The AEIOU-device of Frederick III

jwr The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas. Max Demian1 Stones with the word Abraxas engraved on them, and used as talismans. They were cut into symbolic forms combining a fowl's head, a serpent's body, and human limbs. 2

Fig. 1: Symbolic red & blue device AEIOU introduced by Frederick III (1437) Symbolic device AEIOU, or A.E.I.O.U. of the Habsburg emperors3 Wikipedia commons, the first device had been dated 1437

1 Hermann Hesse's 1919 novel, Demian 2 Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 3 AEIOU, or A.E.I.O.U. was a symbolic device utilised by the Habsburg emperors. Emperor Frederick III (141593), who had a fondness for mythical formulae, habitually signed buildings and objects with the acronym.

Introduction
Of course mankind didn't start from Tohu wa bohu, but from a brilliant concept. It must have been perfect to last for centuries. Now how did the Master's Device lead history? Did the Master utter a Word, and if He did, has it been saved? At first I listed all relevant details in a chronologically ordered manuscript 4 without really checking the chaining triggers which passed the keywords and tokens from one generation to another. Passing tokens is done in a relay race, which requires a perfect form of the baton and a winners' team, which has prepared itself to optimize the exchange of the baton. Considering history as a relay race I checked some historical records to find traces for a baton, which at least in exchanging phases should become visible between the lines. Yes, there seems to be a baton and a bird. The message had been made of vowels, varying from time to time, but invariable in their symbolism.

An overlord and his device

The course of history has been governed by many a tacking maneuver. A ship that is beating will sail as close to the wind as possible. Some of the emperors came very close to the optimal course and did win. Their offspring however may have failed, lost or used their lucky chances in gambling. None of the imperial genes were perfect and even lost battles sometimes gave the losers a lucky second chance. I knew these chaotic records of the past, but I decided there must have been some thread leading from an initial perfect design up to today's Tohu wa bohu. The initial perfect design would have been able to provide us with the winning baton, which might be revealed as the leading and inspiring token. Of course the token had to be handled by imperial leaders. No servants or lower class people would be allowed to control the baton for the historical course. The token had to be an upper class token such as a heraldic sign, a banner, or some device. One of the most important pan-European overlords is the Habsburg Charles V (1500-58), whose mystical foundation had been prepared by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III. The Habsburg pan-European overlords had a tremendous impact on European history. The dynasty's motto, Bella genant alii, tu, felix Austria, nube may be interpreted as: "Leave the waging of wars to others! But you, happy Austria, marry; for the realms which Mars awards to others, Venus transfers to you.", indicates the knack of the Habsburgs to have members intermarry into other royal houses in order to build alliances and inherit territory. Did the Habsburg dynasty introduce and apply a religious device, designed by concatenating vowels or did they even reuse the existing Abrasax-design? This manuscript starts by analyzing the ancient gems with vowel-sequences.

4 The Hermetic Codex II - Bipolar Monotheism

Gems with IA and ,,,,,, - inscriptions

A vast amount of tokens has been transported in gems for which around 1860-1870 C.W. King published some remarkable reproductions and corresponding explanations5. The manuscripts clearly prove the abundance of vowel sequences IA and various permutations of the vowels ,,,,,,, which represented the planets. To be absorbed by the Godhead the soul hat to pass the seven planets' regions including the divine Adonai (sun), Iao (moon) and Eloi (Jupiter). Examples for these gems have been listed in the Appendix I to this manuscript.

Sevenfold symbolism
The old system seems to have been based on 3- and 7-poled planets- and vowel-structures. Abraxas: He who has His seat within the Seven Poles - , in the Magical Papyri. 6 Gnosticism recognized that Seven is God's favorite number, recurring on all levels of being. Writing on "Theosophical Symbology," and alluding to one of the engraved gems of the" Abraxas" type, G. R. S. Mead says: "The Gnostic Dragon has seven 'vowels' above its crest. These vowels typify the seven planes of Cosmos, the seven principles in man, and all the septenates in nature." The euphonious sounding of seven vowels is thus a way of reflecting the wholeness of this creative vibration that has formed the cosmos and the planets, as it has informed our own souls7.

