through a skryer (spirit medium) to be bonifide science rather than occult practices, and the political life of England basically depended on such knowledge to keep abreast of developments happening elsewhere in the changing sphere of Europe. The Zodiac's astrological knowledge was the retainer of ancient knowledge. Most of Dee's philosophical studies would be considered bunk these days, but these also had an esoteric truth contained with them from earlier times that had been lost and that only the initiated would comprehend and come to greater understanding of. According to this view, another astrological cycle of 960 years was coming to an end again in April 1583 to begin a new era, just as it was believed that 960 years had preceded each of the previous six eras from Enoch to Noah to Moses to the 10 tribes to the Roman Empire to Jesus Christ to the Holy Roman Empire. The seventh was set to begin with the next conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the Fiery Trigon of Aeries. In 1603 when this same conjunction reoccurred again, Elizabeth had died. In the 20 years between these two dates there were signs above and below, comets and a London earthquake to continue the feelings of disruption going on. The nova, or new star, was much later identified as a supernova, a dying rather than a birthing star, that had exploded with its great light in evidence for a whole two years before becoming invisible. In the same way, much of Dee's work disappeared over time and only recently have we begun to appreciate the role he played in the period through the fragments that have survived.
A few of the author's statements seemed contradictory to me, but perhaps the understanding of these celestial events is not as clear as one might imagine them to be and the confusion is necessary in order to consider the full possibilities. Regardless, I thought it was about as good a study of Dee as is possible to recreate at this time. Some things will never be known because of the secrecy that Dee maintained around his person to avoid the authorities and their censorship upon his free activities. Every time he came close to being uncovered, an escape was provided for him. Dee's personal skryer, Edward Kelley (or Talbot), is also an interesting character, who magically shows up right at the moment of the new era's beginning when the sky turns a shade of red, as if he were expected to help with the task at hand that Dee had been setting for himself, but was having problems in bringing to fruition through his prior skryers. Dee also coined the phrase "the British Empire" in a paper he delivered to the Queen, and aided in the discovery of the New World through teaching others with understanding of navigational instruments that was foreign to England and also by owning a couple of the most up-to-date globes made by Mercutor himself, the greatest cartographer of the times, for reference purposes.
When a new star appears in the sky it is the awaited sign that the old world views are coming apart and a new era is about to begin in the sign of the Fiery Trigon. This new freedom of thought brought to The Renaissance and Reformation a freedom from superstition in expanding fields of knowledge and science, but also pushed the heavens further away from the hand of God that had created them with the help of angels, causing the temptation to despair in the reducing act of man's position on a minor planet rather than the center of the universe as formerly believed was the case.
Dee saw his mission as to recover the lost language of Eden through spiritual communications with angelic beings. Dee regarded these "Actions" through a skryer (spirit medium) to be bonifide science rather than occult practices, and the political life of England basically depended on such knowledge to keep abreast of developments happening elsewhere in the changing sphere of Europe. The Zodiac's astrological knowledge was the retainer of ancient knowledge. Most of Dee's philosophical studies would be considered bunk these days, but these also had an esoteric truth contained with them from earlier times that had been lost and that only the initiated would comprehend and come to greater understanding of. According to this view, another astrological cycle of 960 years was coming to an end again in April 1583 to begin a new era, just as it was believed that 960 years had preceded each of the previous six eras from Enoch to Noah to Moses to the 10 tribes to the Roman Empire to Jesus Christ to the Holy Roman Empire. The seventh was set to begin with the next conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the Fiery Trigon of Aeries. In 1603 when this same conjunction reoccurred again, Elizabeth had died. In the 20 years between these two dates there were signs above and below, comets and a London earthquake to continue the feelings of disruption going on. The nova, or new star, was much later identified as a supernova, a dying rather than a birthing star, that had exploded with its great light in evidence for a whole two years before becoming invisible. In the same way, much of Dee's work disappeared over time and only recently have we begun to appreciate the role he played in the period through the fragments that have survived.
