Case file · Folklore / legend
Jacob Bruce, the sorcerer of the Sukharev Tower
Peter the Great's scientist-general Jacob Bruce ran the Moscow navigation school in the Sukharev Tower from 1701; Muscovites believed he was a warlock who kept a 'black book' in the tower, flew an iron dragon at night and made a woman out of flowers.
1701 CE · 55.77, 37.63 · status: legend
The account
Bruce was a real astronomer, translator and compiler of the popular 'Bruce Calendar', whose almanac of predictions spread his magical reputation. Legend held that the black book was walled up in the tower; when the tower was demolished in 1934 the story revived. Folklorists treat 'Bruce the sorcerer' as Moscow's Faust.
The sceptical view
An Enlightenment scholar turned into a folk magician by rumour.