AD FUNDUM ASTROLOGIA

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1

Foundations
VERNAL EQUINOX 2007

Special Edition:
Inside this issue An Introduction to Mundane
Briefly hig hlight your point o f interes t here.
Astrology
Briefly hig hlight your point o f interes t here.

⇒
Briefly hig hlight your point o f interes t here.

History of Mundane Mundane Astrology in its conception has always had two essential purposes.
Astrology
Briefly hig hlight your point o f interes t here.

First, it attempts to explain history and events such as the rise and fall of empires,
By Steven Birchfield dynasties and religions by examining patterns and astronomical cycles. By
understanding these cycles their astrological significations, then it would be
⇒ Who was Abu Ma’shar?
possible to predict future events concerning dynasties, religions and rulers and
these same could be spared disaster if future troubles could be predicted and
By Steven Birchfield thereby averted or so influenced that the rulers could gain advantage over their
rivals.
⇒ Medieval Technique in
Mundane Astrology Secondly, it attempts to explain and predict the natural influences of the world
By Martien Hermes such as the weather and natural forces such as pestilences, earthquakes, floods,
volcanoes etc. that in themselves has an influence on the essential state of being
of empires, dynasties and nations! Then, as today, a year of floods could
⇒ The year 2007 in the Neth- economically cripple a nation and its people just as effectively as a year of
erlands or Ingresses and drought.
how to delineate them

By Martien Hermes What this issue of Foundations will attempt to do, is give an oversight and
general outline of the history of Mundane astrology; its main actors, and the
techniques used by these astrologers. If one surfs the internet to find what the
modern conception of mundane astrology entails, you will unfortunately find only
Ptolemy listed as influencing Mundane astrology. In the words of one modern
New from Foundations! astrologer it was Ptolemy who ”laid the foundations” for the subsequent
astrologers. This is not true! In fact Ptolemy had only a small role in the
development of the mundane astrology appearing in medieval times (ca. 700—
1400 AD). Neither was Ptolemy’s mundane astrology the main influence in the
Renaissance Astrologers mundane considerations.

So who were the movers and innovators? What were their techniques? What is
the history of mundane astrology. Join us in this issue as we rediscover our true

The History of Mundane Astrology

There is generally accepted by the scholars and historians of scientific and astro-
nomical development, 3 distinct early stages of astrology. Mundane astrology is
most likely the oldest branch of astrology!

The first stage (ca. 1700 – 1600 B.C.E.) involves the omen lore of the ancient
cultures. The most extensive omen lore that has been uncovered is contained in a
compilation comprising some 68 tablets referred to as Enuma Anu Enlil. The tab-
available in PDF: lets themselves were found in the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (668-
William Ramesey’s 626 BC) in the ancient city of Nineveh,[1] and were copies, written in the 7th cen-
Astrologia Munda tury BC. However, evidence also suggests the collection of omens is much older
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
History of Mundane Astrology cont.
than the tablets found in the library, and the original series
may have been assembled somewhere probably back to the
Old Babylonian period at the beginning of the 2nd millen-
nium BC. There is no older recorded astrological record
than these! Amongst these records is also the very contro-
versial collection which is tablet 63 called, the Venus Tab-
lets of Ammizaduga. These are believed to have been com-
posed under king Ammi-saduqa who ruled Babylon from
1646 to 1626 BC. These records list 21 years of Venus’
data for the consecutive first and last appearances of Venus
as an evening star and as a morning star. This data in-
cludes dates of the first and last appearances as a morning
star, as an evening star and durations of invisibility, along
with appropriate omens. The list of Venusian dates was
copied and recopied extensively, which some historians and
scientists believe led to the embedding within the text, cer-
tain corrupt astronomical details.[2] This table became a
standard collection of astronomical and meteorological
omens, predicting favourable times for coronations, har-
vests and births.
An example of these texts is as follows:
«If on the 25th of Tammuz Venus disappeared in the
west, for 7 days remaining absent in the sky, and on the
2nd of Ab Venus was seen in the east, there will be
rains in the land; desolation will be wrought.» (Year 8)
Astronomically what is happening is that Venus
“disappearing in the west” (occidental) occurs after her first
station and is Rx moving under the Sun’s beams[3] for 7
days and then emerging from the Sun’s rays, still Rx, on the
7th day oriental of the Sun. It should be noted that, accord-
ing to the later astrologers, it would be her retrogradation
while oriental that in fact rendered it somewhat malefic and
not its orientality. I might also add this first period of an-
cient Babylonian astrology never conceived of a planets
apparent retrogradation in their astronomy!