The A.E.I.O.U - device of Frederick III

Experiencing the accolade during a pilgrimage (14368) to Jerusalem the knight Frederick III amongst a number of notes wrote a secret device A.E.I.O.U. into his notebook. His device has been analyzed by many scientists, who never found the solution to the 5 vowels A.E.I.O.U. on the first page of Frederick's notebook, which had been lost (probably stolen after 1456?) and found back later. A Wikipedia-website for the first page provides us with the transcripts of the texts beside the AEIOU-entries: 1437 aeiou omnia tempora tempus abent | suspiro nescio quo9 aeiou Wer da bei das im geling Der sech selb zu seinem ding. proch tolor10 Fig. 2: AEIOU-entry Von gocz gnaden Fridreich der Junger etc. 11

5 The Gnostics and their Remains - Astrum Obscurum (C.W. King, 1887) and Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev C.W. King (published 1866) 6 Joscelyn Godwin - Mystery of the Seven Vowels (1991) 7 Joscelyn Godwin - Mystery of the Seven Vowels (1991) 8 Der Ritterorden vom Heiligen Grab - Ein Almanach - Scribd 9 There is a right time for everything, sighing - I don't know why (Test-version: this translation needs to be checked) 10 And who succeeds, may say to himself - such a pain (Test-version: this translation needs to be checked...) 11 transcription of this page (in German)

At the first page of his 61-paged notebook Frederick III, the later Holy Roman Emperor starts with the first known occurrence of his A.E.I.O.U.-device. The manuscripts starts at the 27th of April 1437, leaving a great number of pages empty. It is mostly written with Frederick's hand, but some notes including a directly neighboring explication of aeiou belong to other authors12.

Acronyms for AEIOU

More than 300 explanations have been given for the five-letter device. Most explanations result in an acronym. Officially in dictionaries such as A dictionary of English phrases the phrase A.E.LO.U. is simply explained as no more than: Austriae Est Imperare Orbi Universo ; Austria Erit In Orbe Ultima ; A lies Erdreich 1st Oesterreich Unterthan ; Austria's Empire Is Over all Universal. Adopted by the Emperor Frederick III, Archduke of Austria (1415-93)13 But why should Frederick have refused to write down a full explanation like Austria Erit In Orbe Ultima in his private notebook? In contrast one of Frederick's trophy cups14 has been documented to inscribed "A E I O U"; "aquila eius iuste omnia vincet" - In justice this eagle will always be victorious. Additionally the duchess Hedwig von Mecklenburg. abbess of the cloister Ribnitz, 1423, 1467, and the duchess Elisabeth von Meklenburg, daughter of Heinrich III. of Mecklenburg=Schwerin (abbess 1467 1503) used a similar AEIOU-device for their signature stamps15. The stamps included the image of a bull's head. The stamps have been used for at least 2 documents, dated 1469 respectively 1482. This however is a strange signature stamp for two abbesses! In fact Frederick III probably wanted to keep the device's symbolism as a secret, but wished to express the five-letter word at any object he created in his empire. Strange! Frederick seems to have considered this device as a world formula for his own: an imperial device. Perhaps this served some religious significance there was a strong belief that ones name, ren, was a sacred thing to be protected. Probably Frederick also wanted his device to be protected.

