Phantom Armies of the Night: The Wild Hunt and the Ghostly Processions of the Undead

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Phantom Armies of the Night: The Wild Hunt and the Ghostly Processions of the Undead

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 18 ratings · 2 reviews

An exploration of the many forms of the ancient myth of the Wild Hunt and its influence in pagan and early Christian Europe

• Recounts the myriad variations of this legend, from the Cursed Huntsman and King Herla to phantom armies and vast processions of sinners and demons

• Explains how this belief was an integral part of the pagan worldview and was thus employed by the chu...more An exploration of the many forms of the ancient myth of the Wild Hunt and its influence in pagan and early Christian Europe

• Recounts the myriad variations of this legend, from the Cursed Huntsman and King Herla to phantom armies and vast processions of sinners and demons

• Explains how this belief was an integral part of the pagan worldview and was thus employed by the church to spread Christian doctrine

• Reveals how the secret societies of medieval Europe reenacted these ghostly processions for soul travel and prophecies of impending death

Once upon a time a phenomenon existed in medieval Europe that continuously fueled local lore: during the long winter nights a strange and unknown troop could be heard passing outside over the land or through the air. Anyone caught by surprise in the open fields or depths of the woods would see a bizarre procession of demons, giants, hounds, ladies of the night, soldiers, and knights, some covered in blood and others carrying their heads beneath their arms. This was the Wild or Infernal Hunt, the host of the damned, the phantom army of the night--a theme that still inspires poets, writers, and painters to this day. Millennia older than Christianity, this pagan belief was employed by the church to spread their doctrine, with the shapeshifters' and giants of the pagan nightly processions becoming sinners led by demons seeking out unwary souls to add to their retinues. Myth or legend, it represents a belief that has deep roots in Europe, particularly Celtic and Scandinavian countries.

The first scholar to fully examine this myth in each of its myriad forms, Claude Lecouteux strips away the Christian gloss and shows how the Wild Hunt was an integral part of the pagan worldview and the structure of their societies. Additionally, he looks at how secret societies of medieval Europe reenacted these ghostly processions through cult rituals culminating in masquerades and carnival-like cavalcades often associated with astral doubles, visions of the afterlife, belief in multiple souls, and prophecies of impending death. He reveals how the nearly infinite variations of this myth are a still living, evolving tradition that offers us a window into the world in which our ancestors lived.(less)

Paperback, 320 pages

Published August 16th 2011 by Inner Traditions (first published 1999)

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Sep 08, 2012 Steve Cran rated it 5 of 5 stars

There is a phenomena in Europe called the "Wild Hunt". A group of spirits lead by a spirit, which is either male or female, tromp through the forest and woe to anyone who is caught in the forest whilst they are on the prowl. There are many different versions of this story. Mostly from oral history which transferred into Written history and sometimes went back in to oral history. There are many different versions of this hunt so it is hard to say which one is real.

Pagan legends say that a Goddess...more There is a phenomena in Europe called the "Wild Hunt". A group of spirits lead by a spirit, which is either male or female, tromp through the forest and woe to anyone who is caught in the forest whilst they are on the prowl. There are many different versions of this story. Mostly from oral history which transferred into Written history and sometimes went back in to oral history. There are many different versions of this hunt so it is hard to say which one is real.

Pagan legends say that a Goddess leads her train of witches to Brocksburg where thy hold their sabbat. The witches follow one of three goddesses, Diana,Habondia and Percht. Brocksberg is also called Mount Venus. This train of spirits is composed depending on the legend of either all females or a mix of male and female followers. It is believed that they meets with the Devil and the faeries and have a big feast. These spirits are the astral doubles of withes who put flying ointment all over their body that enables them to astral travel. These astral double according to some legends stop in peoples houses and eat food and drink beverages. They stop in only clean houses. If they are happy with your offering of food then they bless you with prosperity.

The legends of the wild hunt are pagan in origin but have been turned into something else by Christian propagandists. According to Christians the specters of the wild hunt are the restless dead. The restless dead cannot enter into paradise and are trapped in sort of purgatory. Some of these souls have died violent deaths, others are sinners in need of penance, some souls have died before their time and are destined to wander until their destined day of death arrives. The wild hunt at times is portrayed as an army. sometimes armies reappear at given times and reenact their fight. Sometimes they occur as part of a warning that is disaster is coming. Lots of legend is connected with Herla, who travelled with his troop to the dwarvish nether world and came back hundred of years later. If he touched the ground he would die. Fae folk were though to be dead people .

One leader of the Wild hunt is Odin. He is oft demonized yet he has also taken jobs from Thor and other gods. Odin maybe the God Odin or a powerful magician. He leads the wild hunt as he is a shamanistic god who also acts as a psychopomp or guide to the dead as they traverse to the underworld. His followers oft banded in groups and were able shape shift into different animals. Sometimes they would battle vampires and those who would steal fertile seed.

This book is an important work on the wild hunt. It uses a variety of legends to analyse this phenomena. Well documented and well researched.
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Aug 10, 2011 Mathieu rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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La Chasse sauvage, la Mesnie Hellequin, l'Armée furieuse (das Wuntende Heer) -- derrière tous ces noms se trouve une croyance très ancienne d'une troupe de morts, de revenants qui hantent les vivants et chevauche dans le ciel par les nuits de tempêtes. Lecouteux trace les origines de ces croyances depuis Dame Herodiade, en passant par Dame Abonde, Wilda Berchta, Odin/ Wotan en allant jusqu'aux Croisades et autres personnages légendaires (le Grand Veneur de la forêt de Fontenaibleau) pour enfin s...more

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About Claude Lecouteux

Docteur en études germaniques, docteur en lettres, est médiéviste. Il a occupé la chaire de Langues, Littératures et civilisations germaniques à l'université de Caen de 1981 à 1992 avant d'être appelé à la Sorbonne (Paris IV) pour occuper celle de Littérature et Civilisation allemande du Moyen Âge jusqu'en octobre 2007. Ses axes de recherches sont: Les êtres de la mythologie populaire, Les croyanc...more

More about Claude Lecouteux...

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Witches, Werewolves, and Fairies: Shapeshifters and Astral Doubles in the Middle Ages

The Secret History of Vampires: Their Multiple Forms and Hidden Purposes

The Return of the Dead: Ghosts, Ancestors, and the Transparent Veil of the Pagan Mind

The Secret History of Poltergeists and Haunted Houses: From Pagan Folklore to Modern Manifestations

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