There are references to Venus, as early as 3000
B.C.E. There is certain archaeological evidence from Uruk
[4]
on clay tablets that lead archeo-historians to believe that
at this early stage, the symbols represented in tablet, carry
no more meaning than an early identification to some celes-
tial identity. One clay tablet found at the site says, “Star
Inanna”, and another contains symbols for the words “star,
setting sun, Inanna”. Inanna is believed to be Venus, known
later as Ishtar. Eventually these same symbols developed, in
cuneiform writing, into a sign that means “god” and is
placed before the actual names of deities. If the relationship
between gods and the sky were not already explicit enough,
then this development in Mesopotamian writing
would appear to confirm it.
The second stage,[5] while quite similar to the first, was
Page 2
different in that there appears in this period the first zodiac
and the placement of planets by their longitude in the signs
as opposed to the earlier placement of the planets relative
to fixed stars. There are also some significant differences in
the astronomical observations of this period. These obser-
vations are much more sophisticated (similar to dia-
ries) containing much less omen lore and more astronomical
detail, e.g. the number of days in the preceding month; the
time between moonrise and sunset on the last day of the
month on which the moon rises before sunset; the times
between sunset and moonrise on the next day; the time be-
tween moonset and sunrise on the last day on which the
moon sets before the sun rises; the time between sunrise
and moonset on the next day; the time between moonrise
and sunrise on the last day on which the moon is visible;
the longitudes of each of the planets in the signs of zodiac
they are situated in; details of eclipses; for each of the supe-
rior planets, the date of its first or last visibility, the date on
which it starts or finishes retrograde motion, and the date
on which it rises as the sun sets; the date of first or last
visibility of Venus or Mercury and conjunctions of the
moon or planets with stars near the zodiac! Even more
unique was the practice of recording the actual mundane
observations correlated with the preceding astronomical
observations, e.g. the river level in Babylon; the price of
barley, dates, sesame, etc; the weather; if bad and any and
all interesting news!
One of the most significant observations was the great at-
tention paid to the transits of Jupiter through the signs at
the rate of approximately one sign per year and a
"Metonic", or 19-year cycle with 7 extra months that were
the conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn! Based on observing
and compiling lists of phenomena and recurrence cycles of
the planets, these astronomers of this period could calcu-
late, reasonably accurately, the positions of the planets at
any time in the future. Ptolemy records and modern schol-
arship does not dispute this that accurate and systematic
eclipse records were kept from 747 B.C.E. onward into the
Hellenistic period after the conquests of Alexander the
Great.
So already, by this time there was a sophisticated change.
In the older omen lore, principally Venus, the Sun and
Moon (lunations) are recorded. However, in this second
period all of the planets are seen in relation to the signs
they were in and their relation to each other! It must be
remembered that in the ancient omen lore, Venus for exam-
ple was observed and events recorded on that isolated ob-
servation. And this may have bearing on why, by the time
[1] modern Tell Kuyunjik, Iraq
[2] This is where the controversy lies which I will not go into as it is not
particularly relevant to our discussion.
[3]
This Rx conjunction was known as the lesser conjunction of the Sun.
[4] Uruk was an important early Sumerian city in southern Iraq.
[5] Beginning sometime between 700 to 450 B.C.E
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
History of Mundane Astrology cont.
personal horoscopy appears (ca. 400 B.C.E) a more compre-
hensive view of all the planets and their relationship to each
other was in the making! There is no evidence that it is the
Greeks who made these changes! Plato says in his work
that it was ‘foreigners’ (Chaldeans) that introduced the idea
of planets = Gods into Hellenistic culture at this time! It is
the fact that we actually know so little that is the problem
and there are several alternatives as to the chain of events.
For example it is quite possible, even probable, in this same
period under the Assyrian, Babylonian and then Persian
empires that this doctrine also enters Egypt, particularly
under the Babylonian Empire in 600 B.C.E. but probably
the greatest cultural exchanges occurred under the Persian
Achaemenian Dynasty of Cyrus (and after Darius), the
King of Medo-Persia (550 B.C.E). Zoroastrianism was the
Dynasty's largest religion and it was monotheistic.
My point in this is to bring to the readers awareness that it
is just as possible and feasible that it is the Babylonians
themselves (perhaps with Persian influence) who, for exam-
ple, narrowed Venus’ scope in astrological matters while
broadening the scope of all the planets significations! For
example in the Medo-Persian Empire the deity, Mitra, was
worshipped. In the Greek Herodotus' Histories (I.131) Mitra
is given as the Persian name for Aphrodite and the deities
significance was “Judge of Souls” and was assigned the
domain of human welfare, aiding in the destruction of evil
and the administration of the world. It would appear that as
astronomy became more sophisticated so did the ‘gods’.
