Random Famous Historical Figures Who Allegedly Sold Their Souls To Devil (13 items)

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  (#10) Johann Georg Faust

  • Dec. at 60 (1480-1540)

  Johann Georg Faust, the real-life subject of Goethe's famous tragedy, Faust, was an alchemist, astrologer, and magician of the German Renaissance. His rumored collusion with the Devil became the subject of numerous tales, most notably Goethe’s Faust and The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faust.

  Faust allegedly made a deal with the Devil (represented by a lesser demon, Mephistopheles) for his soul in return for twenty-four years of service from Mephistopheles himself. While the deal was for the demon to fulfill “every lust in [Faust’s] heart,” all the granted wishes eventually end horribly, and after sixteen years, Faust regrets his deal and asks to withdraw.

  The end of his tale differs depending on the version. In some, angels save Faust and bring him into heaven despite his deal; in others, Mephistopheles carries him off to hell to be tormented eternally.
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  (#3) Urbain Grandier

  • Dec. at 44 (1590-1634)

  This French Catholic priest was burned at the stake in 1634 after he was accused of witchcraft. Unlike many other witch hunt victims, there may have been evidence of Grandier’s collusion with the Prince of Darkness. While he had taken the oath of a Catholic priest, Grandier was known to have sexual relationships with a number of women, and was even accused of bewitching a group of nuns, sending the demon Asmodai upon them to commit "evil acts."

  At his torturous trial, the judges revealed documents that supposedly proved his demonic pact. The pact was written backwards in Latin, and is thought to even include the signature of Satan himself. The pact reads:

  We, the influential Lucifer, the young Satan, Beelzebub, Leviathan, Elimi, and Astaroth, together with others, have today accepted the covenant pact
  of Urbain Grandier, who is ours. And him do we promise
  the love of women, the flower of virgins, the respect of monarchs, honors, lusts and powers. He will go whoring three days long; the carousal will be dear to him. He offers us once in the year a seal of blood, under the feet he will trample the holy things of the church and
  he will ask us many questions; with this pact he will live twenty years happy on the earth of men, and will later join us to sin against God.
  Bound in hell, in the council of demons. Lucifer Beelzebub Satan Astaroth Leviathan Elimi. The seals placed the Devil, the master, and the demons, princes of the lord. Baalberith, writer.

  Grandier may have also confessed under torture, his downfall carefully orchestrated by a jealous nun whose advances he had rejected, though little evidence supports this theory.
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  (#5) Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa

  • Dec. at 49 (1486-1535)

  Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa was one of the most influential writers of the Renaissance era. Though he never obtaining a degree, he was a scholar of law and medicine. To most, he was known as a magician, alchemist, and astrologer. With his knowledge of the law, he frequently defended women accused of witchcraft and wrote three books on the occult that are still heralded as primary sources on the subject today.

  In 1535, Agrippa was accused of heresy and condemned to death. He escaped, but died shortly after. After his death, rumors circulated about him consorting with demons. In the most famous of these stories, Agrippa kept a demonic black dog as his familiar. The dog (known as schwarze Pudel in German) later made appearances in numerous legends about Johann Faust, another Renaissance thinker who was rumored to be in cahoots with the devil.
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  (#13) Jay-Z

  • 49

  World-famous rapper Jay-Z has battled connections to the Illuminati – an infamous secret society allegedly possessing unknowable power – throughout much of his career. This is partly due to the fact that Jay-Z has referenced the Devil in his music multiple times, including one song simply named “Lucifer." His music videos are also filled with seemingly occultist symbolism and imagery including Jay-Z wearing clothes with the famous Satanic phrase, “do what thou wilt.”

  Some of his past merchandise has also been decorated with the Satanic pentagram and the all-seeing eye. Even hip-hop artist MC Hammer believes Jay-Z made a Faustian bargain.
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  (#11) Ozzy Osbourne

  • 70

  Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne is so notorious for his connections to the occult that his nickname, “Ozzy Prince of Darkness,” was even made the name of his solo studio album. Osbourne's personal connection to the Devil is well documented, as he has been open about it throughout his career.

  In a 1984 issue of Hit Parader, Osbourne said, "I really wish I knew why I’ve done some of the things I’ve done over the years. Sometimes I think that I’m possessed by some outside spirit. A few years ago, I was convinced of that - I thought I truly was possessed by the Devil. I remember sitting through The Exorcist a dozen times, saying to myself, 'Yeah, I can relate to that.'"

  In another issue, he stated, “I don't know if I'm a medium for some outside source. Whatever it is, frankly, I hope it is not what I think ... Satan."

  He also practically admitted that he made a deal himself, saying, "I already have. Well, you sell your soul to the Devil when you do something yourself that you shouldn't, and I already have. I've f*cking lived my life to the fullest. If there's an afterlife, I've got a good f*cking spot in the furnace, you know?"
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  (#12) Theophilus of Adana

  In perhaps the oldest story of a mortal striking up a devilish bargain, Saint Theophilus the Penitent was said to have made a deal with the Devil after he turned down the position of bishop out of humility, though he later regretted this decision. He allegedly sought out a wizard to help him contact the Devil. In order to help him, the Devil commanded that Theophilus renounce Jesus and the Virgin Mary in a contract signed in his own blood.

  Years later, Theophilus regretted this deal and fasted for seventy-three days before the very contract he signed appeared on his chest. He then took the contract to the legitimate bishop and confessed. The bishop burned the document, and Theophilus was so overjoyed to be free that he died shortly after.

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