Count Saint-Germain (vampire)
Encyclopedia
The Count Saint-Germain is a fictional character from a series of novels written by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
. The character was inspired by a historical Count Saint-Germain, a mysterious figure in 18th century France
.
who was born approximately 3,500 years ago in the region that is now Transylvania
. He was the son of his tribal leader (hence, a prince by blood) and was also dedicated to the tribal god, the older vampire who transformed him. He encountered his first death when his tribe was destroyed by another invading tribe, together with their god, and carries hideous scars on his lower abdomen from being disemboweled. He spent much of his early existence in Egypt
, initially as a temple slave, but eventually began travelling the world shortly before the start of the Christian Era. The novels have described periods when Saint-Germain has resided in the Roman Empire
during reigns of Nero
and Elagabalus
, France
during the reigns of Charlemagne
and Louis XV
, Russia
during the reigns of Ivan the Terrible
and Nicholas II
, Germany
in the 10th Century, Germany
, Spain
, and England
between the First
and Second
World Wars, China
during the Mongol
invasion, Peru
during the Spanish
invasion, and the United States
in the modern era.
Saint-Germain is not portrayed as a typical vampire. He requires blood to live but only a small amount, which many of his "victims" (usually female) offer voluntarily. His other victims are usually visited in their sleep, and he can take their blood without awakening them, leaving them with an erotic dream. Unlike traditional vampires, he is discomforted by direct sunlight and by running water, but is only damaged by them when seriously weakened; keeping a layer of his native earth inside his shoes allows him to navigate these hazards with minimal discomfort, and he always imports his native earth to build the foundations of his many homes.
In keeping with the historical Count Saint-Germain's claims, the fictional one possesses the ability transmute
base metal
s into gold
, and more significantly to make synthetic diamond
s and other gems
. The resulting financial resources are used to fund a variety of alchemical
(and later scientific and technical) business interests in chemistry
, fuel
s, and aviation
, among other businesses. He also often is depicted as a minor character or diplomat on the world stage, particularly as an emissary of Nicholas II attempting to stem the chaos which eventually led to the First World War
.
During his time in Egypt, he learned how to resurrect
recently deceased individuals under certain restricted conditions, and his manservant Roger (based on the manservant of the historical Count) is presented as a Roman freeman resurrected in this fashion during the time of Nero. Such resurrected individuals are not vampires, but more like zombie
s or ghoul
s, save with the possession of their full mental capability. The only restriction placed on them by their resurrected condition is the need to consume freshly killed, raw meat as their only sustenance (Roger is inevitably portrayed as eating only raw poultry
).
Saint-Germain has the power to create new vampires but vampires are unable to live together for long. Saint-Germain has turned at least two women he loved into vampires, the 1st century Roman
Atta Olivia Clemens and the 18th century Frenchwoman
Madelaine de Montalia. Yarbro has written novels about these women as well. Later novels maintain that he is only able to share blood six times before it becomes certain that his partner will become a vampire on death, though he can hasten the process by sharing his own blood with his partner. Several of his partners choose suicide
to assure they will not be resurrected, and others die violently at the hands of his—or their—enemies.
A recurring plot device is the use of manufactured letters between or involving the characters to set off the individual chapters of each novel. These letters provide supplementary information to the plot and serve to advance the action in a fashion that increases the sweep of the stories. Most of the novels are broken into two or three sections focusing on character development of a character named at the head of the section. St. Germain, Clemens, and de Montalia are always "section lead" characters in the novels in which they appear.
One recurring theme of the novels is that the villains (or sometimes anti-hero
es) are often cruel and sadistic, emphasizing that man's inhumanity to man far outstrips the legendary or fictional evil
of vampires.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
-Biography:She was born in Berkeley, California. She attended Berkeley schools through high school followed by three years at San Francisco State College .In November 1969 she married Donald Simpson and divorced in February 1982...