A few of the author's statements seemed contradictory to me, but perhaps the understanding of these celestial events is not as clear as one might imagine them to be and the confusion is necessary in order to consider the full possibilities. Regardless, I thought it was about as good a study of Dee as is possible to recreate at this time. Some things will never be known because of the secrecy that Dee maintained around his person to avoid the authorities and their censorship upon his free activities. Every time he came close to being uncovered, an escape was provided for him. Dee's personal skryer, Edward Kelley (or Talbot), is also an interesting character, who magically shows up right at the moment of the new era's beginning when the sky turns a shade of red, as if he were expected to help with the task at hand that Dee had been setting for himself, but was having problems in bringing to fruition through his prior skryers. Dee also coined the phrase "the British Empire" in a paper he delivered to the Queen, and aided in the discovery of the New World through teaching others with understanding of navigational instruments that was foreign to England and also by owning a couple of the most up-to-date globes made by Mercutor himself, the greatest cartographer of the times, for reference purposes.
January 23, 2011
Very many moons ago I read a biography of Dee. After some forty years I thought it time to read another. Benjamin Woolley's biog is just a few years published so 'The Queen's Conjuror' is as up to the minute on the life and magic of Dr.Dee.
One item I do recall from the first reading, is that Dee calculated a land mass in the southern oceans that Cooke eventually discovered. However there is no mention of this here.
Woolley has traced this life, in the main, through Dee's own diaries and various writings. It is a fascinating journey back into Elizabethan life and society. When you read that as a young university student at Cambridge, Dee mounted a production of Aristophanes' play 'Peace' only to astound his audience by levitating from the stage on the back of a large dung beetle, then you know the book is going to be extremely interesting.
The magician of Mortlake was a figure at Elizabeth's court and closely associated with the main players of the age. Mathematician, Astrologer, Astronomer, Alchemist, enthusiast for a British Empire, reputed fouder of the Rosicrucian movement, Sorceror, possible Walsingham spy, Philosopher, Nacromancer...in short the sixteenth century Merlin.
Pretty scant detail of his years spent in Manchester. He may well have played centre half for City.
One item I do recall from the first reading, is that Dee calculated a land mass in the southern oceans that Cooke eventually discovered. However there is no mention of this here.
Woolley has traced this life, in the main, through Dee's own diaries and various writings. It is a fascinating journey back into Elizabethan life and society. When you read that as a young university student at Cambridge, Dee mounted a production of Aristophanes' play 'Peace' only to astound his audience by levitating from the stage on the back of a large dung beetle, then you know the book is going to be extremely interesting.
The magician of Mortlake was a figure at Elizabeth's court and closely associated with the main players of the age. Mathematician, Astrologer, Astronomer, Alchemist, enthusiast for a British Empire, reputed fouder of the Rosicrucian movement, Sorceror, possible Walsingham spy, Philosopher, Nacromancer...in short the sixteenth century Merlin.
Pretty scant detail of his years spent in Manchester. He may well have played centre half for City.
June 8, 2010
quite fascinating to speculate how large of an impact Dee had on the rise of the British empire....there's a sort of before and after scenario, ....were the angelic 'actions' part of the destiny of some greater Britannical masterplan? like neil gaiman's 1602, the new world was just about to be inhabited by the elizabethan paradigm....later england so take control of a certain large amount of future USA....i continued the speculation to include Bacon's new atlantis and subsequent world domination of the english language---and where is this all going? of course, Dee having so many greek (hence pagan) books is fairly curious...what sort of enemies might he have had, such and such whatnot....i'mm too scattered brained right now, to make a coherent statement, but yeah....anyway, oh and mr. 'talbot' Kelley seems like kind of a scoundrel but there must have been something there that obsessed johnny D.
October 4, 2011
The short review: I wonder if I would have done better to have read some Dame Frances Yates?
The good: I came to this book with only a vague sense of who Dee & Kelly were and what they were doing, and really no knowledge of the socio-political context in which they found themselves. Now I know. Mission accomplished.
The bad: I'm not sure I got enough out of it to justify the 325-page slog through a grammaticized timeline. The writing is reluctantly dry: The many attempts made to liven it up only serve to bloat the narrative. Wooley writes to record data, with the result that each datum is written equal and important events do not stand out, nor do themes emerge. I also frequently wondered whether he had allowed himself to be charmed into credulity (like Dee himself?). I feel like I'm making it sound worse than it is, but the writing isn't good, and I'm pretty sure he could have got the job done in 200 pages.
The good: I came to this book with only a vague sense of who Dee & Kelly were and what they were doing, and really no knowledge of the socio-political context in which they found themselves. Now I know. Mission accomplished.
