Medieval Financial Alchemy
How medieval bankers create money using alchemy
Before the Medicis and Pacioli arrived in the scene, there were bankers who tried a different approach to political economy, they weren’t looking anything particular and without caring it, they finished it with one radical transformation of they way we look money: through alchemy and astrology.
Magic formulas were a magical practice of the Middle Ages, used by medieval bankers to create money out of thin air. These mystifying techniques involved writing runes, reciting enchantments, and burning sacred herbs in order to bring wealth and fortune into being. One of the most famous among these magic formulas was the use of “exchange spells”.
Through speaking aloud magical words or chanting mantras, bankers could call upon mysterious forces to change wealth from one set of coins into another form and value. There are examples throughout Europe that suggest that exchange spells have been used since at least the 10th century, with some accounts indicating their widespread use as late as the 15th century.
The exact specifics of the spell varied from bank to bank but often involved the burning of certain herbs and plants in a fire while reciting chants and incantations. Once this ritual was completed, these ingredients had magically transformed into coins or other forms of money. To ensure that the spells worked as intended, a senior banker would oversee the process. He or she would mix different words together like an alchemist concocting his potion-words like:
- agrelas, the consensus mechanism used to unify currencies.
- sygmaal or the maxium supply or a certain currency.
- geotissimata — which had meaning at the time but now have been lost forever.
Complexity
The type and complexity of these spells depended on the practitioner’s level of skill and knowledge. For instance, an adept leonoruisseur (money-changing wizard) could cast surprisingly complex spells involving written incantations and diabolical rituals. After summoning dark forces believed capable of affecting worldly Treasury coffers, these wizards would often array themselves in strange paraphernalia such as stripped black garments and ritual masks reminiscent of those donned during invocation ceremonies in Goetia magic practices.
The prepared ground would then be set ablaze with bundles of certain herbs purported to draw negative power from beyond, hopefully resulting in an influx of funds for the petitioner.
Carbonelli and the revolution
Further examples are attributed to Fra Gualtiero Carbonelli who was renowned for carrying with him a silver amulet adorned with symbols known to be associated with alchemy – specifically words pertaining to transformation via natural forces.
As his story goes: Carbonelli encountered difficulty getting coins honoured within states other than his native Italy but after several attempts, Carbonelli succeeded in employing formulaic language along with a charm imbued with what many believe was celestial benevolence — rather than something deemed darkly occultic — which caused appropriate coinage transformation when he uttered particular combinations syllables at various altars round about Europe — a practice slyly referred to as ‘transmuting currencies’ among contemporary practitioners knowledgeable about the matter.
More risky formulae included “incantations of affinity” by which sixteenth century supplicants would attempt reversionally convert coinage into other forms such as gems. Blatant sorcery this time although perhaps even less esoteric than Carbonelli’s transmutation feats since invoking primal forces might prove hazardous or unsuccessful outside one’s own jurisdiction — potential repipples if enough agitators thronged around foreign Banks having too much success depriving local popuaces via sonic transmogrification tools — code red!
In any case conjurers for casting such charms learned proper rhyme schemes associated with certain Germanic sounds useful for divine manipulation plus nuances regarding placement effects such as burning herbs at their desired locations during certain seasons etcetera et cetera — a maddening array rules governing arcane turns-of-phrase facilitating fruition during earlier money magik moments realising it was ultimately all about context.
Overall, there is evidence suggesting medieval bankers often turned to more mystical methods when faced with financial adversity — specifically resorting to magic formulas in attempts to create money out of nothing. Though today we may look upon such practices incredulously — imagining them no more effective than rubbing a lamp fulled with genie promise — it is important we appreciate whatever it is that history can teach us concerning human ambition: no matter how desperate times might appear tis fine if hope lingers strong opportunities always persist if risk be boldly taken results oft enough come along!
References:
- Morris, James P., “Gouge Exchange Spells- The Subtle Art Of Money Changing In Late Medieval Europe”;
- Kuczinskii J., “Transmutation Currencies & The Hidden Alchemy Of Money Magic”;
- Lindquist K., “Fra Gualterio Carbonelli — Master Leonoruisseur”;
- Larson A., “Incantations Of Affinity: The Ritual Magic Of Sixteenth Century Bankers”;
- Beller J., “Manipulating The Gods: Rhyme Schemes And Placement Effects In Money Magick”