Vedic Mitra is the patron divinity of honesty, friendship,
contracts and meetings. I think it is rather interesting to see
that all these traits became astrologically attributed to the
Venus we know in the third stage of Classical Western as-
trology along with the attributes worshipped most of Aph-
rodite or Venus, i.e. fertility and rites of purification etc!
Thirdly is the emergence of a very complete personal horo-
scopic astrology somewhere between 400 - 200 B.C.E. and
is the foundation and centre piece to what we have recorded
in the Hellenistic astrological texts. While we lack many of
the earliest root texts attributed to such authors as
Nechepso and Petosiris and Critedon etc, many of these
writings are embedded in the texts of authors such as Vet-
tius Valens, Paulus, Porphyry, Firmicus Maternus and
Rhetorius. What is unique is the scope and sophistication of
the astrology itself which seems to almost ‘magically’ ap-
pear. The period 200 B.C.E. to 600 C.E. is interesting for a
couple of reasons. First, is that astrology is predominantly
genethlialogical[6] along with cathartic[7] and secondly,
mundane astrology[8] seems to vanish entirely! Historians
and scholars such as the late David Pingree, remark often
about this clear lack of historical record until the 3rd cen-
tury C.E and the Sassanian Dynasty in Persia. Yet even
those historical records are mostly embedded in the works
Page 3
and writings of the later 8th and 9th century Arabic and Per-
sian astrologers.
One possible explanation for this disappearance is that un-
der the Roman Empire, mundane prediction, i.e. prediction
of events concerning rulers, government and kingdoms, was
prohibited. Likewise early Christianity and its influence put
chains on serious investigation of mundane matters. It
would appear that this branch, the ‘mother’ branch if you
will, was only kept alive in remote places only marginally
under Roman and Byzantine control, such as India and Per-
sia. As the Roman Empire split there is also some evidence
of limited mundane prediction in the Byzantine Empire
concerning rulers but based in large part on natal astrology
concerning those rulers. And this is why I say there was a
fourth stage of development in Western Astrology, which
took place with the rise of the Arabic Empire; for it was in
the 700's that all vestiges of both eastern (Byzantine) and
western Roman influence were ‘flushed’ from the middle
east.
By 762, Baghdad was rebuilt and with it, in 813, was
founded the House of Knowledge (Bait ha Hikma) estab-
lishing a place in which to assimilate the wealth of knowl-
edge the Arab Dynasty had inherited. Observatories were
constructed near Baghdad and Damascus. Translation of
Greek, Syriac, Persian and Sanskrit literature, philosophical
and scientific works were enthusiastically, if not passion-
ately, pursued. Astrologers, who had long fallen from favour
in both Byzantine and Roman cultures, now found benefac-
tors and patrons in the Caliphs of the Islamic Empire.
It was amongst this cultural rebirth that we find the emer-
gence of what can only be described as a blending of an-
cient Babylonian Omen lore, Indian science and history and
the more contemporary astrological technical style of Hel-
lenistic astrology. This period provided the congregation of
several lines of astrology, i.e. that of the Hellenistic astrolo-
gers, Persian (or Chaldean) astrologers, and elements from
Indian Astrology. Without a doubt, this period and place
became a «crossroads» and «conjunction» of the main as-
trological influences, cultures and teachings.
The most important ‘renaissance’ in this period was the re-
emergence and development of mundane astrology. When
you study the Arabic Era astrologers, there is an old world
‘feel’ to it just as much as there is new innovation. It con-
tains the canons of much of the ancient Chaldean astrology
from the second stage epoch, with special emphasis on the
conjunctions of the superiors. In fact, many of the delinea-
tions we find in Abu Ma'shar's work have ‘echoes’ from the
distant past of Omen Lore.
[6] I.e. natal astrology
[7] I.e. astrology pertaining to elections and interrogations
[8] the earlier Chaldean astrology
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
History of Mundane Astrology cont.
A typical example of Venus from the old omen tablets
reads:
«In the month of Sivan, on the twenty fifth day, Nin-
sianna [that is, Venus] disappeared in the east; she
remained absent from the sky for two months, six days;
in the month Ulul on the 24th day, Ninsianna appeared
in the West - the heart of the land is happy. In the
month Nisan on the 27th day, Ninsianna disappeared in
the West; she remained absent from the sky for seven
days; in the month Ayar on the third day, Ninsianna
appeared in the east - hostilities occur in the land, the
harvest of the land is successful.»