The bad: I'm not sure I got enough out of it to justify the 325-page slog through a grammaticized timeline. The writing is reluctantly dry: The many attempts made to liven it up only serve to bloat the narrative. Wooley writes to record data, with the result that each datum is written equal and important events do not stand out, nor do themes emerge. I also frequently wondered whether he had allowed himself to be charmed into credulity (like Dee himself?). I feel like I'm making it sound worse than it is, but the writing isn't good, and I'm pretty sure he could have got the job done in 200 pages.
April 9, 2011
Borrowed this from a friend when it first came out. Was totally fascinated with it, but only just remembered the correct title now to add it.
September 2, 2017
Fascinating account of Elizabeth I's most unlikely confidante. Full of esoteric detail.
June 12, 2019
Ah, John Dee. Alchemist, Conjuror, blah blah blah... To say the least of Dee; he was influential to the right people and could baffle the most hearty soul with "magical" bullshit. On the other side, very few things (aside from coincidence ala Nostradomis) he said came to pass. Yes, he could plot charts, follow the stars, and make a good cup of tea (the last one was an embellishment on my part) but all the rest was just poor life choices and being in the wrong damn place at the wrong damn time. Yes, he charmed his way into the heart of certain higher-ups such as Princess Elizabeth (Later QE1) during the time of Mary on the throne, but other than that: nada. As such he died alone and a pauper with few to remember him save for those who thought his story should be told. Like Alistar Crowley, Dee was more myth than fact and more legend than anything else but if you are of the persuasion that prefers to know about your heroes as I do (whether we like them after the fact) it is a good book. If you want to see him still as the mythical alchemist of history and the royal court magician of QE1, then this book is not for you.
October 15, 2021
Dee är en spännande individ. Denna biografi gör honom inte rättvisa, även om den inte är illa skriven.
November 24, 2015
As a student of history, I was astonished that I had never even heard of this very important advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, let alone studied him. I was glad this book was readable and held my attention so I could make his acquaintance.
From Amazon:
"A fascinating portrait of one of the most brilliant, complex, and colorful figures of the Renaissance.
Although his accomplishments were substantial -- he became a trusted confidante to Queen Elizabeth I, inspired the formation of the British Empire, and plotted voyages to the New World-John Dee's story has been largely lost to history. Beyond the political sphere his intellectual pursuits ranged from the scientific to the occult. His mathematics anticipated Isaac Newton by nearly a century, while his mapmaking and navigation were critical to exploration. He was also obsessed with alchemy, astrology, and mysticism. His library was one of the finest in Europe, a vast compendium of thousands of volumes. Yet, despite his powerful position and prodigious intellect, Dee died in poverty and obscurity, reviled and pitied as a madman.
Benjamin Woolley tells the engrossing story of the rise and fall of this remarkable man, who wielded great influence during the pivotal era when the age of superstition collided with the new world of science and reason. Written with flair and vigor, based on numerous surviving diaries of the period, The Queen's Conjurer is a highly readable account of an extraordinary life."
From Library Journal
British broadcaster and writer Woolley's (The Bride of Science) biography of John Dee is an enchanting look into the world of science, magic, politics, and religion of 16th-century England. Dee plotted navigational charts for exploration of the New World and even presented a master plan to Queen Elizabeth on how to build an empire based on naval power. In the scientific world, Dee is probably best known for his mathematics and his amazing library, which contained nearly every significant book of the time and many titles whose significance would not be discovered for years to come. Dee, and particularly his deep involvement in magic and mystery, has been studied on and off over the years. The most notable study is Frances Yates's Theatre of the World (1969. o.p.), in which Dee is presented as a the embodiment of the Renaissance. More recent works include Peter French's John Dee: The World of an Elizabethan Magus (1984. o.p.) and Deborah Harkness's John Dee's Conversations with Angels (Cambridge Univ., 1999). Woolley's book is not a scholarly text but a much-needed compilation and consolidation of current and past research, easily accessible to the average reader. Highly recommended. Eric D. Albright, Duke Univ. Medical Ctr. Lib., Durham, NC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Dee (1527-1608), despite all his accomplishments, is largely forgotten in the history books of England, but now comes Woolley's lively biography of this confidant of Queen Elizabeth I. In his time, Dee advanced the study of mathematics, mapmaking, and navigation, and his interests included alchemy, mysticism, and astrology. Dee's personal library was one of the largest in Europe and contained, for example, 15 sets of books showing planetary positions. Dee's obsessions also included the pursuit of angels and spirits; he claimed to summon the divine secrets of the universe from angels and archangels. Thomas Smith, author of the first biography of Dee (1701), concluded that he was insane. Dee's beliefs proved his undoing, and he subsequently died in obscurity, but Woolley's account of Dee's extraordinary life may be a start in restoring his rightful place^B in history. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
From Amazon:
"A fascinating portrait of one of the most brilliant, complex, and colorful figures of the Renaissance.