From Greek ,,,,,, - to Latin A.E.I.O.U - inscriptions

The first reference may have been a link between Frederick III and Abrasax (Appendix II). If Frederick during his pilgrimage (1436) had been contacting one of the traders, who offered one of the medieval Abrasax-gems he might have identified the sevenfold ,,,,,, - inscriptions. Instead of the Greek alphabet Frederick III now may have transposed the mystic vowel system for the Abrasax-codings to the Roman alphabet, which provides us with 5 vowels: AEIOU. This may be identified in the medieval Roman alphabets.
12 Roderich Schmidt AEIOV. Das 'Vokalspiel`Friedrichs III. von sterreich. Ursprung und Sinn einer Herrscherdevise - Herausgegeben Von Fritz Wagner 55. Band 1973 Heft 2 - Mgh 13 Full text of "A dictionary of English phrases; phraseological allusions 14 the Prunkpokal Kaiser Friedrichs III, owned by Kaiser Friedrich III. (IV.) Sohn des Ernst von Habsburg (1415 1493), labeled Burgundic-Dutch - exhibited in the Art-museum in Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Kunstkammer) Inv.-Nr. KK_65 15 Georg Christian Friedrich Lisch : Siegel der Herzogin Hedwig von Meklenburg, Aebtissin des Klosters Ribnitz, 1423, + 1467, und der Herzogin Elisabeth, Hedwigs Nachfolgerin In: Jahrbcher des Vereins fr Mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde, Band 21 (1856), S. 314-315

The medieval Alphabet

The archaic Roman alphabet used 21 letters including 5 vowels AEIOU: A B C D E F Z H I K L M N O P Q R S T V X. Spurius Carvilius (230 BC) may have skipped the Z and in the end the classical Roman alphabet consisted of 20 letters (without the G): A B C D E F (G) H I K L M N O P Q R S T V X. later to be updated to the medieval form of 23 letters: A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T V X Y Z16. These must have been the letters for medieval authors.

The fihmf-monogram
In one of his monograms Frederick III also notes another set of 5 letters: fihmf or in another sequence: fihmf. The fihmf-monogram is preceded by a distich, in which the first verse uses the initials of the vowel AEIOU-sequence: 'En, amor electis, iniustis ordinor ultor; Sic Fridericus ego mea iura rego'. For easy identification the acronym may be highlighted: En, amor ellectis, iniustis ordinor ultor, Sic Fridericus ego rengna mea rego17. which (rather freely) may be translated to: 'See, I am loved by the elect, I am feared by the unjust; hence I, Frederick, rule legitimately. Lhotsky resolves this fihmf-acronym as: Fridericus iunior Hierosolyme miles factus", which had been performed at the accolade in Jerusalem18. The fivefold Jerusalem cross should be considered as the basic foundation for both devices aeiou and fihmf.

16 The modern alphabet with 26 letters has been in use since the Renaissance: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z. 17 translation: I am feared by the unjust; hence I, Frederick, rule legitimately 18 Roderich Schmidt AEIOV. Das 'Vokalspiel`Friedrichs III. von sterreich. Ursprung und Sinn einer Herrscherdevise - Herausgegeben Von Fritz Wagner 55. Band 1973 Heft 2 - Mgh

Retrospect
Frederick III had an obsessive belief in the inevitable destiny of Habsburg glory and grandeur and invented the mystic initials AEIOU. However he designed his device in his youth. Then he ordered the device to be inscribed in all his books and engraved on all public buildings. Frederick even used his device as a signature resolved aeiov to sign a note accompanying the confirmation for an earlier document dated from 1410. The aeiov-signature is also identifiable at his grave. To him it must have been important for a lifetime. In fact Frederick may not have invented, but reinvented the vowel-sequences such as AEIOU. If he borrowed the idea from ancient gnostic wisdom he was wise enough to keep his device sacred and to keep the message encrypted. Abraxas has been depicted as a bird, encoded in a triad ,, and /or the seven Greek vowels ,,,,,,, which in Latin would be reduced to the fivefold AEIOU, in which it must be noted that AEIOU is exactly located between the triad ,, and the sevenfold ,,,,,,, from which merely the H and must be skipped. Therefore in Roman alphabets the baton is a five-letter word AEIOU.

