Pluto in AQ for UK history
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crimsoncurrentPluto in Aquarius: Historical Transits & England’s Response
1. 1286–1308
Context: Late medieval England under Edward I.
Key Events:
Conquest of Wales and assertion of English dominance.
Conflict with Scotland begins—William Wallace rises during this period.
Parliament evolves: Edward I summons the Model Parliament (1295), laying groundwork for representative government.
Aquarian Themes: Expansion of state power, early democratic structures, and resistance movements.
2. 1532–1553
Context: Reign of Henry VIII and the English Reformation.
Key Events:
Break from the Catholic Church and formation of the Church of England.
Dissolution of the Monasteries—redistribution of wealth and land.
Rise of Protestantism and religious upheaval.
Aquarian Themes: Institutional rebellion, ideological revolution, and decentralization of spiritual authority.
3. 1777–1798
Context: Late Georgian era, reign of George III.
Key Events:
American Revolutionary War—loss of the American colonies.
Industrial Revolution begins to reshape society.
Radical political thought emerges—early socialism, democracy, and reformist movements.
Aquarian Themes: Technological innovation, collapse of colonial power, and rise of egalitarian ideals.
4. 2023–2044 (Current Transit)
Context: Post-Brexit Britain, digital age.
Emerging Trends:
AI and tech revolutions transforming labor and governance.
Social reform movements around climate, equity, and identity.
Institutional restructuring—from monarchy debates to shifts in global alliances.
Aquarian Themes: Collective empowerment, decentralization, and digital transformation1.
🔍 Patterns Across Time
Each Pluto-in-Aquarius era in England has sparked:
Rebellion against entrenched systems
Emergence of new ideologies
Technological or structural innovation
Redistribution of power—political, religious, or economic
It’s like England gets a cosmic nudge to reinvent itself every time Pluto hits Aquarius. And while the expressions differ—monarchs, parliaments, revolutions, or algorithms—the underlying theme is always radical change for the collective.
Would you like a deeper dive into how this current transit might reshape British institutions or culture?
------------------------------
any signs in England itself from 1282 to 1308
Absolutely—England between 1282 and 1308 was far from quiet. While the spotlight often falls on Edward I’s campaigns in Wales and Scotland, there were notable signs of internal tension, legal reform, and social unrest within England itself. Here's a breakdown of key developments:
⚖️ Legal and Institutional Reforms
1285 – Statute of Westminster II: This defined inheritance laws and introduced de donis conditionalibus, which restricted the alienation of entailed estates—an attempt to stabilize noble landholding.
1285 – Statute of Winchester: A major overhaul of law enforcement. It formalized the hue and cry, required towns to maintain arms for defense, and laid groundwork for community policing.
These reforms suggest growing concern over crime, disorder, and the need for centralized control.
🌊 Natural Disasters and Economic Disruption
1286 & 1287 – Storm surges and floods devastated coastal towns like Dunwich, Old Winchelsea, and New Romney. These events reshaped trade routes, destroyed infrastructure, and led to the founding of New Winchelsea on higher ground.
Such upheavals often strain local economies and can fuel discontent, especially when recovery is slow or uneven.
🕵️♂️ Political Intrigue and Violence
1283 – Parliament at Shrewsbury Abbey included commoners for the first time, marking a shift toward broader political representation.
1283 – Murder at Exeter Cathedral: A conspiracy involving the Dean and the Mayor led to the killing of an official—hinting at corruption and factionalism even within religious institutions.
🏛️ Cultural and Educational Expansion
Peterhouse College, Cambridge was founded in 1284, and University College, Oxford received statutes in 1280.
These developments reflect a growing intellectual class, which often precedes ideological shifts and challenges to traditional authority.
🧩 The Bigger Picture
While there wasn’t a full-scale rebellion like in Wales or Scotland, England itself was undergoing:
Legal centralization
Economic shocks
Political experimentation
Localized violence and corruption
These are classic Pluto-in-Aquarius themes: transformation of institutions, decentralization of power, and the stirrings of collective consciousness.
Would you like to explore how these changes laid the groundwork for later uprisings like the Peasants’ Revolt or the rise of parliamentary power?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
how did it effect the peasant revolt and what planetary cycles were predominant at the time
The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 in England was a seismic moment of social upheaval—and the astrological backdrop was just as dramatic. Let’s explore how Pluto’s earlier transit through Aquarius (1286–1308) laid the groundwork, and what planetary cycles were active during the actual revolt.
🔮 Pluto in Aquarius: The Long Shadow
Although Pluto had left Aquarius decades earlier, its transformative fingerprints were still visible:
Legal centralization, land reforms, and early parliamentary structures introduced during Pluto’s Aquarius transit (1286–1308) began to empower collective consciousness.
These reforms planted seeds of resistance to feudal control, which matured over the next century.
By 1381, the Statute of Labourers (1351)—a reactionary law trying to freeze wages after the Black Death—was seen as oppressive, especially by laborers who had begun to taste autonomy.
Pluto’s Aquarian legacy? A slow-burning revolution in how ordinary people saw their rights, labor, and place in society.
🌌 Planetary Cycles Active in 1381
Here’s what was stirring the cosmic pot during the revolt:
1. Uranus in Leo
Uranus, planet of rebellion, was in Leo, opposite Aquarius.
This polarity reflects tension between individual expression (Leo) and collective power (Aquarius).
The revolt itself was led by charismatic figures like Wat Tyler and John Ball, who challenged centralized authority with radical ideas—classic Uranus-in-Leo behavior.
