In the late 16th century, Prague was a city where science, magic and superstition existed side by side. Astrologers studied the stars, alchemists searched for the philosopher's stone, and Emperor Rudolf II surrounded himself with men who claimed to possess extraordinary knowledge.
Among them was Edward Kelley, an English adventurer who promised something that had fascinated rulers for centuries – the ability to turn ordinary metals into gold.
Kelley became wealthy, acquired noble status and enjoyed the favour of one of Europe's most powerful rulers. But his extraordinary rise was followed by an equally dramatic fall.
How did an Englishman with a questionable past become an imperial favourite? And why did the emperor who had rewarded him so generously eventually have him imprisoned?
Edward Kelley – The English Magician Who Spoke to Angels
Edward Kelley arrived in Central Europe during the 1580s, accompanied by John Dee, a respected English mathematician, astrologer and adviser associated with Queen Elizabeth I.
Dee was fascinated by the possibility of communicating with angels. He believed that supernatural beings could reveal hidden knowledge about the universe, the future and the secrets of nature.
Kelley became his spiritual medium.
During their mysterious sessions, Kelley gazed into crystals and other reflective objects, claiming to see angels and receive messages from them. Dee carefully recorded these communications, believing they might contain divine revelations.
But Kelley's own past was far less respectable than his supernatural claims suggested.
According to a longstanding historical account, Kelley had worked as a clerk in England, where he was accused of forging documents. His punishment was supposedly brutal – his ears were cut off.
He allegedly concealed the mutilation beneath his long hair.
Although the details of this story remain uncertain, the image of an English magician hiding a shameful secret would become an important part of his legend.
And in Prague, Kelley would find the perfect environment to reinvent himself.
Rudolf II – The Emperor Fascinated by Alchemy
To understand Edward Kelley's success, we first need to understand the extraordinary world of Emperor Rudolf II.
Rudolf moved his imperial residence to Prague in 1583, transforming the city into one of Europe's most important centres of art, scholarship and intellectual experimentation.
His court attracted astronomers, mathematicians, artists, physicians and alchemists from across Europe.
The emperor collected rare objects, scientific instruments, unusual natural specimens and works of art. He was particularly interested in the hidden forces that Renaissance scholars believed governed the natural world.
And few subjects fascinated him more than alchemy.
Today, we often associate alchemy with the impossible dream of turning lead into gold. But Renaissance alchemy was more complex. It combined practical experimentation with philosophical ideas about the transformation of matter.
At the centre of these ambitions was the legendary philosopher's stone – a mysterious substance believed capable of transforming base metals into precious ones.
For a ruler, such a discovery promised enormous wealth and power.
For an ambitious adventurer like Edward Kelley, it offered an extraordinary opportunity.
How Edward Kelley Won the Emperor's Trust
Kelley claimed to possess knowledge of the philosopher's stone and the secret of metallic transmutation.
He attracted the support of powerful Bohemian aristocrats, particularly the influential Rosenberg family, and eventually gained the attention and favour of Rudolf II.
His reputation grew alongside his wealth.
Kelley received financial rewards and property, and around 1590 he was elevated to noble status, becoming known as Sir Edward Kelley of Imany.
It was an astonishing transformation.
A man associated with accusations of forgery in England had become a wealthy gentleman in Bohemia, enjoying the patronage of some of the most influential people in the kingdom.
But there was a fundamental problem.
Kelley had promised extraordinary alchemical results, and the emperor expected him to deliver.
Rudolf wanted access to the mysterious processes Kelley claimed to understand. Yet the alchemist's promises proved far easier to make than to fulfil.
As time passed, the relationship between the two men became increasingly strained.
Was Kelley deliberately deceiving the emperor? Did he genuinely believe in his own abilities? Or was he protecting alchemical knowledge that he considered too valuable to reveal?
We cannot know for certain.
What we do know is that Rudolf's generosity had limits, and Kelley was approaching them.
Edward Kelley and Prague's Famous Faust House
In 1590, at the height of his success, Edward Kelley purchased one of Prague's most mysterious buildings – the palace on Charles Square that we know today as Faust House (Faustův dům). He lived there with his wife, Joanna Weston, and his stepdaughter, Elizabeth Jane Weston.
The property had a long history of associations with alchemy, and the presence of an old alchemical workshop may have been one of the reasons Kelley decided to buy it. Here, according to historical accounts, Kelley continued his alchemical experiments, searching for the secrets that had brought him wealth and the favour of Emperor Rudolf II.
Over time, the palace became associated with the legend of Doctor Faust, the scholar who supposedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for supernatural knowledge. According to Prague folklore, when the devil finally came to collect Faust's soul, he carried him through the ceiling, leaving a mysterious hole that could never be properly repaired.
There is no evidence that the legendary Faust ever lived in the building. Its association with his story developed through the activities and reputations of successive owners interested in alchemy and unusual scientific experiments. And Edward Kelley was certainly one of the most remarkable of them.
Kelley also maintained an alchemical laboratory in another Prague building, known as At the Donkey in the Cradle (U Osla v kolébce), near Prague Castle. According to local legend, he experimented there with creating a homunculus – an artificial human being.
