Who Is the Demon Amaimon, the Powerful King of Hell?

Amaimon, also known as Amaymon, is a powerful figure in classical demonology, primarily appearing as one of the principal kings or emperors of Hell in grimoires of the Solomonic tradition.

He is widely recognized as the King of the East and holds authority over numerous lesser spirits. Amaimon’s significance is not derived from a specific creation myth or epic narrative but from his position in the infernal hierarchy, which demands extreme caution and the use of special protections during conjuration.

His role is that of a powerful monarch who commands a vast legion of the 72 spirits listed in the Lesser Key of Solomon. He is primarily known for his immense power to control and be controlled by other entities.

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Key Takeaways

Attribute	Details
Name	Amaimon, Amaymon.
Title	King of the East, One of the Four Great Kings (or Emperors) of Hell, Sub-Prince (in some traditions).
Gender	Male (implied by the title “King”).
Origin	First appears in European occult traditions, specifically the Solomonic grimoires of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Appearance	No specific physical description is provided in primary texts; associated with a form so terrible that direct viewing is considered dangerous.
Hierarchy	King/Emperor, one of the four kings of the cardinal directions, commanding many lesser spirits.
Superior Demon	Only ultimately subject to the Divine will or the authority of the principal four rulers of the world (Lucifer, Oriens, Paimon, Ariton) in the Abramelin tradition.
Servitors	Commands many of the 72 spirits of the Ars Goetia, including Bael (as a subordinate king in some accounts) and Paimon (as a subordinate in some accounts).
Associated Figures	King Solomon (legendary binder of all demons); Oriens, Paimon, Ariton, and Magot (co-rulers in some texts).
Powers	Absolute command over vast legions of lesser demons, the ability to grant knowledge and cause harm to the exorcist if proper protection is not used.
Weaknesses	Repelled and bound by a ring of silver (or gold/other metal in some variations) held before the face of the magician; controlled by a specific Divine Name; his power is thwarted if he is prevented from inhaling the smoke/perfumes of the conjuration.
Opposing Angel/Saint	None specified; controlled by the Divine Name and the power of God invoked by the magician.
Equipment/Tools	None specified; the Ring of Exorcism or Ring of Solomon is the essential tool needed to control him.
Pantheon	Christian Demonology, Solomonic Magic, Occultism.
Notable Myths	Primarily mentioned in the Ars Goetia (Lesser Key of Solomon) and the Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage for his role in the infernal hierarchy.

Etymology

The etymology of the name Amaimon (Amaymon) is uncertain. It has no definitive, universally accepted derivation from Hebrew, Greek, or Latin in scholarly texts. However, several theories have been proposed, often linking him to other prominent demonic or religious concepts.

One speculative interpretation attempts to link Amaimon to Mammon. This term originally meant ‘money‘ or ‘wealth‘ in Aramaic and Hebrew. It was later personified in Christian tradition as a demonic entity representing greed, material wealth, or covetousness. This proposed link suggests that Amaimon’s power might extend to worldly riches. However, this is not explicitly stated in primary texts such as the Ars Goetia.

Another possible, though less common, interpretation suggests a link to the Greek word amaimos (ἀμάιμος), meaning blameless or excellent, which might have been corrupted or deliberately inverted to subvert a divine or positive title into a demonic one. However, this is largely conjecture.

Given his rank as a King in the grimoires, the name’s meaning likely conveys a sense of authority and terrible power, even if the literal roots are lost or obscured by scribal variations and deliberate enciphering common in occult manuscripts.

What Does the Demon Amaimon Look Like?

Amaimon’s physical appearance is one of the most mysterious aspects of the entity, as the primary source texts, such as the Lesser Key of Solomon, provide no specific physical description of the King of the East. Unlike many other high-ranking demons who are described with multiple animal heads, specific weapons, or unique chimeric forms, Amaimon is left undescribed.