Although his accomplishments were substantial -- he became a trusted confidante to Queen Elizabeth I, inspired the formation of the British Empire, and plotted voyages to the New World-John Dee's story has been largely lost to history. Beyond the political sphere his intellectual pursuits ranged from the scientific to the occult. His mathematics anticipated Isaac Newton by nearly a century, while his mapmaking and navigation were critical to exploration. He was also obsessed with alchemy, astrology, and mysticism. His library was one of the finest in Europe, a vast compendium of thousands of volumes. Yet, despite his powerful position and prodigious intellect, Dee died in poverty and obscurity, reviled and pitied as a madman.
Benjamin Woolley tells the engrossing story of the rise and fall of this remarkable man, who wielded great influence during the pivotal era when the age of superstition collided with the new world of science and reason. Written with flair and vigor, based on numerous surviving diaries of the period, The Queen's Conjurer is a highly readable account of an extraordinary life."
From Library Journal
British broadcaster and writer Woolley's (The Bride of Science) biography of John Dee is an enchanting look into the world of science, magic, politics, and religion of 16th-century England. Dee plotted navigational charts for exploration of the New World and even presented a master plan to Queen Elizabeth on how to build an empire based on naval power. In the scientific world, Dee is probably best known for his mathematics and his amazing library, which contained nearly every significant book of the time and many titles whose significance would not be discovered for years to come. Dee, and particularly his deep involvement in magic and mystery, has been studied on and off over the years. The most notable study is Frances Yates's Theatre of the World (1969. o.p.), in which Dee is presented as a the embodiment of the Renaissance. More recent works include Peter French's John Dee: The World of an Elizabethan Magus (1984. o.p.) and Deborah Harkness's John Dee's Conversations with Angels (Cambridge Univ., 1999). Woolley's book is not a scholarly text but a much-needed compilation and consolidation of current and past research, easily accessible to the average reader. Highly recommended. Eric D. Albright, Duke Univ. Medical Ctr. Lib., Durham, NC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Dee (1527-1608), despite all his accomplishments, is largely forgotten in the history books of England, but now comes Woolley's lively biography of this confidant of Queen Elizabeth I. In his time, Dee advanced the study of mathematics, mapmaking, and navigation, and his interests included alchemy, mysticism, and astrology. Dee's personal library was one of the largest in Europe and contained, for example, 15 sets of books showing planetary positions. Dee's obsessions also included the pursuit of angels and spirits; he claimed to summon the divine secrets of the universe from angels and archangels. Thomas Smith, author of the first biography of Dee (1701), concluded that he was insane. Dee's beliefs proved his undoing, and he subsequently died in obscurity, but Woolley's account of Dee's extraordinary life may be a start in restoring his rightful place^B in history. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
November 6, 2019
This book is an enjoyable read, a ripping yarn, but the it does have some weaknesses-- some are specific to the Kindle edition. So, those concerns first: there are sentences that make no sense because of missing words; odd misspellings of people and books, at one point Edward Kelley becomes Edward Relley.
The Queen's Conjuror quite rightly sets Dee in the context of Elizabethan and Stuart politics. Dee was much more than a harmless eccentric. His knowledge of mathematics and code breaking made him of great interest to the Tudor secret service headed by William and Robert Cecil. Dee was a visionary in many senses of that word and, like the philosopher Bruno and the poet Spenser, he sought to link cosmography to political reform. Some of this scope comes across in The Queen's Conjuror but much goes unexamined. Wooley relies heavily on Dee's diaries for facts and chronology, yet never engages with the original writings and their interests. Much is made of Dee the occultist, a dark magician who made many suspicious, though this is hard for the reader to imagine as Dee is portrayed as a naive converser with spirits. At no point does Wooley examine the Monas Hieroglyphica or see its connection to numerical thought (Christian Cabala) or to literature and Shakespeare's The Tempest. Dee's Enochian language is completely ignored.