2. Neptune in Aries
Neptune was in Aries, fueling idealism, martyrdom, and spiritual rebellion.
John Ball’s sermons—“When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?”—embodied Neptunian mysticism and Aries defiance.
Neptune in Aries can inspire visionary uprisings, often with religious or moral undertones.
3. Saturn in Cancer
Saturn, the planet of structure and control, was in Cancer, sign of homeland and emotional security.
This placement often triggers conflicts over domestic stability, land rights, and traditional roles.
The revolt was deeply rooted in economic injustice, taxation, and the erosion of peasant security.
🧠 Astrological Summary
The Peasants’ Revolt was catalyzed by:
Pluto’s earlier Aquarian reforms, which destabilized feudal norms.
Uranus in Leo, sparking charismatic rebellion.
Neptune in Aries, fueling spiritual and ideological fervor.
Saturn in Cancer, highlighting the tension between authority and domestic survival.
It wasn’t just a political uprising—it was a cosmic echo of deeper generational shifts in power, identity, and collective will.
Would you like a chart visualizing these transits or a deeper dive into John Ball’s natal influences?
===============================================================================
What else does Aquarius highlight besides tech?
Saturn leaves the door open for Pluto as it exits Aquarius in March 2023. Fortunately, we’ve built a relationship with Saturn in Aquarius for the past 3 years, setting some of the stage for Pluto’s demolition project. Saturn made us more cautious of the air we breathe in enclosed spaces (fixed air is right) – might Pluto in Aquarius introduce new forms of control or revelatory research?
As I emphasized on the Libra episode of The Astrology Podcast, the air signs have to do with technology and invention: Gemini is the pen, the printing press and language both written and spoken – a distinguishing feature of culture and civilization is dialect and language. Libra, the scale, represents commerce and social mores of civilization. Aquarius, the water-bearer, transports water from the river to the remote village using the technology of the urn. Inherent in the symbolism of Aquarius is a forward-thinking outsider. Adam Elenbaas recently explained the archetype of Saturn so superbly in his Pluto in Aquarius video, Previewing Pluto into Aquarius - Part II: Who is the Water Bearer? Aquarius, while associated with groups, always has one foot in the social circle and one foot on the outside, never fully immersing themselves anywhere. The wallflower holds a key vantage point, objectively analyzing the group dynamics and infrastructural flow. Revolutionary ideas which influence social organization will be on the rise.
This is why Aquarius is so sure of themselves. They see the reality of the matter, and they don’t care how convenient it is for anyone (or even for themselves). The fixed air sign is discerning, melancholic and contemplative yet decisive. We may see a resurgence of stoicism, skepticism and more of a return to scientific thinking.
Due to Aquarius’ views on humanity as a whole, Aquarius has the reputation for being “humanitarian.” While Aquarius is concerned with social structure and possesses an idea of how society should be collectively organized for the “better,” the moral compass of each Aquarian varies. Remember that Aquarius is a detached sign; Pluto in Aquarius doesn’t care about your feelings. We may see the world become more robotic. Literally tho. Tech will only continue to infiltrate our lives. While appearing to make us more connected, however, it dismantles our ability to be present and hold space for the things that make us inherently human.
AI Generated Image of Pluto in Aquarius
Pluto in Aquarius will challenge our ideas of what is even possible, technologically speaking. I often think of Prometheus, the giver of fire (technology) to human beings. Prometheus paid the price. With the conveniences of technology, it’s as if there are always side-effects to consider. Also resonant of Frankenstein, Elon Musk’s Neuralink, a chip which implants within the human brain as a “neural interface computer,” is set to begin its first set of clinical trials by June 2023. This sounds dangerous on multiple levels. Regardless, Pluto in Aquarius is knocking.
As Aquarius is the sign opposite of Leo, where the archetypal Sun king reigns, we may see some interesting themes crop up around leadership. Aquarius is the anti-hero or the anti-king. Aquarius is the shadow-advisor quietly pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Aquarius does not desire the spotlight, but they don’t mind being in control.
Recall that we are in an age of Air – an element corresponding with an emphasis on technology, education, social connection, the movement of people and yes, plagues and pandemics. Jupiter and Saturn will now conjoin in Air signs for the next 200 years and following Pluto’s Aquarius ingress will be Uranus’ Gemini ingress. Uranus spends 7 years in Gemini, and shortly after it leaves, Saturn enters Gemini.
Indeed, there is a TON of air on the menu. What does this mean for us technologically, socially, and even biologically? Pluto in Aquarius will take its time stealthily revealing these answers to us over the next 21 years.
Read Part II: A historical Evalutation of Prior Pluto in Aquarius Eras
REad Part III: NOteable Pluto in Aquarius CHARTS
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Pluto in Aquarius: Part II - A Historical Evaluation of prior Pluto in Aquarius Eras.
A Pink Floyd Mural - “We Don’t Need No Thought Control”
In Part I of our Pluto in Aquarius series, we set the scene for this incoming 21-year transit and how its likely to show up for us here in the present day. Mostly, we speculated on Pluto in Aquarius’ influence on technology and the role Big Tech will continue to play in our culture. We highlighted some key Aquarian and Plutonian archetypes and reviewed a handful of previous Pluto eras by sign to frame how Pluto in Aquarius may influence the collective strata in the modern age.
Read Pluto in Aquarius: Part I here to catch up!