As you can read, each phase of Venus is recorded and an
‘omen’ corresponds to the phases. First Venus is oriental
and direct ‘disappearing in the east’ where she is under the
Sun beams while direct it takes over two months until she
reappears in the west (occidental) and ‘the heart of the land
is happy’. Then of course she reaches the limit of her
course, stations and retrogrades ‘disappearing in the west’
while she is combust again and emerges in the east (still
moving Rx) and they say hostilities occur in the land and
the harvest is successful etc.
Curiously, we find this same type of delineation in Abu
Ma'shar for example when Venus was in Leo and it was the
Lady of the Year or a time-lord he says:
«If it [Venus] is at its greatest distance [when she sta-
tions], it indicates that disasters come to kings or to
some of their women. If it is retrograde, it indicates an-
ger occurring to kings, and grief and anxieties. If it is
under the rays, it indicates disasters occurring to
the women of kings. If it becomes visible in it [i.e.
emerging from combustion], it indicates an abundance
of honour for kings and nobles, the soundness of affairs
of the rulers, the breaking out of illness resulting
from heat and humidity, together with a large number of
rumours and wars, and a large number of beasts of
[9]
prey.»
Echoing his ancient forbearers, Abu Ma’shar gives distinct
significations for each of Venus’ phases in relation to the
Sun. By this time however, delineations and significations
are somewhat more sophisticated and included such obser-
vations as stations and retrogradation. What occurred in
this period was a unique blending of Hellenistic technique
with, by all appearances, the remnants of very ancient omen
lore!
In this convergence, there were some obvious innovations
[10]
in the joining of mundane and genethliacal astrology.
For example, we have the personal testimony of the Greek
astrologer, Theophilus of Edessa, who was court astrologer
to the Caliph al-Mahdî.[11] In the introduction to his trea-
tise, Works on Elections for Wars and Campaigns and Sov-
Page 4
ereignty,[12] he tells us something of his own contribution to
the innovation of new methods of mundane prediction.
«The nature of the stars is specific, O most excellent
Deucalion; their energy does not have a single dwelling-
place but a variegated [diversified] one and diverse
[characteristics] suitable for every type of astrological
influence, and each one of these things is especially
made known in one generality for the active [planet] with
regard to the disposition and characteristic emphasis
allotted to it, for example in wars Mars and in speech
Mercury, and in agricultural matters Saturn, and in mat-
ters of love Venus; for while these have [their nature]
thus, not only does Mars activate war, but Saturn also
accomplishes the ruin of kings and the taking of cities,
as it is found in the mundane astrological influences.
But Mars also makes arsons, pestilential sicknesses,
droughts, and scarcities of fruits. Similarly too, Mercury
[makes] armed robberies and disorders and irregulari-
ties in life, or else it is called “the messenger”, and it
awards peace.
Similarly too, in genethliacal astrological influences, we
find the stars acting one way and another and signifying
in accordance with their configurations and their alterna-
tions of houses - [sometimes] indeed the malefics acting
as benefics and the benefics being inactive, but still the
astrological influences are activated in accordance with
the chart and the determination of their individual de-
grees. And in view of this, the wise men of astrology
made use of the stars by a mixture of their natures - not
only distinguishing [them] in their most individual
[significances] and according to [the nature of] each but
also in those [significances] that are the most general
and specialized - for example, about war; and they used
all the stars and also the lights for working with a single
chart.
And I kept this in mind because I know that military
methods are seldom found in [the books of] the an-
cients, other than that from the mundane astrological
influences [we can see that] there is going to be war
and captivity in this or that land, neglecting of course the
more particular things, and in particular the expeditions
or counter-expeditions that are made, [the rise of] ty-
rants, and those actions that are done in season and
are provoked, I say, by two armies when they are en-
[9] Volume I, Part Five, Chapter Four, §[8], Abu Ma’sar On Historical
Astrology: The Book of Religions and Dynasties (On the Great Con-
junctions), by Abu Ma’shar; translated and edited from the original Arabic
by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett; published by Brill©2000
[10]
By innovations, I do not mean invention, but rather a new application
of axioms, method and postulates in astrology to an extant body of work.
The word innovate comes from the Latin word, innovare, meaning,
“renew” or “alter”. For example, progressions are a late medieval invention
rather than an innovation and were the creation of a new method.
[11] See the discussion by David Pingree in the Oxford Dictionary of
Byzantium (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. 3 vols.).
[12] This treatise was dedicated to his son, Deucalion, and while the entire
text is extant in the original Greek, only the introduction has been critically
edited by F. Cumont in CCAG V.1, pp. 233-234
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
History of Mundane Astrology cont.
camped facing and attacking each other, of which it was
difficult to find accurate day-by-day accounts in the
books of the ancients.