At times, this book reads like Ackroyd's The House of Dr Dee rather than a deep and insightful study of Eizabethan occultism.
The Queen's Conjuror quite rightly sets Dee in the context of Elizabethan and Stuart politics. Dee was much more than a harmless eccentric. His knowledge of mathematics and code breaking made him of great interest to the Tudor secret service headed by William and Robert Cecil. Dee was a visionary in many senses of that word and, like the philosopher Bruno and the poet Spenser, he sought to link cosmography to political reform. Some of this scope comes across in The Queen's Conjuror but much goes unexamined. Wooley relies heavily on Dee's diaries for facts and chronology, yet never engages with the original writings and their interests. Much is made of Dee the occultist, a dark magician who made many suspicious, though this is hard for the reader to imagine as Dee is portrayed as a naive converser with spirits. At no point does Wooley examine the Monas Hieroglyphica or see its connection to numerical thought (Christian Cabala) or to literature and Shakespeare's The Tempest. Dee's Enochian language is completely ignored.
At times, this book reads like Ackroyd's The House of Dr Dee rather than a deep and insightful study of Eizabethan occultism.
June 7, 2020
Alchemy! Angels! Astronomy and Astrology!
5 stars because this is an excellently written and researched book. If you only read one book about Dr Dee...
But really, it's Dr Dee himself that makes this book the full five stars. Is there anyone in history who has been quite so written out, whilst being so influential? Dee had it all - telescopes before Galileo, knowledge of Gravity before Newton, he set the date of Queen Elizabeth's Coronation and coined the phrase British Empire, predicting it's existence and influence long before it was a fact. He was unparalleled as an astronomer and astronomer, and champion of the Copernican universe. He was friends with Sir Walter Raleigh, helped with the exploration of the Northwest Passage and was most likely the inspiration for Shakespeare's Prospero. He had the biggest and best library anywhere, was one time owner of the Voynich Manuscript (the one now at Yale) and was involved in the transition from Julian to Gregorian calendars.
He also seeked the knowledge of God, the book of Enoch and the Adamic language spoken before the great fall. He did this through the use of Skryers to converse with Angels.
And trust me, I have given absolutely no spoilers at all.
This story leaves me scratching my head; as an Atheist I have no belief in God or Angels - but I am open to things I can't explain. It is easy to dismiss the whole episode to folly and deception, certainly his main Skryer Edward Kelley is a dubious character at best...but the scale of what was undertaken, the length of time that it went on for - that goes far beyond a simple scam. There are plenty of other elements that I went back to over and over, trying to understand...
Fascinating.
5 stars because this is an excellently written and researched book. If you only read one book about Dr Dee...
But really, it's Dr Dee himself that makes this book the full five stars. Is there anyone in history who has been quite so written out, whilst being so influential? Dee had it all - telescopes before Galileo, knowledge of Gravity before Newton, he set the date of Queen Elizabeth's Coronation and coined the phrase British Empire, predicting it's existence and influence long before it was a fact. He was unparalleled as an astronomer and astronomer, and champion of the Copernican universe. He was friends with Sir Walter Raleigh, helped with the exploration of the Northwest Passage and was most likely the inspiration for Shakespeare's Prospero. He had the biggest and best library anywhere, was one time owner of the Voynich Manuscript (the one now at Yale) and was involved in the transition from Julian to Gregorian calendars.
He also seeked the knowledge of God, the book of Enoch and the Adamic language spoken before the great fall. He did this through the use of Skryers to converse with Angels.
And trust me, I have given absolutely no spoilers at all.
This story leaves me scratching my head; as an Atheist I have no belief in God or Angels - but I am open to things I can't explain. It is easy to dismiss the whole episode to folly and deception, certainly his main Skryer Edward Kelley is a dubious character at best...but the scale of what was undertaken, the length of time that it went on for - that goes far beyond a simple scam. There are plenty of other elements that I went back to over and over, trying to understand...
Fascinating.
August 12, 2013
Fascinating less for the biography of Dee himself as the relationship between Dee and his chief "scryer", Edward Kelly. On the surface it seems obvious that Kelly was a fraud who successfully scammed Dee, but it seems much more complicated: even Kelly doubted his "visions" at times, the "language of the angels" that they developed together had grammar and syntax that appeared unlike any other language.