The story may sound fantastic today, but it perfectly captures the atmosphere of Rudolf II's Prague, where the search for scientific knowledge and belief in supernatural possibilities frequently overlapped.
From Imperial Favourite to Prisoner of Rudolf II
Kelley's fortunes changed dramatically in 1591.
He became involved in a forbidden duel in which an imperial official, Jiří Hunkler, was killed.
The incident provided Rudolf II with grounds to order his arrest.
Kelley was imprisoned at Křivoklát Castle, a formidable medieval fortress west of Prague.
But was the fatal duel the only reason for his imprisonment?
Possibly not.
The emperor had invested considerable resources in Kelley and his supposed alchemical abilities. According to the official history published by Křivoklát Castle, Rudolf demanded that Kelley reveal the secrets of his alchemical preparations in exchange for freedom.
The situation had become a cruel reversal of fortune.
The Englishman who once promised to make gold for the emperor now found himself locked inside a castle, unable to secure his own liberty.
Even appeals from influential supporters failed to resolve his predicament.
And eventually, Kelley became desperate enough to attempt an escape.
The Escape That Cost Edward Kelley His Leg
According to the traditional account, Kelley attempted to escape from Křivoklát Castle by lowering himself from his prison using a rope.
Imagine the scene.
A dark night. A high castle wall. The English alchemist, once a celebrated figure at the imperial court, descending towards the rocks below.
Then the rope broke.
Kelley fell and suffered devastating injuries to his leg.
The injury was reportedly so severe that the leg had to be amputated.
The man who had claimed to possess the secrets of transforming matter was now unable to restore his own damaged body.
Kelley eventually regained his freedom, but his former prosperity was gone.
Financial difficulties followed, and in 1596 he was imprisoned again, this time at Hněvín Castle in the town of Most.
There, according to the best-known version of the story, he attempted another escape using a rope.
Once again, the attempt ended in disaster.
He fell and injured his remaining leg.
The exact details of these events are difficult to separate from later storytelling, but the escape attempts and injuries became central to the tragic legend of Edward Kelley.
The Mysterious Death of Edward Kelley
Edward Kelley died in captivity in 1597, although some details surrounding his death remain disputed.
One account suggests that his injuries contributed to his death. Another, repeated in Czech historical tradition, claims that he deliberately swallowed poison after losing hope of regaining his freedom.
He was approximately 42 years old.
His story had come full circle.
He had arrived in Central Europe promising supernatural knowledge, acquired wealth and influence, and won the favour of an emperor.
Yet he ended his life as a prisoner.
And the mystery did not end with his death.
Did Edward Kelley Curse the Town of Most?
According to a later legend, before dying Kelley placed a curse upon Hněvín Castle and the town of Most.
He supposedly foretold their destruction.
Centuries later, the story acquired an eerie new significance.
The old castle was demolished in the 17th century, although it was later reconstructed. During the 20th century, much of the historic town of Most was destroyed to make way for lignite mining.
For those who enjoy supernatural stories, the coincidence is irresistible.
Had the alchemist's curse finally come true?
There is, of course, no historical evidence that Kelley possessed prophetic powers or that his alleged curse caused these events.
But the legend remains a memorable ending to the story of one of Prague's most controversial alchemists.
Was Edward Kelley a Genius or a Fraud?
More than four centuries after his death, Edward Kelley remains a fascinating historical figure.
He lived at a time when the boundaries between science, philosophy, religion and magic were very different from those we recognise today.
Alchemy was not simply a collection of tricks performed by dishonest magicians. Many educated people genuinely believed that nature contained hidden processes waiting to be discovered.
But Kelley's extraordinary claims, his questionable reputation and his repeated inability to satisfy his patrons have made historians understandably sceptical.
What makes his story particularly interesting is not whether he actually knew how to make gold.
It is the relationship between Kelley and Rudolf II.
The emperor possessed enormous political power and wealth, yet he became fascinated by the promises of a man whose knowledge he could never fully verify.
Kelley, meanwhile, gained extraordinary privileges through his reputation as an alchemist, only to become trapped by the expectations he had created.
The emperor wanted the secret of making gold. Kelley wanted wealth, status and freedom. In the end, neither man obtained what he wanted.
And perhaps that is the most revealing lesson of their relationship.
Discover the Mysterious Side of Prague on Our Special Evening Tour
Edward Kelley's story is only one chapter in the darker history of Prague.
Behind the city's magnificent architecture lie centuries of strange beliefs, mysterious experiments, supernatural legends and extraordinary personalities.
Renaissance Prague was a place where emperors consulted astrologers, alchemists searched for impossible treasures, and stories of magic became part of the city's identity.
Today, those stories still give Prague a unique atmosphere, especially after sunset, when its narrow streets and historic buildings take on a different character.
If you would like to explore this mysterious side of the city, join our Special Evening Tour with Free Walking Tour Prague. Discover the stories, legends and historical characters that make Prague so much more than a beautiful collection of monuments.
Because sometimes, the most fascinating things about Prague are the stories hiding behind its walls.
Article by Michal, licensed Prague tour guide and founder of Free Walking Tour Prague, sharing Prague's history, fascinating stories and hidden treasures with visitors since 2016.