And, having turned my mind to this, I thought it neces-
sary to make a change and to draw from the genethlia-
cal and horary systems some elections for war that
have plausibility together with the truth, since I had also
really had the proof of these in many [instances] - hav-
ing been forced, as you knew, by those ruling at that
time to take these things in hand, at the time when we
made the expedition with them into the eastern regions
in the country of Margiane,[13] and [there] we suffered
successive military calamities, with much cold and an
inclement winter, as well as with much fear and count-
less controversies.
But, while arranging these elections into some physical
conformity of order, I have neglected none of the things
that are needed and required in connection with military
affairs, and I have composed a book entirely for this
[purpose], having the military elections along with those
for information about tyrants and cities that are being
besieged and such like.
But it is necessary [that] you approach this treatise with
great care and diligence, and by [using] the meagre
theory make for yourself a combination of the influences
of the signs and the stars, I mean of the planets and the
fixed stars, and the luminaries, and the lots that are
there and their rulers, and you will not err, if God is will-
ing.»
This is an interesting statement by Theophilus since it
could well indicate that he was the astrologer who first put
together the things to be considered in charts concerning
War such as we find repeated later by Sahl, Haly and finally
in Bonatti’s treatise On War. But equally interesting is his
use of not only what appears to be a general teaching, “…as
it is found in the mundane astrological influences” but also
he joins these to the genethliacal teachings where we find
“…the stars acting one way and another and signifying in
accordance with their configurations and their alternations
of houses.” We find both of these influences in the follow-
ing astrologers like Abu Ma’shar who describes the general
significations of the planets in mundane astrology in this
wise,
«Related to the superior planet furthest from the world
of generation and corruption, i.e. to Saturn, is the indi-
cation for matters of Beginnings like religions, dynas-
ties, and whatever lasts for a long time, since it is like
the beginning for the other celestial bodies in terms of
height. Related to the planet following it in order, i.e. to
Jupiter, is the indication for laws and the like, which are
the culminations in perfection for the other things, which
are preliminary and initiatory. Related to the third of
these planets in order, i.e. to Mars, is the indication for
wars, strifes, and the like, being, as it were, the decline
Page 5
to the final ends of things, because the ends of things
indicate destruction of their orderly arrangements after
their perfection, and corruption of their regularity....The
greater luminary and its influences...came to indicate
kings and masters, since they are distinguished more
strongly than others.....the inferior planets and their in-
fluences...came to indicate the occurrence of things of
short period and duration, because of their relation to
the third movement and the swiftness of their motion.
The divisions of the three inferior planets, as it were,
follow the first three divisions in indication because of
the strength of the first divisions’ compulsion over them
and their connection with them. Related to the highest
of the inferior planets, i.e. to Venus, is the indication for
marriages, clothes, and the like, since it corresponds to
the first division, indicating beginnings. Related to the
planet next to it in order, i.e. Mercury is the indication for
writing, calculation, and the like, since it corresponds to
the second division, indicating perfections. Related to
the planet next to it and third in order, i.e. to the Moon,
is the indication for movement, migration, journeys, and
the like, since it corresponds to the third division, indi-
[14]
cating declines.»
As you can see, these significations are not typically Helle-
nistic. As just a side note, it should be obvious from what is
written here why it is not the “type of Sun” that character-
izes a nation. It was Saturn that signified for the beginnings
of new kingdoms and dynasties in this classical approach to
mundane astrology, not the Sun, which is simply ‘fall out’
from modern Sun sign astrology. But we also find in his
mundane techniques this ‘borrowing’ from genethliacal
astrology. For example in Abu Ma’shar’s method of finding
out the length of a rulers’ rule he says,
«[19] As for knowing the quantity of their life spans from
[15]
the second division, - i.e. from the time of their acces-
sion – one looks for it from the Ascendant and from the
midheaven, and one derives for it the haylāğ and kad-
hudāh just as one does in nativities. Then one moves
[16]
the degree of the Ascendant for his body, and <that
of> the midheaven for his authority, and the periods for
both of them are rotated together. Then, if the proroga-
tion and the period of the two together arrive at misfor-
[13] This is the Greek name for the city Khorâsân, which today is a province
of NE Iran. Cumont thinks this campaign probably took place in the winter
of 757-758, when the local ruler raised an insurrection, and troops were
sent by the Caliph al-Mansûr to put down the rebellion.
[14] Volume I, Part One, Chapter One, §[7], Abu Ma’sar On Historical
Astrology: The Book of Religions and Dynasties (On the Great Con-
junctions), by Abu Ma’shar; translated and edited from the original Arabic
by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett; published by Brill©2000
[15] The reference is to the two kinds of methods he mentions earlier in this
discussion where he advocates using the chart of the ingress of the Sun
into Aries for the year the ruler accedes as well as the chart of the time the
ruler accedes to power.