This inspires a number of questions: was Kelly a phony, or a "real phony" (did he believe his own hype)? How could a brilliant scholar of Dee's standing and education be so completely taken in by a con man that he agreed to swap wives (!) with him? Whatever became of Kelly - the author notes that after he left Dee's employ he simply vanished.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly for it's insight into the start of the scientific revolution and how to modern eyes Renaissance "science" still hadn't been completely separated from superstition.
I'm reading this in conjunction with "The Magic Circle of Rudolf II" and am going through the bibliographies of each to discover more about the 17th century scientific revolution/Renaissance esotericism.
This inspires a number of questions: was Kelly a phony, or a "real phony" (did he believe his own hype)? How could a brilliant scholar of Dee's standing and education be so completely taken in by a con man that he agreed to swap wives (!) with him? Whatever became of Kelly - the author notes that after he left Dee's employ he simply vanished.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly for it's insight into the start of the scientific revolution and how to modern eyes Renaissance "science" still hadn't been completely separated from superstition.
I'm reading this in conjunction with "The Magic Circle of Rudolf II" and am going through the bibliographies of each to discover more about the 17th century scientific revolution/Renaissance esotericism.
Read
March 24, 2015An account of the life and times of Elizabethan England’s foremost philosophical occultist. John Dee was a scholar so cutting edge that he went a bit over the edge. A brilliant man who boldly followed his curiosity wherever it led, Dee explored mapmaking, calendar reform, and astronomy. He also investigated alchemy and astrology, two subjects that Dee’s contemporaries believed to be as scientific, if not more so, than odd notions like Copernicus’s belief that the Earth orbited the Sun. It was spiritual communications and glass gazing that proved to be Dee’s downfall.
http://fireandsword.blogspot.com/2009...
http://fireandsword.blogspot.com/2009...
September 30, 2013
An utterly fantastic work, Woolley's writing keeps you captivated and entertained throughout; he approaches Dee's life from all aspects, from his childhood, to his jail time, his astronomical workings to the North-West Passage, and everything else, including going into some detail about some of the characters and Lords he met within his life. Woolley has covered all aspects of John Dee in this book, and his efforts certainly shine through. A highly recommended book for anybody who is interested in John Dee, Enochian works, or wants some insight on Queen Elizabeth I.
January 4, 2019
This thoroughly fascinating book provides a biography not just of the enigmatic John Dee, but also the period in which he lived and worked. I learned far more about the Elizabethan age through this book than I have done from books specifically about the period. While the book does suddenly condense time towards the end - squeezing his time in Manchester into a paragraph or so, which is strange given he spent ten years in the city - it's still an accessible read and helps in some way to rehabilitate Dee's position in history.
February 22, 2019
An impressively detailed biography of Dr Dee and his adventures, many of which sound extremely wearing. The destruction of his library at Mortlake is one of those events than always makes me shudder, as do the tales of tramping across Europe. Jane Dee must have been a very patient woman, for all his diary comments on her temper.
(Gwen and I went to Mortlake in December and stood by his garden wall opposite the entrance to the church, there's pretty much nothing to see (a block of flats called John Dee House stands on the site of the actual building) but it was still rather thrilling.)
(Gwen and I went to Mortlake in December and stood by his garden wall opposite the entrance to the church, there's pretty much nothing to see (a block of flats called John Dee House stands on the site of the actual building) but it was still rather thrilling.)
March 14, 2016
I recently experienced the fantastic exhibit of Dee's books and items at The Royal College of Physicans in London. The Queen's Conjuror is a beautifully done bio of a fascinating polymath who, under the "spell" of the medium Edward Kelley, eventually fell out of favor with the court and ended his life in sad, tragic ruin. Woolley does his part to rescue Dee from his notorious reputation as a necromancer and restore his legacy as a mathematician, inventor, economist, and cryptographer. LOVED.
August 19, 2018
I was very disappointed with this work. The title is wildly deceptive; the actual subject matter is just plain dumb. Yes, Queen Elizabeth I talked to Dee a few times about his astrology and spiritual "insights" (he hired a quack who pretended to speak to the spiritual world; Dee was evidently unaware that the guy was making it all up!). The queen hardly figures in the book (only appearing a couple of times); huge swaths of the book are simply recordings of the quack's "conversations" with the spirit world. Dee had some interesting interactions with Mercator and other geographers, as well as some curious visits with various European courts, but these are minor subpoints along the way.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Read about Isaac Newton or Francis Drake or Nicholas Copernicus or just about anyone else instead!