In Pluto in Aquarius: Part II, we will review previous Pluto in Aquarius sojourns, thus highlighting additional themes we might like to consider for our present journey into this transit.
Let’s get into it!
1777- 1798
Pluto’s most recent visit to Aquarius occurred during an era of revolution among several countries around the world. While the Declaration of Independence was born in the late degrees of Pluto in Capricorn, it’s important to note that the US colonists continued to war with the British through the early years of Pluto’s journey into Aquarius. While we’d prefer our Pluto return to be wrapping up, I’d speculate that it will continue until Pluto reaches 9° Aquarius – Pluto’s position when the Revolutionary War was declared over via the Treaty of Paris.
Reign of Terror
The French Revolution began as a Women's March demanding lower prices of bread (to which Marie Antoinette said “then let them eat cake,” not realizing that you also need flour to bake a cake); this spiraled the movement into class warfare. The French revolution is regarded as a movement whose ideals of equanimity ran away with them – a textbook example of the oppressed becoming the oppressor. It wasn’t enough to level the playing field; heads were going to roll. The shadow side of humanitarian Aquarius is the authoritarian masking its agenda as the greater good. What is deemed humanistic to one grouping may very well be oppressive to another.
The 1780’s and 1790’s are considered a bridge between the Age of Enlightenment (the flourishing of social sciences, individual rights and humanistic morality) and the Industrial Revolution – the flourishing of machinery. On one side of the coin, machines liberated the individual from a more grueling labor; on the other, machinery brought more of a focus on efficiency versus the value of technical skill, laying the foundation for capitalism and new forms of exploitation.
Democracy was the hot, up-and-coming political ideology of this era – a true Aquarian ideal which considers the aims and desires of the group. Haiti, Australia and the Netherlands also claimed their Independence during this period. Liberalism and Partisanship (loyalty to a political party) began to take root for the first time, while abolition movements arose in the United States and Europe. Pluto in Aquarius fixates upon the question of what it means to be humane.
Technologically, scientific breakthroughs abound. The composition of water is first understood, new elements are discovered – and yes, planets. The discovery of Uranus was earth-shattering for both astronomers and astrologers – and certainly for those who had no previous knowledge of planets at all. Imagine the buzz on the street! “Science and technology, ooh!” More inventions such as cast iron, hot-air balloons and steamboats innovated architecture and travel. The small-pox vaccine brought medical breakthroughs while the cotton gin and lithograph innovated labor. The metric system was formalized as a global default measurement system – “fixed-air” indeed!
1532 – 1553
Roughly 500 years ago, Pluto again visited the sign of Aquarius – a sign concerned with societal infrastructure and social ideologies. King Henry breaks from the Roman Catholic church, radically dismantling England’s devotion to a particular doctrine. King Henry facilitates a Protestant reform, establishing the Church of England where his ideologies reign and the heads of traitors roll. Indeed, this encapsulates the tyrannical, uncompromising thread of Aquarian thought control. Note that this is also England’s second Pluto return!
As I mentioned in Pluto Part I, reflexives defense to the new Pluto movement are common. As Protestantism gains popularity, Catholicism resurges within the Reformation – which sought to rebrand Catholicism in a way that was more appealing to people, while also experiencing its own reprising of new Orders, including the Jesuit Order (Ignacio Loyola, a famous devotee amongst them). During this period, Sikhism is also established by Guru Nanak in the Punjab region. We often think of religion as belonging to Pisces, but the organization of peoples around a shared grouping of values or mission statement can be distinctively Aquarian. It’s no wonder the line between cults (Aquarius) and spirituality (Pisces) is often a porous one.
An orignal copy of Copernicus’ “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”
In terms of Aquarian technology during this period, we see several “firsts” in printing – mostly of various religious texts in various languages. The Scientific Revolution begins in 1543 with Copernicus’ publishing of “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres,” which formally pitched the heliocentric model in a cultishly geocentric Europe. True to the outsider archetype of Aquarius, Copernicus dared to challenge the dominating thought. While he wasn’t formally banned by the Vatican until 1616, the birth of the book and its tectonic social ripple are born of Pluto in Aquarius.
We think of Aquarius as humanitarian – but maybe it’s more accurate to say that Aquarius possesses a spectrum of rigid viewpoints about what that means. This period features the Spanish conquest and the transatlantic slave trade, spurring conversations amongst the Europeans about the inherent rights of indigenous peoples. Oppressive conversion of language and religion begins in some regions, while other groups are able to retain autonomy. This seems to parallel the 1780’s when the enslavement of African and Caribbean peoples is banned as a practice in some parts of Europe and the American colonies. Pluto in Aquarius here then leads to the erasure of culture and the oppression of peoples in the name of thought control.
1041 – 1063
The coolest thing that stands out to me about this period: Around July 4th, 1054, a supernova is observed and recorded by several different cultures all around the world. For 23 days, it remained bright enough to be visible in the daylight. This supernova is presently known as the Crab Nebula. What’s so Aquarian? This event eventually helps historians sync the various calendars of the different cultures on all continents, bringing a sort of unification of time-recording systems.
Crab Nebula
The Byzantines reconquer the fortress city of Edessa (modern Turkey), returning it to Christian hands after 400 years of Islamic rule. What’s interesting about this is that we see a mingling of religious iconography during this time. Christian symbols overlay Muslim architecture. We also see The Great Schism – a splitting in ideology which produced the two largest Christian denominations: Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox. Us versus them – a classic Aquarian aim to define a social order.
