Zedekias (fl. ninth century C.E.)
Zedekias (fl. ninth century C.E.)
Said to have been a Jewish physician of the ninth century who was in great favor with the Emperor Charles the Bald. Zedekias had a reputation as a Kabbalist and wizard and was said to have eaten a whole load of hay, together with the driver and horses, in the presence of the emperor's court. On another occasion he supposedly flew around in the air.
Zedekias was mentioned by the Abbé de Montfaucon de Villars in his book Comte de Gabalis (1670). According to de Vil-lars, Zedekias was anxious to show the world that elementary spirits really existed and advised the sylphs to show themselves in the air to everyone:
"These beings were seen in the Air in human form, sometimes in battle array marching in good order, halting under arms, or encamped beneath magnificent tents. Sometimes on wonderfully constructed aerial ships, whose flying squadrons roved at the will of the Zephyrs. What happened? … The people straightway believed that sorcerers had taken possession of the Air for the purpose of raising tempests and bringing hail upon their crops…. The Emperors believed it as well; and this ridiculous chimera went so far that the wise Charlemagne, and after him Louis the Débonnaire, imposed grievous penalties upon all these supposed Tyrants of the Air. You may see an account of this in the first chapter of the Capitularies of these two Emperors."