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Read about Isaac Newton or Francis Drake or Nicholas Copernicus or just about anyone else instead!
January 29, 2016
I found this book a fairly good historical read, which attempted to balance a thorough account of Dee's angelic "actions" with the skryer Edward Kelley against an understanding of his place in the development of history and mathematics. I was struck by the thought that, if Dee had not put so much of his energy into these conversations with angels, his methodology would likely be hailed as one of the precursors of the modern scientific method. Woolley makes a good case that Dee did not see a distinction of type between his mathematical, alchemistic and angelic researches: he was an investigator into the natural world, and merely used his contact with angels and spirits to find out information he could not discover otherwise. The nagging question of why Dee put so much faith into Kelley's visions is well addressed at several turns, although to a modern, materialist mind it remains hard to really understand. By the end of the book I felt pity and respect for Dee, who made great contributions in many fields of endeavour, and so many times came close to the success that eluded him. (Whether or not one really approves of the Elizabethan empire Dee predicted and worked hard to support—I don't—the geographic discoveries made in service to it are undeniable.)
The first half of the book was rather a slog for me, unfortunately. There were many gaps in the narration of Dee's life and many disorienting jumps in time, as records from years and years apart were quoted to support the description of his changing circumstances. Of course this is due to missing information in the primary sources—one of the reasons Dee's life is so fascinating, in fact—but I found it frustrating. I would have loved to know more about how he negotiated the turmoil between the Catholic and Protestant Churches, beyond the tantalising hints we are given.
Once the Dees and Kelleys set off for Europe with the Polish prince Laski, however, the story became fuller and I thought the book really took off. I appreciated Woolley's insights into the minds and politics of the time, including the effort he put into understanding Jane Dee's relationship with her husband. A final chapter appraising Dee's position in Renaissance history drew the threads together well.
This is a sympathetic and rational book whose flaws are more down to the lack of primary sources than any defect of the author. Recommended.
The first half of the book was rather a slog for me, unfortunately. There were many gaps in the narration of Dee's life and many disorienting jumps in time, as records from years and years apart were quoted to support the description of his changing circumstances. Of course this is due to missing information in the primary sources—one of the reasons Dee's life is so fascinating, in fact—but I found it frustrating. I would have loved to know more about how he negotiated the turmoil between the Catholic and Protestant Churches, beyond the tantalising hints we are given.
Once the Dees and Kelleys set off for Europe with the Polish prince Laski, however, the story became fuller and I thought the book really took off. I appreciated Woolley's insights into the minds and politics of the time, including the effort he put into understanding Jane Dee's relationship with her husband. A final chapter appraising Dee's position in Renaissance history drew the threads together well.
This is a sympathetic and rational book whose flaws are more down to the lack of primary sources than any defect of the author. Recommended.
June 10, 2010
John Dee, the mystical figure from history most often associated with translating grim magical texts, raising demons, communicating with angels, actually was one of the foremost scientific minds of his time. He was played a crucial role in early circumnavigation efforts, indeed he was able to trace back British land rights to the New World/Atlantis/North America, and first coined the term, THE BRITISH EMPIRE, to Elizabeth I, laying out a detailed economic analysis of the country and the means by which England could be a geopolitical force to be reckoned with. He also brought heretical ideas like Copericus' solar centric system to astronomy, astrology, indeed wrote treatises on astrology which called for the precise and detailed measurement of all objects visible in space. He believed that every object had a force, the larger the object, the larger the force (sound familiar? he had a rudimentary working version of gravity before Newton), and every force could be connected mathematically, using the new fangled concept of trigonometry (which he helped bring to England). These connections could be manipulated or accessed accordingly to improve one's chances for success in a venture. He was, however a devout Christian, and the current religious upheaval of Catholic vs Protestant greatly troubled him. More to come when I finish the book.