The texts focus instead on the immensity of his power and the danger of his presence. His form is often implied to be terrible and dangerous simply by the extreme caution the conjuring texts demand. The Lesser Key of Solomon stresses that the magician must not look directly at the demon without the protection of the Magical Ring (often described as a silver ring or a ring of exorcism).

The most important detail regarding his presence is the crucial instruction that the exorcist must prevent him from inhaling the smoke or perfumes burned during the ritual, as the texts imply that if he does, the exorcist will be slain.

This focuses the description on the effect of his presence—the potential for immediate death—rather than his physical form. Later occult traditions have sometimes assigned him various formidable forms, but these lack the authority of the original Solomonic grimoires.

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Historical and Mythological Background

Amaimon’s role is almost entirely defined by his presence within the Solomonic cycle of grimoires, texts believed to contain the magical system used by the biblical King Solomon to bind and control demons. He does not feature in canonical religious literature, such as the Bible, or in apocryphal works, such as the Book of Enoch. His history is thus the history of the grimoires that mention him.

Amaimon’s Role in the Ars Goetia (Lesser Key of Solomon)

In the Lesser Key of Solomon, Amaimon is established as one of the four Great Kings who rule over the 72 spirits. These kings—along with the other three (often given as Corson, Ziminiar, and Gaap/Goap)—rule over the cardinal directions of the world. Amaimon is consistently designated as the powerful king of the East. His power is such that he must be acknowledged and referenced when summoning any of the spirits under his command.

The text focuses on the danger of summoning any spirit under his control. For example, when invoking a spirit, the magician is commanded to stand within the Pentagram and hold the Ring of Exorcism (often called the Ring of Solomon) before his face, stating: “Behold Amaimon, thy King, which ruleth upon thee, and all the Spirits of Infernall fire doe owne allegiance unto him.” This establishes Amaimon as a potent intermediary between the magician and the desired spirit.

Furthermore, the ritual for commanding the Great Demon King Paimon explicitly states that Paimon is “subject to AMAIMON”. This provides a clear structural element to the hierarchy, showing that Amaimon has powerful spirits serving him who are themselves Kings. The magician must be ready with the Ring and “hold it before his face, for Amaimon will strive to deceive him in the operation.”

The King of the North in the Book of Abramelin

In The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, an earlier grimoire dating to the 15th century, Amaimon’s position is slightly altered. However, he remains a key figure of authority. This text posits four Supreme Princes who govern the world (Lucifer, Oriens, Paimon, and Ariton). Under these four are eight Sub-Princes, and Amaimon is one of these eight.

In the Abramelin tradition, Amaimon is specifically associated with the North (in contradiction to his role as King of the East in the Goetia). His role is to command vast legions of lesser spirits, who are all meticulously listed in the manuscript.

His placement as a Sub-Prince under the four primary rulers, rather than as one of the primary rulers himself, demonstrates the lack of complete standardization in the infernal demonological hierarchy across different grimoire traditions.

Historical Mentions

Text/Grimoire	Year (Approx.)	Excerpt
The Lesser Key of Solomon (Ars Goetia)	17th Century (Compiled)	“Thou must know that Paimon is subject unto AMAIMON, his King, and doth obey him. The King of the East is AMAIMON.” and “The exorcist must take great care, that he be not deceived by him, but let him hold the Ring of Exorcism before his face, for Amaimon will strive to deceive him in the operation.”
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Weyer)	1577 (Published)	“He also hath an absolute rule over the other Kings, which are Corson, Ziminiar, and Gaap, who are called the Kings of the East, West, North, and South.” (Amaimon is commonly implied to be the King of the East in this sequence).
The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage	15th Century (Manuscript)	“The Eight Sub-Princes: Amaimon, Ebalid, Magot, Asmoday, Paimon, Oriens, Pasamon, Ariton, and their Dukes.”
The Discoverie of Witchcraft (Reginald Scot)	1584 (Published)	“He also hath an absolute rule over the other Kings, which are Corson, Ziminiar, and Gaap, who are called the Kings of the East, West, North, and South.”