. The character was inspired by a historical Count Saint-Germain, a mysterious figure in 18th century France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
History
The fictional Saint-Germain is a vampireVampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
who was born approximately 3,500 years ago in the region that is now Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. He was the son of his tribal leader (hence, a prince by blood) and was also dedicated to the tribal god, the older vampire who transformed him. He encountered his first death when his tribe was destroyed by another invading tribe, together with their god, and carries hideous scars on his lower abdomen from being disemboweled. He spent much of his early existence in Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, initially as a temple slave, but eventually began travelling the world shortly before the start of the Christian Era. The novels have described periods when Saint-Germain has resided in the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
during reigns of Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
and Elagabalus
Elagabalus
Elagabalus , also known as Heliogabalus, was Roman Emperor from 218 to 222. A member of the Severan Dynasty, he was Syrian on his mother's side, the son of Julia Soaemias and Sextus Varius Marcellus. Early in his youth he served as a priest of the god El-Gabal at his hometown, Emesa...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the reigns of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
and Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
during the reigns of Ivan the Terrible
Ivan IV of Russia
Ivan IV Vasilyevich , known in English as Ivan the Terrible , was Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 until his death. His long reign saw the conquest of the Khanates of Kazan, Astrakhan, and Siberia, transforming Russia into a multiethnic and multiconfessional state spanning almost one billion acres,...
and Nicholas II
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the 10th Century, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
between the First
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Second
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
World Wars, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
during the Mongol
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
invasion, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
during the Spanish
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
invasion, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the modern era.
Saint-Germain is not portrayed as a typical vampire. He requires blood to live but only a small amount, which many of his "victims" (usually female) offer voluntarily. His other victims are usually visited in their sleep, and he can take their blood without awakening them, leaving them with an erotic dream. Unlike traditional vampires, he is discomforted by direct sunlight and by running water, but is only damaged by them when seriously weakened; keeping a layer of his native earth inside his shoes allows him to navigate these hazards with minimal discomfort, and he always imports his native earth to build the foundations of his many homes.
In keeping with the historical Count Saint-Germain's claims, the fictional one possesses the ability transmute
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
base metal
Base metal
In chemistry, the term base metal is used informally to refer to a metal that oxidizes or corrodes relatively easily, and reacts variably with diluted hydrochloric acid to form hydrogen. Examples include iron, nickel, lead and zinc...
s into gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, and more significantly to make synthetic diamond
Synthetic diamond
Synthetic diamond is diamond produced in a technological process; as opposed to natural diamond, which is created in geological processes. Synthetic diamond is also widely known as HPHT diamond or CVD diamond, denoting the production method, High-Pressure High-Temperature synthesis and Chemical...
s and other gems
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
. The resulting financial resources are used to fund a variety of alchemical
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
(and later scientific and technical) business interests in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
s, and aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, among other businesses. He also often is depicted as a minor character or diplomat on the world stage, particularly as an emissary of Nicholas II attempting to stem the chaos which eventually led to the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
During his time in Egypt, he learned how to resurrect
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
recently deceased individuals under certain restricted conditions, and his manservant Roger (based on the manservant of the historical Count) is presented as a Roman freeman resurrected in this fashion during the time of Nero. Such resurrected individuals are not vampires, but more like zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
s or ghoul
Ghoul
A ghoul is a folkloric monster associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights...
s, save with the possession of their full mental capability. The only restriction placed on them by their resurrected condition is the need to consume freshly killed, raw meat as their only sustenance (Roger is inevitably portrayed as eating only raw poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
).
Saint-Germain has the power to create new vampires but vampires are unable to live together for long. Saint-Germain has turned at least two women he loved into vampires, the 1st century Roman
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
Atta Olivia Clemens and the 18th century Frenchwoman
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Madelaine de Montalia. Yarbro has written novels about these women as well. Later novels maintain that he is only able to share blood six times before it becomes certain that his partner will become a vampire on death, though he can hasten the process by sharing his own blood with his partner. Several of his partners choose suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
to assure they will not be resurrected, and others die violently at the hands of his—or their—enemies.
A recurring plot device is the use of manufactured letters between or involving the characters to set off the individual chapters of each novel. These letters provide supplementary information to the plot and serve to advance the action in a fashion that increases the sweep of the stories. Most of the novels are broken into two or three sections focusing on character development of a character named at the head of the section. St. Germain, Clemens, and de Montalia are always "section lead" characters in the novels in which they appear.
