An astrologer predicting an imminent death may have shifted the course of English history a fraction. In the febrile period after Henry V111’s death, he was succeeded by his son Edward V1, then 10 years old. Next in line Mary Tudor, his half-sister, was persuaded to stay in England by the prospect of his approaching death, despite him being young and healthy. He did die aged 15 probably of tuberculosis and she stepped up to be crowned Queen Mary I.
He was born 12 October 1537 JC 1.44am London and had his Pluto on the cusp of his 6th house of health conjunct a late Capricorn Moon and opposition Uranus Mars in Leo. Heath issues were likely with such an afflicted bunch of planets homing in on his 6th and 12th houses. When he died after a longish illness tr Neptune was square his Solar Arc Moon; and the transiting North Node was opposition his Moon. Tr Neptune was also just passed an opposition to his SA Sun. His death 6 July 1553 JC 8.30pm London.
Astrology in those days was different with no outer planets known so I have no idea how his death would have been predicted.
P.S. this link has great background, but of course it does not give support to astrology, just the interesting history (remove the extra dots to use link): https:………//thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-blunders-of-a-16th-century-physician-astrologer/
Marjorie, your comment is very intriguing: “An astrologer predicting an imminent death may have shifted the course of English history a fraction.” Do you mean an astrologer in the 1500’s Did predict Edward VI’s death and therefore may have affected history, or an astrologer COULD have predicted the death based on something astrologers in those days believed (etc.)? If so, who was the astrologer and what was the prediction? It would be interesting to know if there was a historical incident or document that had any accuracy, but I’ve never heard of one before. The only one I can find online is the famous failed prediction by the Italian, G. Cardano, which missed by a mile. Your clarification would be welcome. Thanks and best wishes for 2025!
I believe it was a capital offence, possibly treason for an astrologer or fortune teller to predict the death of a monarch at the time.
I wondered if it was something to do with Saturn.
He died on 6th July 1553. Transiting Saturn was at 15 Pices 52, opposite his natal Saturn. Transiting Mars was at 23 Virgo 10,
So maybe the astrologers were looking for difficult Mars-Saturn aspects. Tr Saturn crossing his descendant, and then being opposed by tr Mars, while both clobbered his natal Saturn.
He has a nightime chart, so the Moon was the hyleg. It’s in Capricorn and it’s ruler is Saturn. Saturn in the first house fits his character too – a serious boy whose mother died giving birth to him, father died when he was ten, and then the serious business of being king. It was probably the most important planet in his chart.
In these days we have access to 3 indicators for tuberculosis, and all 3
were prominent in King Charles VI death. The 6th/12th sickness axis
was activated, as was the 4th of endings, the grave.
The tuberculosis indicators which the ancient astrologers didn’t have were:
Koch, Morton and Laennec. Here’s Charles VI Solar Return with them added.
https://ibb.co/qrh4Tp6
The Italian physician and astrologer Hieronymus Cardano, or described how Edward “carried himself like an old man; and yet he was always affable and gentle, as became his age”.
That description seems to refer to Edward’s Venus/Saturn rising in Virgo, I would say. The Solar Arc Moon would come to oppose the natal 12th house Mars in Leo by the time the boy King was 12 or 13. In traditional astrology a Moon Mars opposition with Mars in the 12th would certainly be considered malefic. Edward was also surrounded by ambitious noblemen vying for power, particularly Somerset and Northumberland, waiting in the wings so to speak, as Edward’s health was not always good. The Moon in the last degree of Capricorn is a marker for maternal death and possibly health issues which he may have inherited from her.
In many ways it’s hard not to feel very sad that his brief life was cut so short. He had the most awful death, his limbs swollen, his lungs infected with pulmonary ulcers, his hair and nails fallen and his once beautiful looks lost to the series of illnesses and diseases which afflicted him, including measles which had lowered his immunity and made him vulnerable to any further infections.
Marjorie, even in the West, they would have used the whole house system (not sure whether sidereal or tropical) at the time.
Could you recast the chart with the whole house system and excluding the outer planets?