The Mystery of the Count of St. Germain Quiz

Answer: Royal courts across Europe

The Count of Saint Germain appeared at various European royal courts and aristocratic gatherings throughout the 1700s. He moved between France, England, Russia, Germany and other countries, always presenting himself as a wealthy nobleman with mysterious origins. Historical records place him at the French court of Louis XV, where he was connected with Madame de Pompadour, and later at the court of Frederick the Great of Prussia.

He was known for extravagant claims and unusual behaviour. Witnesses said he dressed lavishly, wore expensive jewellery, and seemed to have unlimited wealth despite having no known source of income. Reports of him began to fade in the 1760s and by the 1780s had virtually disappeared.

Answer: 12+ languages

People at the time said the Count was incredibly gifted with languages. He could speak many European languages fluently and often sounded like a native. This only added to the mystery around who he really was and made people wonder about his background.

Some writers think this suggests he had an upper‑class education, maybe even in a royal household where children learned several languages from a young age. Others have gone as far as suggesting he might have been involved in espionage. A more unusual idea, popular with later Theosophists and New Age believers, claims he spoke so many languages because he had lived multiple past lives in different cultures.

Answer: He supposedly died but no confirmed grave was found

Local records from Eckernförde, Germany state the Count died in 1784 while staying at the residence of Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel. The prince, who was into alchemy and mysticism, had invited Saint Germain to his estate. According to these records, the Count passed away peacefully and was buried locally. However, serious questions surround this account. No grave has ever been identified as belonging to Saint Germain, and various witnesses later claimed to see him alive after 1784. Some reports placed him in Paris during the French Revolution in the 1790s. Others suggested sightings well into the 19th century.

Sceptics suggest he faked his death and retired under a different identity, but believers in the esoteric traditions claim he achieved actual immortality and continues to guide humanity as an Ascended Master.

Answer: Playing guitar

The Count impressed European society with his remarkable talents. He was an accomplished violinist who could perform complex pieces with apparent ease, and his paintings were admired by art connoisseurs of the period. He claimed extensive knowledge of chemistry and alchemy, demonstrating various techniques that amazed onlookers. He also composed music and was known as a witty conversationalist who could charm any social gathering.

However, military strategy and warfare were not among his documented skills or interests. Unlike many noblemen of his era who built reputations through military service, Saint Germain focused entirely on the arts, sciences, and mystical pursuits. This absence of military involvement actually added to the enigma, as it left historians with fewer official records to trace his movements and true identity.

Answer: True

The Count made astonishing statements about his age during conversations at European courts. He claimed he was over 500 years old and spoke of historical events as if he had personally witnessed them. He would casually mention conversations with figures from centuries past and describe details of ancient courts with great precision. When challenged on these claims, he would just smile enigmatically and change the subject, never providing proof but never backing down either.

These age claims became one of his most famous characteristics and contributed significantly to his mystique. Sceptics dismissed them as the boasts of a charlatan seeking attention, but believers took them as evidence of genuine immortality achieved through alchemical means.

Some historians suggest that he may have had access to detailed historical records or family chronicles, which allowed him to speak convincingly about the past. Others think he was deliberately creating a persona of timelessness to enhance his reputation and secure patronage from wealthy aristocrats fascinated by the occult.

Answer: The 'I AM' Activity

The 'I AM' Activity was founded in 1930 by Guy and Edna Ballard in the United States, placing Saint Germain at the centre of their teachings. Guy Ballard claimed that whilst hiking on Mount Shasta in California, he encountered Saint Germain in physical form. According to Ballard, the Master gave him a cup of 'Pure Electronic Essence' to drink and then spent months teaching him about the Ascended Masters and the 'I AM' presence within all humans.

The Ballards' movement grew rapidly during the 1930s, attracting tens of thousands of followers who attended massive rallies and read the dictations supposedly channelled from Saint Germain. Whilst earlier Theosophical teachings had mentioned Saint Germain among other Masters, the 'I AM' Activity raised him to supreme importance, making him more important than even Jesus or Buddha in their cosmology. This dramatically increased Saint Germain's popularity in American esoteric circles.

Answer: He could remove flaws from them

Among his many claimed talents, the Count impressed aristocrats by demonstrating an ability to remove flaws from diamonds. He would examine imperfect stones and claim he could make them flawless through alchemical processes. Witnesses at various courts reported seeing him perform this. The diamond work fitted perfectly with his reputation as an alchemist who possessed secret knowledge.

This skill had practical value beyond mere showmanship. Diamonds were extremely valuable in 18th century Europe, and the ability to improve them would have been worth a lot of money. The demonstrations helped establish his credibility as someone who genuinely possessed unusual knowledge rather than being merely a charlatan. Whether the flawless diamonds he produced were the same stones or clever replacements has never been determined, but the performances certainly enhanced his mysterious reputation and secured his welcome at royal courts across Europe.

Answer: Francis Bacon

Ascended Master teachings claim that Saint Germain lived numerous incarnations throughout history before he achieved immortality. Francis Bacon, the English philosopher, statesman, and scientist who lived from 1561 to 1626, is one of the most frequently cited. Believers mention Bacon's interest in codes and his rumoured involvement with secret societies like the Rosicrucians. Also, theories that he was the real author of Shakespeare's plays are seen as evidence of his mystical importance.

The Bacon connection also relates to theories about Bacon faking his death in 1626 and continuing to live under the identity of the Count of Saint Germain over a century later. Some esoteric writers have attempted to trace linguistic similarities or philosophical themes between Bacon's writings and statements attributed to the Count.

Other claimed incarnations include the biblical figure Saint Joseph, the wizard Merlin, the medieval philosopher Roger Bacon, and the founder of the Rosicrucian order Christian Rosenkreuz. These claims rest entirely on esoteric tradition rather than historical evidence, with mainstream historians dismissing them as imaginative fiction.

Answer: The Violet Flame

The Violet Flame became Saint Germain's signature spiritual practice, particularly after the 'I AM' Activity popularised it in the 1930s. Practitioners visualise or invoke violet-coloured spiritual fire that supposedly transmutes negative karma, dissolves energetic blockages, and accelerates spiritual evolution.

The technique involves specific mantras and decrees calling upon Saint Germain and the Violet Flame to consume imperfections and transform them into light.
Followers believe the Violet Flame works on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels simultaneously, making it an all-purpose tool for personal transformation.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Summit Lighthouse organisation expanded the teaching in the 1970s-90s. The practice spread throughout New Age communities worldwide. Believers credit it with everything from healing physical illnesses to resolving relationship problems, but sceptics view it as wishful thinking with no measurable effects beyond placebo.

Answer: Son of Prince Francis II Rákóczi of Transylvania

The most credible historical theory identifies the Count as the illegitimate son of Prince Francis II Rákóczi of Transylvania, born around the 1690s. Prince Rákóczi was a major political figure who led Hungarian resistance against Austrian Habsburg rule before going into exile. Having an illegitimate son who needed to conceal his identity would explain the Count's obvious noble bearing, his wealth, his excellent education, and his reluctance to reveal his true background.

This Transylvanian connection would account for many puzzling aspects of Saint Germain's life. The Rákóczi family had extensive European connections, which helped explain the Count's access to various royal courts. His fluency in multiple languages fits with an aristocratic education in a multilingual region. The need for secrecy makes sense given the political upheavals affecting the Rákóczi family during the early 18th century. This theory can't be proven due to the lack of surviving documents, but most serious historians who have investigated Saint Germain favour this explanation over the more exotic alternatives involving alchemy, immortality, or supernatural origins.