[16] Cf. Tetrabiblos, IV, 10, ed. Robbins, p.449
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
History of Mundane Astrology cont.
tune, one judges the cutting off <of life>. If the corrup-
tion is of one of them without the other, one should
judge from that corruption. If the degree of the Ascen-
dant arrives at the malefics, and the misfortune is
strong, one should judge cutting off for him. If <the mis-
fortune> is not <strong>, one should judge illness for
him, if the prorogation from the degree of the mid-
heaven is sound. If the corruption is from their motion
without the (?) Ascendant, one judges corruption of the
government. If corruption is from the two, one judges
[17]
cutting off. »
Here Abu Ma’shar is clearly and deliberately ‘borrowing’ a
technique straight out of the teaching of the Hellenistic
genethliacal branch of astrology which we find in Doro-
theus for example where a ‘hyleg’ and ‘Alchocoden’ is de-
termined and from which we are to make a judgment con-
cerning the length of years of the ruler as well as direct the
Ascendant and Midheaven through the terms (in ascen-
sional degrees) to support the delineation and find out the
‘when’ of delineation!
This period did not only see the fusion of an established
genethliacal body of astrology with ancient omen lore, but
it also was a fusion of distinct Indian teachings.[18]
The mundane astrology which emerged contained a particu-
lar teaching concerning what should be considered as the
‘beginning’ of mundane matters and the relationship of as-
tronomical cycles to history.[19] This particular doctrine
concerned the return of all the heavenly bodies to some
place where they originated[20] and the implication that
each return brings about a similar, if not the same, sequence
[17] ‘Cutting off’ refers to the rulers demise and fall from power which at that
time was usually because of his death!
[18] With the Indian astrologers came their astronomical theories and ta-
bles, which were based upon the concepts of a grand conjunction at some
remote epoch and of an integer number of revolutions or cycle of the plan-
ets in a certain time period. Furthermore, unlike Ptolemy's tables, the
Indian tables gave positions in a fixed zodiac. These principles had al-
ready passed to the Persians two centuries earlier. The result was a set of
tables, such as the Zîj al-Shâh or Tables of the King, which were similar
but not identical to the Indian tables. Both Mâshâ'allâh and Abu Ma’shar
utilized these or similar tables in preparing their "astrological World histo-
ries” rather than Ptolemy’s astronomical tables when calculating the supe-
rior planets positions. Their greatest contribution was to make known to
the Arabs the Indian invention of special signs for the numerals; or what
we have mistakenly called Arabic numerals because it was through Arabic
writings that Western Europeans became aware of them. Prior to this
period, the Arabs, like the Greeks, had used the numerical values as-
signed to the letters of the alphabet, so that the Arabic letter dal, like the
Greek letter delta, had to serve not only as the letter d but also as the
numeral 4. The Indians had also invented a symbol for zero, which was
lacking in the Arabic and Greek alpha-numerals.
[19] Kankah the Indian astrologer, who came to the courts of Al Mansur,
wrote two books on the Conjunctions of the planets for example.
[20] This was called the World Year.
Page 6
of worldly events. For example, we find that today this con-
ception is attached to the Saros cycles of solar eclipses.
Any two eclipses separated by one Saros cycle share very
similar mechanical characteristics. They occur at the same
node with the Moon at the same distance from Earth and at
the same time of year. Bernadette Brady, for example, has
written,
«These families or cycles have beginnings, middles
and ends, and were first discovered by the Babylonians.
Any one cycle will run for well over a thousand years,
making the study of individual eclipses equivalent to
sitting and watching a giant hardwood tree grow.»[21]
What Ms. Brady does not recount in her excellent work on
eclipses is that this conception and astronomical conven-
tion was the very heart and soul of the conjunctions of all
the planets and in particular those of Jupiter and Saturn. In
the same way that Saros cycles had beginnings, middles and
ends, so do the greater conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn.
In fact, all of these conjunctions, including the eclipse cy-
cles were presented in a hierarchical form by the Medieval
Arabic astrologers; especially Abu Ma’shar.
«[12] Since the things from which to deduce advanced
knowledge of the occurrences of general <types of
events> and their particular instances in future times are
gained from six elements, <here they are:> The first is
from the celestial bodies’ positions in the horoscopes of
the revolution of the years in which the conjunction of
the two superior planets
[22]
occurs in the spring tropical
[23]
sign, happening every 960 solar years.
[13] The second is from the celestial bodies’ positions in
the horoscopes of the revolutions of the years in which
their conjunction occurs when they shift from one triplic-
ity to another, occurring every 240 solar years.