As for technology, movable type printing is invented in China; also during this time, a military treatise from the Song Dynasty is complied, becoming the first book in history to include formulas for gunpowder and bombs as well as how to build a double-piston pump flamethrower and magnetic compass.
795 – 819
A 13c painting recalling the Abbasid “House of Wisdom” era by Maqamat of Al-Hariri
As an astrologer, this period is naturally my favorite Pluto in Aquarius era. Belonging to the Islamic Golden Age and the intellectual and cultural abundance created by the Abbasid Empire, this era boasted values such as “The ink of a scholar is more holy than the blood of a martyr." While spirituality indeed plays a role in this period, it’s the Aquarian preservation of knowledge which collectively rests upon a pedestal. As Aquarius is the archetypal outsider, it’s interesting to note that foreigners from all over the world were welcomed into the walled city of Baghdad, so long as they brought books or intellectual talent.
Baghdad was essentially a capital of science, astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, and education –where both Muslim and foreign scholars aimed to accumulate the textual wisdom of the world and translate them into Arabic and Persian. Many classic works of antiquity that would otherwise have been lost were thus preserved – including many of the astrological treatises and texts we treasure today.
Mathematic systems such as the Arabic numerals many of us use today emerged from this period, including the introduction of the number “0,” algebra, and perhaps most interestingly, the word algorithm. As we presently head into a new Pluto in Aquarius era, “the algorithm” is largely considered akin to a tech-God entity and will play a highly distinctive role in this period.
305 – 330
One of the other reasons we observe a strong thread of Christianity throughout these Pluto in Aquarius periods may also have to do with the prominence of Constantine the Great during this period. He rules as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (306-337) for the entire stretch of Pluto’s Aquarius sojourn. During his reign, he formally establishes and ensures the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, which was largely polytheistic at the time. In fixed air fashion, Constantine wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page. He frequently held councils of theologians to iron out the kinks in Christian doctrine, as well as commission new copies of Bibles (copied by hand at that time). He additionally financed the construction of churches all throughout the Holy Roman Empire.
Eerie scupture of Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emporer of Rome
Constantine also supports this shift from a largely polytheistic to monotheistic worldview by rebranding Pagan celebrations into Christian rites. The historically notable Council of Nicea, is held in 325 AD, which orders the celebration of Easter and establishes significant doctrines. So if you ever wondered why Easter is officially scheduled on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the vernal equinox, now you know why.
What is not as well documented is the Plutonian counter-resistance to the Aquarian thought-control. However, there is ample mention in the Old Testament around the persecution of Goddess worshiping peoples and the destruction of their idols and temples of devotion.
Common Threads:
Throughout these periods, we see a definite emphasis on Aquarian “fixed-air” ideology. Whether its an intellectual movement, a societal movement or a divisive disagreement on how to interpret the Bible – we see how an ideology can have a sweeping, dominating effect on the way a society organizes. We can identify themes of loyalty to a specific viewpoint; look no further than democracy, partisanship, humanitarian causes and the value or preserving knowledge. We also see a dedication to scientific advancement either flourishing or budding during these periods. With Pluto, we must also acknowledge the authoritarian themes of thought-control and the deliberate shaping of belief or worldview. It’s both interesting and scary to consider how technology (and the algorithm) may very well embody the tyrannical Pluto in Aquarius thought-controlling entity.
My hope is that we can borrow an important thread from the Abbasid period: This Pluto in Aquarius era highlights the potential of the human mind as a source of empowerment, agency and humanitarian endeavors which continue to benefit humanity to the present day. As we move into a time where AI continues to replace and amaze us, may we remember the potency of our own minds and collectively return to value accessible educational opportunities for all.
How else do you think these themes might connect for us in the present day? Leave me a comment and let me know!
REad Pluto in Aquarius Part III: Noteable Configurations
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December 14, 2022
Comments (9)Newest First
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BB Vil 5 months ago · 0 Likes
This is amazing! Thank you so much
Courtney A year ago · 0 Likes
love this!!! I have been feeling the energy shift since finding human design - the institutions that no one is happy with but people have decided are impossible to change WILL change. Think banking, education, hospitals - wasted tax dollars and 2 party politic walls will come down. I feel a shift inward, a return to the self. In helping each other understand ourselves, we will change the world, the more we choose to believe God/the universe is within us, and the less we focus on the tiny differences across religion (something we invented lol), the more we humanity and people connecting with people in real ways. I sincerely believe that the businesses designed by those who put humanity first will be most successful. I am personally tired of the blind following and low vibrations - we invented the rules. they don't work for us anymore, so let's come together and change them. I feel like the left/democrats of today have been extremely oppressive - tech (perhaps) had accelerated group think. It's socially acceptable to discuss politics if you hate Trump, it was not acceptable to support him. The world knows what this group is AGAINST - the "isms" (ironically perpetuating the divisiveness they claim to hate lol), time to put energy into things we are FOR. I hope we innovate in a way that brings people together ....Pluto will dip back in Capricorn this October to tie up the loose ends - so this election will be extremely interesting. Will the oppressors succeed? or will individual freedom and love for the universe shine through.... choosing to trust the right decision will unfold! no matter what I think that is today
No mention of Charlemagne reign of terror upon the Pagan Saxons in 785 at Verden? 4500 people killed for worshiping as they saw right in their hearts.
Catherine Urban 2 years ago · 0 Likes
It sounds like maybe you listened to Chris Brennan and Nick Dagan Best's Pluto in Aquarius episode? What profoundly enlightening and thorough research they did on Pluto in Aquarius. They covered this period and several others which I have not done here.
