Aleister Crowley

About Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) was a highly influential English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, and novelist who profoundly shaped modern esoteric thought. His vast body of work, which included founding the philosophy of Thelema (based on his Book of the Law), established him as a major cultural figure, earning him a Historical Popularity Index (HPI) rank of #672 among historical figures studied by MIT's Pantheon project. Crowley's controversial lifestyle and esoteric teachings made him a figure of fascination, often dubbed "the most wicked man in the world" by the press of his time, ensuring a lasting, albeit niche, historical footprint.

The internet, however, shows a contemporary interest far exceeding his historical ranking. In 2025, Crowley’s Wikipedia page garnered 1.7 million annualized views. This level of attention represents an overattention relative to his HPI standing, calculating out to approximately a +5x gap when compared to similarly ranked figures. To put this in context, figures ranked significantly higher in historical importance, such as Pope Pius X (#327 HPI), received less than half a million views in the same period.

This online interest appears relatively stable, with a modest year-over-year growth of +7.1% and minimal change in momentum between the first and third quarters of 2025 (+1%), suggesting a steady, sustained level of modern cultural curiosity surrounding his life and controversial legacy.