[14] The third is from the celestial bodies’ positions in
the horoscopes of the revolutions of the years in which
[24]
the conjunction of the two malefics occurs in Cancer,
and from the period of their conjunction in it, occurring
every 30 years.
[15] The fourth is from the celestial bodies’ positions in
the horoscopes of the revolution of the years in which
their conjunction occurs in each sign, happening every
20 years.
[19] As for the fifth <element>, it is from the celestial
bodies’ positions in the horoscopes of the times at
which the conjunctional and oppositional Beginnings[25]
arrive which precede the parallelism[26] of the greater
[21] The Saros Cycle - Eclipses come in Families, by Bernadette Brady -
www.BernadetteBrady.com
[22] I.e. Saturn and Jupiter
[23] I.e. the sign Aries
[24] I.e. Saturn and Mars
[26] I.e. the transit or ingress of the Sun into the sign of Aries
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
History of Mundane Astrology cont.
luminary with the point of the beginnings of the tropical
signs and at the time of its parallelism with them.
[20] The sixth is from the celestial bodies’ positions in
the horoscopes of the times at which conjunctional and
oppositional Beginnings arrive which precede the paral-
lelism of the greater luminary with the beginnings of
<each of> the signs and at the time of its parallelism
with the point of their beginnings.
[21] In the presence of one of these times that we have
defined, one looks at the horoscopes of those times,
and the location of the celestial bodies’ in them, and all
their natural and accidental conditions <which result>
from their essence
[27]
and from <their relation to> the
Sun and the sphere,[28] and one discovers (1) the na-
ture of their indication from the planets which have pre-
dominance over the principal positions, and (2) the time
of it according to what the indicators point out.»[29]
While this thought on ‘beginnings’ and cycles existed in
ancient Greek thought[30] it was only in Babylonian (and
later Sassanian) and Indian astrology that it developed to a
particular and specific practice.
It is these innovations and teachings which ultimately made
their way into Europe in the late medieval period through
astrologers like Guido Bonatti and made up the body of
mundane astrology in the renaissance of people like Wil-
liam Ramesey who compiled a long treatise called Astrolo-
gia Munda.[31]
Steven Birchfield ©2007
[27] I.e. their natural significations
[28] I.e. whether combust, retrograde, oriental or occidental of the Sun and
accidental signification derived from their house position and the house(s)
they rule.
[29] Volume I, Part One, Chapter One, §[7], Abu Ma’sar On Historical
Astrology: The Book of Religions and Dynasties (On the Great Con-
junctions), by Abu Ma’shar; translated and edited from the original Arabic
by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett; published by Brill©2000
[30] See G. De Calastay, Annus Platonicus, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1997
[31] This was in fact the fourth treatise of his book Astrology Restored.
Who is Abu Ma’shar?
Robert Zoller, in an earlier article on Abu Ma’shar, entitled
the article, Abu Ma’shar Prince of Astrologers.[1] This hon-
orific was by no means an exaggeration. There is perhaps
no other astrologer in history who has been cited and
quoted to such a degree and had such a long reaching im-
pact on astrology and philosophy as Abu Ma’shar.
There are two primary sources of biographical information
concerning Abu Ma’shar. The first and fullest ancient ac-
Page 7
count of Abu Ma’shar’s life and works is found in the refer-
ence work of Ibn an-Nadim,[2] the Kitab al-Fihrist.[3] The
other source is in the text of another treatise entitled, Albu-
masar in Sadan, by Peter of Abano.[4] This text was trans-
lated and paraphrased in recent times by Lynn Thorndike.[5]
Abu> Ma’šar Ga’far ibn Mohammad ibn ‘Umar al-Balh~i>
(Albumassar in the West) was born in Balh~ in the Persian
province of H~ura>sa>n[6] in 787 AD and died in al-Wa>sit ~in
central Iraq in 886 AD. As a young man, we are told that
Abu Ma’shar was a student of the Hadith,[7] which meant
that he was probably studying to enter some form of the
Islamic priesthood. The probable truth of the matter is that
he began his career[8] as an expert in Hadith and brought to
Baghdad as part of the intellectual elite. However, by the
age of 30-40, it is recounted that he became a student of
astrology largely due the influence of al-Kindî (Ya‘qûb ibn
Ish`âq al-Kindî) the Philosopher of the Arabs.
In 825, as a result of a quarrel with al-Kindî, Abu Ma’shâr
realised that to understand philosophical arguments he must
study mathematics in all its forms including astrology. Ac-
[1] This article is available from Robert’s web site as a downloadable PDF
document at http://www.robertezoller.com/index.shtml
[2] Abu'l-Faraj Muhammad bin Ishaq al-Warraq (original Arabic), living in
the 10th century, was an Arabic or Persian bookseller and calligrapher who
copied manuscripts for sale.