1. 1286–1308
Context: Late medieval England under Edward I.
Key Events:
Conquest of Wales and assertion of English dominance.
Conflict with Scotland begins—William Wallace rises during this period.
Parliament evolves: Edward I summons the Model Parliament (1295), laying groundwork for representative government.
Aquarian Themes: Expansion of state power, early democratic structures, and resistance movements.
2. 1532–1553
Context: Reign of Henry VIII and the English Reformation.
Key Events:
Break from the Catholic Church and formation of the Church of England.
Dissolution of the Monasteries—redistribution of wealth and land.
Rise of Protestantism and religious upheaval.
Aquarian Themes: Institutional rebellion, ideological revolution, and decentralization of spiritual authority.
3. 1777–1798
Context: Late Georgian era, reign of George III.
Key Events:
American Revolutionary War—loss of the American colonies.
Industrial Revolution begins to reshape society.
Radical political thought emerges—early socialism, democracy, and reformist movements.
Aquarian Themes: Technological innovation, collapse of colonial power, and rise of egalitarian ideals.
4. 2023–2044 (Current Transit)
Context: Post-Brexit Britain, digital age.
Emerging Trends:
AI and tech revolutions transforming labor and governance.
Social reform movements around climate, equity, and identity.
Institutional restructuring—from monarchy debates to shifts in global alliances.
Aquarian Themes: Collective empowerment, decentralization, and digital transformation1.
🔍 Patterns Across Time
Each Pluto-in-Aquarius era in England has sparked:
Rebellion against entrenched systems
Emergence of new ideologies
Technological or structural innovation
Redistribution of power—political, religious, or economic
It’s like England gets a cosmic nudge to reinvent itself every time Pluto hits Aquarius. And while the expressions differ—monarchs, parliaments, revolutions, or algorithms—the underlying theme is always radical change for the collective.
Would you like a deeper dive into how this current transit might reshape British institutions or culture?
------------------------------
any signs in England itself from 1282 to 1308
Absolutely—England between 1282 and 1308 was far from quiet. While the spotlight often falls on Edward I’s campaigns in Wales and Scotland, there were notable signs of internal tension, legal reform, and social unrest within England itself. Here's a breakdown of key developments:
⚖️ Legal and Institutional Reforms
1285 – Statute of Westminster II: This defined inheritance laws and introduced de donis conditionalibus, which restricted the alienation of entailed estates—an attempt to stabilize noble landholding.
1285 – Statute of Winchester: A major overhaul of law enforcement. It formalized the hue and cry, required towns to maintain arms for defense, and laid groundwork for community policing.
These reforms suggest growing concern over crime, disorder, and the need for centralized control.
🌊 Natural Disasters and Economic Disruption
1286 & 1287 – Storm surges and floods devastated coastal towns like Dunwich, Old Winchelsea, and New Romney. These events reshaped trade routes, destroyed infrastructure, and led to the founding of New Winchelsea on higher ground.
Such upheavals often strain local economies and can fuel discontent, especially when recovery is slow or uneven.
🕵️♂️ Political Intrigue and Violence
1283 – Parliament at Shrewsbury Abbey included commoners for the first time, marking a shift toward broader political representation.
1283 – Murder at Exeter Cathedral: A conspiracy involving the Dean and the Mayor led to the killing of an official—hinting at corruption and factionalism even within religious institutions.
🏛️ Cultural and Educational Expansion
Peterhouse College, Cambridge was founded in 1284, and University College, Oxford received statutes in 1280.
These developments reflect a growing intellectual class, which often precedes ideological shifts and challenges to traditional authority.
🧩 The Bigger Picture
While there wasn’t a full-scale rebellion like in Wales or Scotland, England itself was undergoing:
Legal centralization
Economic shocks
Political experimentation
Localized violence and corruption
These are classic Pluto-in-Aquarius themes: transformation of institutions, decentralization of power, and the stirrings of collective consciousness.
Would you like to explore how these changes laid the groundwork for later uprisings like the Peasants’ Revolt or the rise of parliamentary power?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
how did it effect the peasant revolt and what planetary cycles were predominant at the time
The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 in England was a seismic moment of social upheaval—and the astrological backdrop was just as dramatic. Let’s explore how Pluto’s earlier transit through Aquarius (1286–1308) laid the groundwork, and what planetary cycles were active during the actual revolt.
🔮 Pluto in Aquarius: The Long Shadow
Although Pluto had left Aquarius decades earlier, its transformative fingerprints were still visible:
Legal centralization, land reforms, and early parliamentary structures introduced during Pluto’s Aquarius transit (1286–1308) began to empower collective consciousness.
These reforms planted seeds of resistance to feudal control, which matured over the next century.
By 1381, the Statute of Labourers (1351)—a reactionary law trying to freeze wages after the Black Death—was seen as oppressive, especially by laborers who had begun to taste autonomy.
Pluto’s Aquarian legacy? A slow-burning revolution in how ordinary people saw their rights, labor, and place in society.
🌌 Planetary Cycles Active in 1381
Here’s what was stirring the cosmic pot during the revolt:
1. Uranus in Leo
Uranus, planet of rebellion, was in Leo, opposite Aquarius.
This polarity reflects tension between individual expression (Leo) and collective power (Aquarius).
The revolt itself was led by charismatic figures like Wat Tyler and John Ball, who challenged centralized authority with radical ideas—classic Uranus-in-Leo behavior.
