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Joseph della Reina (c. 1418 - c. 1472) was a 15th Century Jewish mystical figure. According to Jewish legend, he attempted to hasten the messianic age and perished in the attempt. His fate was treated literarily by the Jewish literary writers Shai Agnon and Isaac Bashevis Singer. The tale of Joseph della Reina's messianic epic is illustrated in a poem by Meir Wieners, published in Vienna in 1919.
The legend of della Reina's attempt to force the early arrival of the messiah is used as a cautionary tale, warning of the dangers of Kabbalistic magic. In the legend, della Reina tries to force the arrival of the messiah by capturing Asmodeus, the King of Demons, and his queen, Lilith. At first, della Reina succeeds in placing the Asmodeus in chains, but then he becomes careless, allowing the King of Demons to outwit him. In the end, della Reina becomes a heretic and commits suicide.