The Hiram myth and master mason’s initiation: The story of the queen of the morning and Soliman, prince of the geniuses

Gérard de Nerval, one of France’s greatest writers, was passionate about initiation and Freemasonry. At the heart of his masterwork, Un voyage en Orient, he presents us with the legend of Master Hiram, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, which he claimed to have heard from a storyteller in Constantinople. In fact, Nerval brought together the essential elements of the Masonic myth revealed by the rank of Master.

Gérard de Nerval (1808 – 1855), the pen name of the French writer, poet, and translator Gérard Labrunie, was a French essayist, poet, translator, and travel writer. He was a major figure during the era of French romanticism, and best known for his novellas and poems.