2. Neptune in Aries
Neptune was in Aries, fueling idealism, martyrdom, and spiritual rebellion.
John Ball’s sermons—“When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?”—embodied Neptunian mysticism and Aries defiance.
Neptune in Aries can inspire visionary uprisings, often with religious or moral undertones.
3. Saturn in Cancer
Saturn, the planet of structure and control, was in Cancer, sign of homeland and emotional security.
This placement often triggers conflicts over domestic stability, land rights, and traditional roles.
The revolt was deeply rooted in economic injustice, taxation, and the erosion of peasant security.
🧠 Astrological Summary
The Peasants’ Revolt was catalyzed by:
Pluto’s earlier Aquarian reforms, which destabilized feudal norms.
Uranus in Leo, sparking charismatic rebellion.
Neptune in Aries, fueling spiritual and ideological fervor.
Saturn in Cancer, highlighting the tension between authority and domestic survival.
It wasn’t just a political uprising—it was a cosmic echo of deeper generational shifts in power, identity, and collective will.
Would you like a chart visualizing these transits or a deeper dive into John Ball’s natal influences?
===============================================================================
What else does Aquarius highlight besides tech?
Saturn leaves the door open for Pluto as it exits Aquarius in March 2023. Fortunately, we’ve built a relationship with Saturn in Aquarius for the past 3 years, setting some of the stage for Pluto’s demolition project. Saturn made us more cautious of the air we breathe in enclosed spaces (fixed air is right) – might Pluto in Aquarius introduce new forms of control or revelatory research?
As I emphasized on the Libra episode of The Astrology Podcast, the air signs have to do with technology and invention: Gemini is the pen, the printing press and language both written and spoken – a distinguishing feature of culture and civilization is dialect and language. Libra, the scale, represents commerce and social mores of civilization. Aquarius, the water-bearer, transports water from the river to the remote village using the technology of the urn. Inherent in the symbolism of Aquarius is a forward-thinking outsider. Adam Elenbaas recently explained the archetype of Saturn so superbly in his Pluto in Aquarius video, Previewing Pluto into Aquarius - Part II: Who is the Water Bearer? Aquarius, while associated with groups, always has one foot in the social circle and one foot on the outside, never fully immersing themselves anywhere. The wallflower holds a key vantage point, objectively analyzing the group dynamics and infrastructural flow. Revolutionary ideas which influence social organization will be on the rise.
This is why Aquarius is so sure of themselves. They see the reality of the matter, and they don’t care how convenient it is for anyone (or even for themselves). The fixed air sign is discerning, melancholic and contemplative yet decisive. We may see a resurgence of stoicism, skepticism and more of a return to scientific thinking.
Due to Aquarius’ views on humanity as a whole, Aquarius has the reputation for being “humanitarian.” While Aquarius is concerned with social structure and possesses an idea of how society should be collectively organized for the “better,” the moral compass of each Aquarian varies. Remember that Aquarius is a detached sign; Pluto in Aquarius doesn’t care about your feelings. We may see the world become more robotic. Literally tho. Tech will only continue to infiltrate our lives. While appearing to make us more connected, however, it dismantles our ability to be present and hold space for the things that make us inherently human.
AI Generated Image of Pluto in Aquarius
Pluto in Aquarius will challenge our ideas of what is even possible, technologically speaking. I often think of Prometheus, the giver of fire (technology) to human beings. Prometheus paid the price. With the conveniences of technology, it’s as if there are always side-effects to consider. Also resonant of Frankenstein, Elon Musk’s Neuralink, a chip which implants within the human brain as a “neural interface computer,” is set to begin its first set of clinical trials by June 2023. This sounds dangerous on multiple levels. Regardless, Pluto in Aquarius is knocking.
As Aquarius is the sign opposite of Leo, where the archetypal Sun king reigns, we may see some interesting themes crop up around leadership. Aquarius is the anti-hero or the anti-king. Aquarius is the shadow-advisor quietly pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Aquarius does not desire the spotlight, but they don’t mind being in control.
Recall that we are in an age of Air – an element corresponding with an emphasis on technology, education, social connection, the movement of people and yes, plagues and pandemics. Jupiter and Saturn will now conjoin in Air signs for the next 200 years and following Pluto’s Aquarius ingress will be Uranus’ Gemini ingress. Uranus spends 7 years in Gemini, and shortly after it leaves, Saturn enters Gemini.
Indeed, there is a TON of air on the menu. What does this mean for us technologically, socially, and even biologically? Pluto in Aquarius will take its time stealthily revealing these answers to us over the next 21 years.
Read Part II: A historical Evalutation of Prior Pluto in Aquarius Eras
REad Part III: NOteable Pluto in Aquarius CHARTS
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Pluto in Aquarius: Part II - A Historical Evaluation of prior Pluto in Aquarius Eras.
A Pink Floyd Mural - “We Don’t Need No Thought Control”
In Part I of our Pluto in Aquarius series, we set the scene for this incoming 21-year transit and how its likely to show up for us here in the present day. Mostly, we speculated on Pluto in Aquarius’ influence on technology and the role Big Tech will continue to play in our culture. We highlighted some key Aquarian and Plutonian archetypes and reviewed a handful of previous Pluto eras by sign to frame how Pluto in Aquarius may influence the collective strata in the modern age.
Read Pluto in Aquarius: Part I here to catch up!
In Pluto in Aquarius: Part II, we will review previous Pluto in Aquarius sojourns, thus highlighting additional themes we might like to consider for our present journey into this transit.