Fig. 3: This picture shows the coat of arms of counts of Habsburg until Rudolph the first (1218 1291).

Appendix I - Gems
Gems seem to have been the main carriers for combined graphical and textual symbolism and a closer look will reveal which symbolism has been playing a mayor role. The most frequently encountered Abraxas figure is a human form with a fowl's head and the extremities of a serpent, carrying in the one hand a shield and in the other a whip. If we examine the figure of Abraxas, we shall find it to be made up of portions of animals considered, in the ancient religion, as attributes of the sun. Thus he has the head of a cock and serpent legs, emblems of the sun in the Egyptian mythology, and he bears in his hand a whip, the symbol of the god of day19.

Abraxas with IA-inscription

Fig. 4: Abraxas with the inscription I A (Jehovah) Abraxas, Green Jasper. Of unusually good and finished work, and belonging to the very dawn of Gnosticism ; certainly not later than Hadrian's reign (117-138AD) - (page 34220) The numerical value of the letters in Abrasax is also equivalent to those in Meithras, the representative of Christ; hence the figure of this god is a combination of various attributes, expressive of the union of many ideas under the same form. He is, therefore, depicted with the head of the cock, sacred to the Sun ; or of a Lion, the type of Mithras, with a human body clad in a cuirass, whilst his legs are serpent's, emblems of the good genius; in his hands he wields the scourge the Egyptian badge of sovereignty; and a shield, to denote his office of guardian to the faithful.

19 Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev C.W. King (published 1866) 20 Copied from Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev C.W. King (published 1866)

On one side of him, or in the exergue, is the word I A , the Jehovah of the Hebrews, a malignant spirit, whose influence Abraxas was thus entreated to avert at least this is Matter's explanation of this type. It was the Gnostic doctrine that the soul when released from the body, and on its way to be absorbed into the Infinite of the Godhead (the object aimed at in all oriental religions), was obliged to pass through the regions of the planets, each of which was ruled by its own presiding genius, and only obtained permission to do this by means of a formula of prayer addressed to each genius, and preserved in Origen (184/185 253/254AD).21 These spirits were, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Adonai, of the Sun ; Iao, of the Moon ; Eloi, of Jupiter ; Sabao, of Mars ; Orai, of Venus ; Astaphai, of Mercury ; and Ildabaoth, of Saturn.

All these titles occur on gems surrounding the figure of Abraxas, whose potent aid gives victory to the believer over the power of them all. The names of the Jewish angels Michael, Gabriel, Suriel, Raphael, Tauthabaoth, and Erataoth, occur as the titles of the genii of the fixed stars the Bear, Serpent, Eagle, Lion, Dog, and Bull. These notions were all of Magian origin, and had been adopted by the Jews during their captivity. But in the Gnostic mythology they were all degraded from their high estate, and reduced to the rank of secondary spirits of a mixed nature, but opposed to Abraxas, the Lord and Creator of all.22

21 According to Zoroaster the seven Dews, chief-ministers of Ahriman, are chained each to a distinct planet. 22 Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev CW King (published 1866)

Trinities The Sun, The Moon and Jupiter

The first three of the seven spirits (as named by Origin) are Adonai (sun), Iao (moon) and Eloi (Jupiter), which have been depicted in the following gem.23 Jupiter seems to be depicted male and Luna female. The first letters for Adonai, Eloi, Iao are vowels A, E, I.

Fig. 5: Adonai (sun), Iao (moon) and Eloi (Jupiter) page 376

23 Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev CW King (published 1866)

Triune Deity with Copitic Legend

Fig. 6: Triune Deity with Copitic Legend A most singular amulet of this date, in the Horz (collection, was a heart-shaped piece of basalt, engraved on tlui one side with seated figures of Ammon and Ka (Jupiter and the Sun), between them the mystic Asp, and on the reverse this legend : "Athor and Bait, one power, with Achor one, Hail Father of the world, hail triple God. The unity of three deities, or rather the expression of the same deity in three persons, was a very favorite Egyptian type. This amulet was probably made about the time of Hadrian, both the execution of the figures and of the letters being neat and careful, and such as characterized that epoch.