February 11, 2013
Excellent narrative history and biography of genius Elizabethan polymath Dr John Dee. A wildly brilliant man and mind undone by Elizabethan court politics, bad luck and an eventually ruinous partnership with medium or "skryer" Edward Kelly. Kelly, a confidence trickster, gradually diminishes Dee to the point of his ruin. Dee built up one of the largest private library's of the Elizabethan period, and one of the most heartbreaking things is his later discovery of its ruination upon returning to England after some dubious and futile adventures in Poland and Bohemia. Dee's breadth of study and influence is considerable, and is in many ways a proto-Newton; a classic renaissance figure interested in Mathematics, Geography, Astronomy, exploration, science, mysticism and various other doctrines. As with Newton, Benjamin Woolley makes the point that it was the mysticism that drove his scientific curiosity rather than it being something that got in the way of his rational thinking.
I would rather have had a longer book for once. Its a little light on detail and discussion of the ideas here, a little too much narrative and not enough discursive elements. And the account of Dee and Kelly's seances are just verbatim transcriptions of those sessions without comment or analysis. In a way, this is the sort of book Aldous Huxley would have done so much better. Still, recommended.
I would rather have had a longer book for once. Its a little light on detail and discussion of the ideas here, a little too much narrative and not enough discursive elements. And the account of Dee and Kelly's seances are just verbatim transcriptions of those sessions without comment or analysis. In a way, this is the sort of book Aldous Huxley would have done so much better. Still, recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2011
I once dated a "gothic" guy who was very much into New Age, metaphysical, and dark topics. He even though he spoke to demons and soon enough, I swear I started seeing shadows lurking in my apartment. Anyway, I digress and thankfully that is out of my life. He knew that I was a hugh fan of Tudor England and mentioned Dr. Dee to me, whom at the time, was a pure mystery except for the brief mentionings in Elizabeth books.
Thusly, I had high hopes for a look into Dr. Dee's work. Sadly, this book is dryer than the sand in a desert. Woolley seemed to "bullshit" and write more "nothings" than anything else. One can read pages and pages and still only have learned or grapsed one line of useful or informative text. Dr. Dee WAS indeed fascinating but if this is your first insight, you will think he was more boring than literally watching the paint dry.
Not a great choice unless you want to fall asleep.
Thusly, I had high hopes for a look into Dr. Dee's work. Sadly, this book is dryer than the sand in a desert. Woolley seemed to "bullshit" and write more "nothings" than anything else. One can read pages and pages and still only have learned or grapsed one line of useful or informative text. Dr. Dee WAS indeed fascinating but if this is your first insight, you will think he was more boring than literally watching the paint dry.
Not a great choice unless you want to fall asleep.
April 23, 2008
Yes, this is a bit of a fluffy piece of pop history writing by a journalist and not a *ahem* professional historian, but John Dee is the kind of character whose thoroughly eccentric real life suits this entertaining genre of history writing perfectly. Dee, astrologer, mystic, scientist, was simultaneously an utterly idiosyncratic mind and a perfect representation of early modern thought, which was as fascinated by occultism as its was by scientific observation and more often than not tried to integrate the two. Honestly though the book is enjoyable above all for the delightfully odd anecdotes known from Dee's life (his bizarre angelic conversations, his faith in his completely fraudulent assistant Edward Kelly), which are enhanced by the fact that in all of his seemingly absurd endeavors Dee was entirely, and rather endearingly, sincere.
August 16, 2013
A compelling and robust book which goes beyond being a mere biography of Dee and paints a vivid picture of Tudor life, both intellectual and historical. The book also makes the interesting point that medieval occult texts may have had more to do with cryptography than magic, an idea which I hadn't encountered before reading it. Woolley's accounts of the scrying sessions engaged in by Dee and Kelley are so vivid that the reader almost feels as though they're stood behind the pair, peering over their shoulders and into the crystal ball. I bought this and devoured it in two days, finding it very difficult to put down. Well worth a read for those interested in both magic and the wider Renaissance world.
September 16, 2007
Reading this book reminded me how interesting biography can be, esp. when the time period is much different than the modern day. I have been vaguely aware of the figure of Dr. Dee, because of his mythical role in the transmission of Enochian Magic, a topic of much interest to contemporary occultists. The presentation of the more mundane aspects of Dee's life were just as fascinating, and I appreciated the presentation of the spirit conversations as a perfectly natural pursuit of the learned men of the day. An incredible figure from an incredible time, I'd be curious to see how he is presented (if at all) in biographies of the luminaries with whom he brushed shoulders.
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