Let’s get into it!
1777- 1798
Pluto’s most recent visit to Aquarius occurred during an era of revolution among several countries around the world. While the Declaration of Independence was born in the late degrees of Pluto in Capricorn, it’s important to note that the US colonists continued to war with the British through the early years of Pluto’s journey into Aquarius. While we’d prefer our Pluto return to be wrapping up, I’d speculate that it will continue until Pluto reaches 9° Aquarius – Pluto’s position when the Revolutionary War was declared over via the Treaty of Paris.
Reign of Terror
The French Revolution began as a Women's March demanding lower prices of bread (to which Marie Antoinette said “then let them eat cake,” not realizing that you also need flour to bake a cake); this spiraled the movement into class warfare. The French revolution is regarded as a movement whose ideals of equanimity ran away with them – a textbook example of the oppressed becoming the oppressor. It wasn’t enough to level the playing field; heads were going to roll. The shadow side of humanitarian Aquarius is the authoritarian masking its agenda as the greater good. What is deemed humanistic to one grouping may very well be oppressive to another.
The 1780’s and 1790’s are considered a bridge between the Age of Enlightenment (the flourishing of social sciences, individual rights and humanistic morality) and the Industrial Revolution – the flourishing of machinery. On one side of the coin, machines liberated the individual from a more grueling labor; on the other, machinery brought more of a focus on efficiency versus the value of technical skill, laying the foundation for capitalism and new forms of exploitation.
Democracy was the hot, up-and-coming political ideology of this era – a true Aquarian ideal which considers the aims and desires of the group. Haiti, Australia and the Netherlands also claimed their Independence during this period. Liberalism and Partisanship (loyalty to a political party) began to take root for the first time, while abolition movements arose in the United States and Europe. Pluto in Aquarius fixates upon the question of what it means to be humane.
Technologically, scientific breakthroughs abound. The composition of water is first understood, new elements are discovered – and yes, planets. The discovery of Uranus was earth-shattering for both astronomers and astrologers – and certainly for those who had no previous knowledge of planets at all. Imagine the buzz on the street! “Science and technology, ooh!” More inventions such as cast iron, hot-air balloons and steamboats innovated architecture and travel. The small-pox vaccine brought medical breakthroughs while the cotton gin and lithograph innovated labor. The metric system was formalized as a global default measurement system – “fixed-air” indeed!
1532 – 1553
Roughly 500 years ago, Pluto again visited the sign of Aquarius – a sign concerned with societal infrastructure and social ideologies. King Henry breaks from the Roman Catholic church, radically dismantling England’s devotion to a particular doctrine. King Henry facilitates a Protestant reform, establishing the Church of England where his ideologies reign and the heads of traitors roll. Indeed, this encapsulates the tyrannical, uncompromising thread of Aquarian thought control. Note that this is also England’s second Pluto return!
As I mentioned in Pluto Part I, reflexives defense to the new Pluto movement are common. As Protestantism gains popularity, Catholicism resurges within the Reformation – which sought to rebrand Catholicism in a way that was more appealing to people, while also experiencing its own reprising of new Orders, including the Jesuit Order (Ignacio Loyola, a famous devotee amongst them). During this period, Sikhism is also established by Guru Nanak in the Punjab region. We often think of religion as belonging to Pisces, but the organization of peoples around a shared grouping of values or mission statement can be distinctively Aquarian. It’s no wonder the line between cults (Aquarius) and spirituality (Pisces) is often a porous one.
An orignal copy of Copernicus’ “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”
In terms of Aquarian technology during this period, we see several “firsts” in printing – mostly of various religious texts in various languages. The Scientific Revolution begins in 1543 with Copernicus’ publishing of “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres,” which formally pitched the heliocentric model in a cultishly geocentric Europe. True to the outsider archetype of Aquarius, Copernicus dared to challenge the dominating thought. While he wasn’t formally banned by the Vatican until 1616, the birth of the book and its tectonic social ripple are born of Pluto in Aquarius.
We think of Aquarius as humanitarian – but maybe it’s more accurate to say that Aquarius possesses a spectrum of rigid viewpoints about what that means. This period features the Spanish conquest and the transatlantic slave trade, spurring conversations amongst the Europeans about the inherent rights of indigenous peoples. Oppressive conversion of language and religion begins in some regions, while other groups are able to retain autonomy. This seems to parallel the 1780’s when the enslavement of African and Caribbean peoples is banned as a practice in some parts of Europe and the American colonies. Pluto in Aquarius here then leads to the erasure of culture and the oppression of peoples in the name of thought control.
1041 – 1063
The coolest thing that stands out to me about this period: Around July 4th, 1054, a supernova is observed and recorded by several different cultures all around the world. For 23 days, it remained bright enough to be visible in the daylight. This supernova is presently known as the Crab Nebula. What’s so Aquarian? This event eventually helps historians sync the various calendars of the different cultures on all continents, bringing a sort of unification of time-recording systems.
Crab Nebula
The Byzantines reconquer the fortress city of Edessa (modern Turkey), returning it to Christian hands after 400 years of Islamic rule. What’s interesting about this is that we see a mingling of religious iconography during this time. Christian symbols overlay Muslim architecture. We also see The Great Schism – a splitting in ideology which produced the two largest Christian denominations: Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox. Us versus them – a classic Aquarian aim to define a social order.