Triple Mask

Thus a triple mask stood for the Trinity, with the legend added Triple Mask : Iloman. Jacinth. around the stone, "Haec est Trinitatis Imago" and a similar intaglio I have seen, a Jacinth, set in a massy gold ring, with "Noel," the corruption of Emmanuel, repeated on each side of the setting, evidently in a similar sense24

24 copied from Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev CW King (published 1866), page 301 - Note: now in Lord Braybrooke's Collection

Anubis, surrounded by the seven vowels ,,,,,,

Fig. 7: Anubis, surrounded by the seven vowels Anubis, surrounded by the seven vowels (p. 345), standing on a serpent. Green Jasper. The stone is broken at each extremity, but the head is evidently that of a jackal, not a hawk's as it appears in the cut. The work of the intaglio is extraordinarily tine, rendering this gem quite unique in its class (page 34225)

25 Copied from Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev CW King (published 1866)

Chneph

Chneph : Alexandrian. Sard. The legend, if written in the usual letter, is , followed by the trifid emblem so common in these formulae (page 34426)

26 Copied from Antique Gems Their Origins Etc. as Intepretors of Ancient History by Rev CW King (published 1866)

The Gnostics and their Remains - Astrum Obscurum

In The Gnostics and their Remains - Astrum Obscurum (1887) the author C.W. King provides us with excellent documented samples of gem inscriptions. The drawings were, for the most part, made from gems in the Praun Cabinet, now transferred to the British Museum, some few are from C.W. King's collection, now in the Museum of Art, New York. In the book all designs are drawn to double the actual size. In this document however the size has been enlarged.

Plate A1 - Abraxas - IA (YHWH)

Abraxas brandishing a whip, to scare away malignant influences, his shield emblazoned with some word of power. Reverse, the usual Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name of God.

Fig. 8: Abraxas - IA

Plate C1 - Justinus on with the seven vowels AEHIOU

Permutation of the seven vowels AEHIOU-vowels allowed the sacred name to be pronounced.

PLATE C. 1. Terminal figure, perhaps allusive by its form to Justinus on, The Cross. The interminable legend surrounding it yields no intelligible words, but the title below the Hermes, C occurs also on a talisman in the French Cabinet. The reverse gives the Seven Vowels (or Voices) that shroud the Ineffable Name, which has never been uttered aloud since the day of the destruction of the Temple, but is communicated only in half-whispers to every Rabbi upon his ordination. It is a remarkable fact that a Talmudist, who remembered the Second Temple, observes that this Holy Name was warbled rather than pronounced in the course of the serive; hence we may suspect the possibility of imitating its sound by the permutation of vowels that form so important an element in the construction of our talismas27.

27 The Gnostics and their Remains - Astrum Obscurum (C.W. King, 1887)

Plate D3 - Chnuphis - with seven vowels A,I,H,I,O,Y,

The first letter I in A,I,H,I,O,Y, seems to be a mistake or a planned deviation from the divine ideal and should be an E to complete the Greek 7-fold vowel set A,E,H,I,O,Y,.

Fig. 9: Chnuphis - with seven vowels AIHIOY

PLATE D. 3. This Chnuphis, of exceptionally fine work and yet finer material, has each of the seven rays of the crown tipped by one of the seven vowels that make up the Ineffable Name. The reverse exhibits the serpent entwined wand, (badge of the Egyptian priesthood) which generally goes with this sigil, and doubtless added to its power. Mosess rod and Aesculapiuss club hence took their origin.