Amaimon’s Powers and Abilities

Amaimon’s powers come almost entirely from his position as a Great King within the infernal hierarchy. His abilities are less about personal, active skills like prophecy or metamorph (though his subjects possess these) and more about absolute, unyielding authority over a massive host of lesser demonic entities.

His primary power is his ability to command and authorize the appearance of many of the 72 spirits of the Ars Goetia. A magician must invoke Amaimon’s authority to successfully bind his subordinates. This power allows him to intervene in the conjuration process—not to directly grant a wish, but to either permit or prevent the manifestation of the desired lesser demon.

His most malevolent power lies in his ability to cause physical harm to the exorcist. The grimoires explicitly warn that Amaimon is so terrible that if the magician fails to use the correct protections (the Ring of Exorcism and the Divine Name), he will slay the exorcist by inhaling the smoke/perfumes of the ritual.

This is a unique and specific threat, showing his power is immediate, lethal, and tied to the ritual environment itself. The corruption is not a subtle temptation but a lethal retribution for an inadequately performed or unprotected ritual.

Power/Ability	Description	Source	How It Tempts/Corrupts Humans
Kingly Authority	Absolute power to command and bind many of the 72 spirits of the Goetia, authorizing their appearance to the conjurer.	Ars Goetia	Allows humans to command powerful demons (his subjects), tempting them with easy access to dark powers and forbidden knowledge.
Lethal Inhalation	The ability to slay the exorcist by drawing in the smoke/perfumes of the conjuration, used as punishment for inadequate protection.	Ars Goetia	Corrupts by punishing weakness and promoting fear, ensuring only the most arrogant or well-protected dare to engage in dark magic.
Deception	A tendency to try and deceive the magician during the operation, presumably to lure the conjurer into dropping their guard or abandoning their protective ring.	Ars Goetia	Corrupts by undermining the trust in protective measures, leading to fatal overconfidence or the abandonment of ritual safeguards.

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How to Counter Amaimon’s Powers

Countering Amaimon’s terrible power relies entirely on strict adherence to ritual protocol and the use of a specific, tangible protective item. Since his power is largely reactive—a punishment for the magician’s error—the counter-measures are primarily protective and preventative.

The essential item is the Ring of Exorcism, often described as a silver or gold/electrum ring. The grimoires state that the magician “must hold it before his face” while addressing Amaimon or any of his subordinates. The ring acts as a Divine shield, protecting the magician from the demon’s harmful countenance or influence.

Furthermore, the magician must use a specific Divine Name or Phrase to bind the King and his subjects, such as “IEHSU CHRISTO” or the name of the Divine power that created them. This invocation of a higher power is what truly controls the demon.

Critically, the magician must take special care to ensure the smoke or perfumes used in the ritual do not rise towards Amaimon or his subordinates, as inhaling the smoke allows him to immediately act upon his intent to slay the exorcist.

Amaimon’s Role in the Hierarchy of Hell

Amaimon occupies one of the highest possible ranks in the infernal hierarchy, specifically within the system defined by the Lesser Key of Solomon and related grimoires. His title as King of the East places him among the four governing monarchs of Hell, with authority over one of the four cardinal directions of the world.

In this system, the four Kings (Amaimon, Corson, Ziminiar, and Gaap) are the ultimate superiors to the 72 named spirits. He is responsible for commanding legions of these spirits, including other entities who themselves bear the title of King, such as Bael (in some interpretations) and the mighty King Paimon, who is explicitly noted to be “subject unto AMAIMON.”

His position is therefore that of an Emperor or Chief Monarch in his dominion, ultimately subservient only to the supreme power (often implied to be God) that allows him to be bound by King Solomon’s art.

The slightly different hierarchy presented in the Book of Abramelin places him among the Eight Sub-Princes serving under the four main rulers (Lucifer, Oriens, Paimon, Ariton).