As for technology, movable type printing is invented in China; also during this time, a military treatise from the Song Dynasty is complied, becoming the first book in history to include formulas for gunpowder and bombs as well as how to build a double-piston pump flamethrower and magnetic compass.
795 – 819
A 13c painting recalling the Abbasid “House of Wisdom” era by Maqamat of Al-Hariri
As an astrologer, this period is naturally my favorite Pluto in Aquarius era. Belonging to the Islamic Golden Age and the intellectual and cultural abundance created by the Abbasid Empire, this era boasted values such as “The ink of a scholar is more holy than the blood of a martyr." While spirituality indeed plays a role in this period, it’s the Aquarian preservation of knowledge which collectively rests upon a pedestal. As Aquarius is the archetypal outsider, it’s interesting to note that foreigners from all over the world were welcomed into the walled city of Baghdad, so long as they brought books or intellectual talent.
Baghdad was essentially a capital of science, astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, and education –where both Muslim and foreign scholars aimed to accumulate the textual wisdom of the world and translate them into Arabic and Persian. Many classic works of antiquity that would otherwise have been lost were thus preserved – including many of the astrological treatises and texts we treasure today.
Mathematic systems such as the Arabic numerals many of us use today emerged from this period, including the introduction of the number “0,” algebra, and perhaps most interestingly, the word algorithm. As we presently head into a new Pluto in Aquarius era, “the algorithm” is largely considered akin to a tech-God entity and will play a highly distinctive role in this period.
305 – 330
One of the other reasons we observe a strong thread of Christianity throughout these Pluto in Aquarius periods may also have to do with the prominence of Constantine the Great during this period. He rules as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (306-337) for the entire stretch of Pluto’s Aquarius sojourn. During his reign, he formally establishes and ensures the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, which was largely polytheistic at the time. In fixed air fashion, Constantine wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page. He frequently held councils of theologians to iron out the kinks in Christian doctrine, as well as commission new copies of Bibles (copied by hand at that time). He additionally financed the construction of churches all throughout the Holy Roman Empire.
Eerie scupture of Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emporer of Rome
Constantine also supports this shift from a largely polytheistic to monotheistic worldview by rebranding Pagan celebrations into Christian rites. The historically notable Council of Nicea, is held in 325 AD, which orders the celebration of Easter and establishes significant doctrines. So if you ever wondered why Easter is officially scheduled on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the vernal equinox, now you know why.
What is not as well documented is the Plutonian counter-resistance to the Aquarian thought-control. However, there is ample mention in the Old Testament around the persecution of Goddess worshiping peoples and the destruction of their idols and temples of devotion.
Common Threads:
Throughout these periods, we see a definite emphasis on Aquarian “fixed-air” ideology. Whether its an intellectual movement, a societal movement or a divisive disagreement on how to interpret the Bible – we see how an ideology can have a sweeping, dominating effect on the way a society organizes. We can identify themes of loyalty to a specific viewpoint; look no further than democracy, partisanship, humanitarian causes and the value or preserving knowledge. We also see a dedication to scientific advancement either flourishing or budding during these periods. With Pluto, we must also acknowledge the authoritarian themes of thought-control and the deliberate shaping of belief or worldview. It’s both interesting and scary to consider how technology (and the algorithm) may very well embody the tyrannical Pluto in Aquarius thought-controlling entity.
My hope is that we can borrow an important thread from the Abbasid period: This Pluto in Aquarius era highlights the potential of the human mind as a source of empowerment, agency and humanitarian endeavors which continue to benefit humanity to the present day. As we move into a time where AI continues to replace and amaze us, may we remember the potency of our own minds and collectively return to value accessible educational opportunities for all.
How else do you think these themes might connect for us in the present day? Leave me a comment and let me know!
REad Pluto in Aquarius Part III: Noteable Configurations
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December 14, 2022
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BB Vil 5 months ago · 0 Likes
This is amazing! Thank you so much
Courtney A year ago · 0 Likes
love this!!! I have been feeling the energy shift since finding human design - the institutions that no one is happy with but people have decided are impossible to change WILL change. Think banking, education, hospitals - wasted tax dollars and 2 party politic walls will come down. I feel a shift inward, a return to the self. In helping each other understand ourselves, we will change the world, the more we choose to believe God/the universe is within us, and the less we focus on the tiny differences across religion (something we invented lol), the more we humanity and people connecting with people in real ways. I sincerely believe that the businesses designed by those who put humanity first will be most successful. I am personally tired of the blind following and low vibrations - we invented the rules. they don't work for us anymore, so let's come together and change them. I feel like the left/democrats of today have been extremely oppressive - tech (perhaps) had accelerated group think. It's socially acceptable to discuss politics if you hate Trump, it was not acceptable to support him. The world knows what this group is AGAINST - the "isms" (ironically perpetuating the divisiveness they claim to hate lol), time to put energy into things we are FOR. I hope we innovate in a way that brings people together ....Pluto will dip back in Capricorn this October to tie up the loose ends - so this election will be extremely interesting. Will the oppressors succeed? or will individual freedom and love for the universe shine through.... choosing to trust the right decision will unfold! no matter what I think that is today
No mention of Charlemagne reign of terror upon the Pagan Saxons in 785 at Verden? 4500 people killed for worshiping as they saw right in their hearts.
Catherine Urban 2 years ago · 0 Likes
It sounds like maybe you listened to Chris Brennan and Nick Dagan Best's Pluto in Aquarius episode? What profoundly enlightening and thorough research they did on Pluto in Aquarius. They covered this period and several others which I have not done here.