Plate J1 - Chnuphis - with invocation Iao Sabaoth, Abraxas

PLATE J. - Subjects connected with the Mithraic Mysteries. 1. This pretty design may be tersely described in a line of Manilius: Quadrijugis et Phoebus equis et Delia bigis. Sol and Luna in their appropriate equipages: a heathenish device enough, but the same hand has backed their influence by the invocation, Iao Sabaoth, Abraxas; He, i.e. the living God, protect Aparasthathe, the bearer of this talisman. Similar formul, always attached to womens names, very frequently occur.

Plate K4 - Mithraic.

Plate K 4. This talisman displays a prostrate man under the Lions feet. Nothing definite can be made out of the disjointed inscription. The reverse merely bears the Great Name Iao, Sabaoth, and the Seven Vowels. The potency of such words is still an article of faith with all true Jews. In the year 1835-6, the Rabbi of Neutra, in Hungary, actually stood his trial for murder on the charge of having curse, by the Ineffable Name an enlightened lady whom he had ordered to leave the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, because she had ventured to make her appearance there with her hair in sight, and who had died suddenly on the very same day. The Rabbi only escaped conviction by publicly and solemnly disclaiming the possession of any such power, to the inexpressible disgust of his whole congregation, who looked upon him as a wretch that had denied his God in order to save his life!

Appendix II: Abrasax

In Wikipedia Abrasax28 or Abraxas has been documented as follows: Abrasax or Abraxas was a word of mystic meaning in the system of the Gnostic Basilides, the Great Archon, the princeps of the 365 spheres. In Gnostic cosmology, the 7 letters spelling its name represent each of the 7 classic planets Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. according to the rules of isopsephy is derived by mathematical calculation: 1+2+100+1+200+1+60 = 365 (in which = 1, = 2, = 100, = 1, = 200, = 1, = 60) The word is found in Gnostic texts such as the Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit, and also appears in the Greek Magical Papyri. It was engraved on certain antique gemstones, called on that account Abraxas stones, which were used as amulets or charms. As the initial spelling on stones was 'Abrasax' (), the spelling of 'Abraxas' seen today probably originates in the confusion made between the Greek letters Sigma and Xi in the Latin transliteration. The word may be related to Abracadabra, although other explanations exist. Assigning the seven planets to the seven vowels might also result in another set of seven vowels: . He who has His seat within the Seven Poles, in the Magical Papyri. Mead, G.R.S. (1906). "XI. Concerning the on-Doctrine". Thrice-Greatest Hermes. 1. London and Benares: The Theosophical Publishing Society. p. 402.

28 Abraxas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents
An overlord and his device...................................................................................................................2 Gems with IA and ,,,,,, - inscriptions...............................................................................3 Sevenfold symbolism..................................................................................................................3 The A.E.I.O.U - device of Frederick III...............................................................................................3 Acronyms for AEIOU......................................................................................................................4 From Greek ,,,,,, - to Latin A.E.I.O.U - inscriptions......................................................4 The medieval Alphabet....................................................................................................................5 The fihmf-monogram.......................................................................................................................5 Retrospect........................................................................................................................................5 Appendix I - Gems...............................................................................................................................7 Abraxas with IA-inscription.........................................................................................................7 Trinities............................................................................................................................................9 The Sun, The Moon and Jupiter..................................................................................................9 Triune Deity with Copitic Legend............................................................................................10 Triple Mask...............................................................................................................................11 Anubis, surrounded by the seven vowels ,,,,,,..............................................................12 Chneph...........................................................................................................................................13 The Gnostics and their Remains - Astrum Obscurum...................................................................14 Plate A1 - Abraxas - IA (YHWH)..........................................................................................14 Plate C1 - Justinus on with the seven vowels AEHIOU...................................................15 Plate D3 - Chnuphis - with seven vowels A,I,H,I,O,Y,..........................................................16 Plate J1 - Chnuphis - with invocation Iao Sabaoth, Abraxas.................................................17 Plate K4 - Mithraic....................................................................................................................18 Appendix II: Abrasax ........................................................................................................................19