Even in this context, the title of Sub-Prince grants him authority over extensive armies of lesser demons. Regardless of the minor structural variance between grimoires, Amaimon’s rank is consistently high, placing him above the vast majority of infernal spirits and establishing him as a potent figure of supreme authority in his allotted quarter of the world.

Astrological Associations and Symbolism

Amaimon’s associations within astrological magic are derived from his position as the King of the East, which connects him to the rising Sun and the general symbolism of that direction, as well as to specific planetary and elemental influences.

The East is traditionally associated with the element of Air or Fire in various occult traditions, suggesting an airy or fiery temperament. Due to his immense authority and serious, punishing nature, he is often linked to the planet Saturn in later astrological magic, which governs structure, authority, time, and darkness.

The association with Saturn suggests a potential connection to the color Black and the metal Lead. However, these are not explicitly named in primary texts. His association with the East links him to the zodiac signs that are traditionally oriental or rising at the time of the ritual.

Association	Detail
Cardinal Direction	East (most commonly) or North (in the Abramelin tradition).
Element	Air or Fire (associated with the East).
Planet	Saturn (associated with authority, time, and structure).
Metal	Lead (associated with Saturn).
Color	Black or Deep Red.
Zodiac	Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius (Fiery signs associated with Kings and the East).
Protective Material	Silver (for the Ring of Exorcism).

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Amaimon’s Sigil

A sigil is a unique, often geometric symbol used in magic for the invocation or binding of a specific entity.

For Amaimon, the primary sources, such as the Lesser Key of Solomon, do not provide a unique sigil for the King himself. The Ars Goetia provides sigils for the 72 lesser spirits but not for the four ruling Kings, as they are rarely intended to be summoned directly, only acknowledged and commanded in the service of summoning their subjects.

In some later occult traditions and modern practices, a sigil may be used that is a variant of a seal for his subordinates, or a new composite symbol is created to represent his Dominion of the East and his rank as a King. The key symbol associated with Amaimon is the Ring of Exorcism, which is not his sigil but the essential tool used to counter his terrifying presence and authority.

Similar Demonic Entities

Amaimon’s defining characteristic is his role as a directional, ruling King. The following demons share similar high rank, directional rule, or supreme command over lesser spirits:

Demon Name	Rank/Title in Hierarchy	Primary Direction/Domain	Key Area of Influence/Power
Paimon	Mighty King	West (often)	Arts, Sciences, knowledge of the Earth’s secrets; commands vast legions.
Gaap (Goap)	Great President & Prince	South, West	Causing love or hatred, making men insensible, delivering familiars.
Ziminiar	King	North	Ruler over northern spirits; rarely summoned directly.
Corson	King	West (also mentioned as North)	Ruler over western spirits; also rarely summoned directly.
Oriens	Supreme King/Prince	East (Abramelin tradition)	General worldly authority, controls legions of inferior spirits (alongside Lucifer).
Ariton	Supreme King/Prince	West (Abramelin tradition)	General worldly authority, controls legions (co-ruler with Lucifer, Paimon, Oriens).
Bael	King	East (sometimes)	Granting invisibility; appears with three heads (man, toad, cat).
Asmoday	King/Prince of Hell	N/A	Lust, gambling, debauchery; associated with wrath and lust.
Belial	Mighty King	South	Distributing Senate dignities, causing favor of friends/foes, powerful liar.
Focalor	Duke	Sea	Power over winds and sea; drowning men (if not restrained by the Exorcist).

Conclusion

Amaimon is a formidable and essential figure within the highly structured world of Solomonic demonology. While lacking a colorful mythology or detailed physical description, his significance is derived entirely from his supreme rank as the King of the East and his absolute command over a vast number of the seventy-two Goetic spirits.

His presence in texts like the Lesser Key of Solomon serves less as a cautionary tale and more as a strict procedural warning, emphasizing the deadly seriousness of engaging with the infernal hierarchy. Amaimon is the personification of unyielding, lethal authority, whose power can only be controlled through the protective shield of a consecrated ring and the invocation of the Divine.