One recurring theme of the novels is that the villains (or sometimes anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
es) are often cruel and sadistic, emphasizing that man's inhumanity to man far outstrips the legendary or fictional evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
of vampires.
The Saint-Germain novels
- Hôtel Transylvania (1978) is coincident with the historical Count Saint-Germain, set in the France of Louis XVLouis XV of FranceLouis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, and involves his interaction with a cult of Satan-worshippersTheistic SatanismTheistic Satanism, sometimes referred to as Traditional Satanism, Spiritual Satanism or Devil Worship, is a form of Satanism with the primary belief that Satan is an actual deity or force to revere or worship. Other characteristics of Theistic Satanism may include a belief in magic, which is...
who threaten various men and women of his acquaintance. - The Palace (1978) is set in FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in the time of Lorenzo de Medici and Botticelli, who appear as characters. - Blood Games (1980) is set in Nero's Rome.
- Path of the Eclipse (1981) involves St. Germain's escape from Genghis KhanGenghis KhanGenghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
through TibetTibetTibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Tempting Fate (1982) is set in Europe after World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and chronicles the rise of the NaziNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
party in Germany. - The Saint-Germain Chronicles (a short story collection) (1983) In five stories set in the 19th and 20th century, St. Germain explores various parts of his life. The final story, "Cabin 33", is the latest story in the canon, set at a dude ranchDude ranchThe guest ranch, also known as a dude ranch, is a type of ranch oriented towards visitors or tourism. It is considered a form of agritourism.-History:...
in the American WestWestern United States.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
owned by St. Germain and Roger, and concludes with St. Germain and de Montalia deciding to see if they can break with vampire tradition and live together as husband and wife. - Out of the House of Life (1990) principally concerns the adventures of de Montalia on an 1810 archaeologicalArchaeologyArchaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
expedition to Egypt, punctuated with long letters from St. Germain which contain information she uses to find artifacts left behind from his "life" there. However, St. Germain only appears as a character directly for a short period at the end of the novel. - Darker Jewels (1993) is set in the Russia of Ivan the Terrible.
- Better In The Dark (1993) is set in Germany in the 10th century.
- Mansions of Darkness (1996) features St. Germain in Spanish America in the 17th century.
- Writ in Blood (1997) features St. Germain as a secret agent of Russian TsarTsarTsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Nicholas II, attempting to patch the ties of blood between the European royal familiesRoyal familyA royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
and prevent the outbreak of World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. - Blood Roses (1998) is set at various locations in France during the PlagueBlack DeathThe Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
years. - Communion Blood (1999) is set in Rome in the late 17th century.
- Come Twilight (2000) is set in Moorish Spain, featuring Csiminae, the only other vampire beside Madelaine to survive into modern times.
- A Feast in Exile (2001) is set in India at the time of Tamurlane's invasion.
- Night Blooming (2002) is set in the Frankish kingdom of CharlemagneCharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. - Midnight Harvest (2003) features St. Germain's visit to the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
following the events of Tempting Fate. - Dark of the Sun (2004) is set in China in the 6th century.
- States of Grace (2005) is set in Western Europe in the 1530s.
- Roman Dusk (2006) is set in Rome from 218-220.
- Borne in Blood (2007) is set in Europe in 1817.
- A Dangerous Climate (2008) is set in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the early 18th century.
- St. Germain : Memoirs (2008) is a second collection of short stories featuring episodes throughout St. Germain's history including "Intercessions", a series of letters by his manservant Roger, trying to gain freedom for his master while he was imprisoned in South America.
- An Embarrassment of Riches (2009) Set in the court of Queen Kunigunde of BohemiaKunigunde of Bohemia- References :...
in 13th-century Prague. - Burning Shadows (2010) 438 C.E., finds St. Germain a part of the Regional Guard of Apulum Inferior as the Huns flood Europe.
- Commedia della Morte (2011) finds St. Germain and de Montalia caught up in the French RevolutionFrench RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
The Atta Olivia Clemens novels
- A Flame in Byzantium (1987)
- Crusader's Torch (1988)
- A Candle for D'Artagnan (1989)
The Madelaine de Montalia novels
- Out of the House of Life (1990)
- In the Face of Death (2004)
External links
- Saint-Germain—Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's official site