[3] The Fihrist, or Kitab al-Fihrist, (published in 938 AD), was an index of
all books written in Arabic, whether by Arabs or non-Arabs. It also con-
tained relevant biographical information of many of the principle authors of
the works it indexed. It lists the titles only of those books that he had seen
himself or whose existence was vouchsafed by a trustworthy person. The
Fihrist of an-Nadim, 2 volumes, translated by B. Dodge, New York and
London 1970
[4] Petrus de Abano (later anglicised to Peter of Abano) was born, ca.
1250, in Italy. He studied a long time in Paris, where he earned degrees
as a Doctor in philosophy and physics. His major written works were the
Heptameron or Magical Elements and Conciliator differentiarum phi-
losophorum et precipue medicorum, which was an attempt to create
some crossover between the very opposite arts of physicians and philoso-
phers. Unfortunately, for him, during the height of the Inquisition, his
knowledge of physics and philosophy was equated with witchcraft and
magic, and he was incarcerated, and placed on trial. He was charged with
accusations, and unfounded claims concerning his practises and personal
beliefs. It was highly likely that he would have been found guilty of these
accusations and burnt alive, had he survived his trial. In 1316, he died
aged sixty-six, alone in his cell.
[5] Lynn Thorndike is an historian of science at Columbia University in New
York City and author of the 8 volume, History of Magic and Experimen-
tal Science. In 1954, he published the article, Albumasar in Sadan, in
the scholarly journal Isis. The article was the first full account of a bio-
graphical treatise of the same name written by Peter of Abano.
Thorndike’s paraphrase and free translation of two manuscripts is still the
only English version available.
[6] The ruins of Balh are in present day Afghanistan.
[7] The Hadith, or al-Hadîth, are a written collection of originally oral tradi-
tions relating to the words and deeds of Muhammad. These were used as
references in matters of religious law, custom and history.
[8] Probably at the beginning of the al-Ma’mun caliphate (813 – 833 C.E.)
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Who is Abu Ma’shar cont...
cording to David Pingree,
«He henceforth devoted his energies to expounding the
philosophical and historical justifications of astrology,
and to discoursing on and exemplifying the practical
efficacy of this science. In this effort he drew upon ele-
ments of all the diverse intellectual traditions to which
he was almost uniquely heir.»[9]
We know little of his early life in Balh` as most of his biog-
raphy is recounted from the activity of his later life in
Baghdad where he lived by the Hurâsân Gate. Living in
Baghdad, which was a flourishing centre for arts and sci-
ences, he came into fellowship with not only al-Kindî, but
most of his contemporaries in Baghdad were some of this
medieval periods greatest minds such as Tâbit ibn Qurra,
Muh`ammad ibn Mûsâ l-H`wârizmî and the scholars in the
Bayt al-h`ikma (“House of Wisdom”).
There were many astrologers who contributed to the mun-
dane astrology of this period. The relevant Arabic writings
that survive are attributed to Zarâdušt, Gâmâsb,
Mâshâ’allâh, Kankah al-Hîndî, ‘Umar ibn al-Farruh`ân,[10]
Sahl ibn Bišr, al-Kindî, an-Nayrîzî, al-Battânî, Ibn Kibriyâ’
an-Nawbah`tî, as-Sig^zî, Ibn Mâg^ûr, Ibn Abi^ r-Rig^^a^l, and
Muh`yi^ d-Di^n al-Mag^ribi^. However, the most highly devel-
oped forms of the art of mundane astrology belonged to the
most prolific and most widely read astrologer of this period,
Abu Ma’shâr.
Not only did he set the standard for mundane astrological
practice, but he also established the philosophical forms. In
a recent article written by Rob Hand he states,
«Now, after about 800 C.E. or in the 800’s C.E., Arabic
astrology underwent a philosophical revolution. This
was largely conducted by one man: Albumazar (in the
Latinised form of his name, Abu Ma’shâr (d. 886 C.E.)
in Arabic). Albumazar took the somewhat Aristotelian
science of astrology and turned it into a completely Aris-
totelian science. This was so much so that when Albu-
mazar’s texts were translated into Latin, the West
learned its Aristotelian physics from the astrology texts
of Albumazar. This has been demonstrated in massive
work written in late 60’s by the late Richard Lemay.[11] I
have looked throughout historical literature to see if
there are any serious challenges to his thesis, but I
have not found any; it seems to be generally accepted.
[9] From David Pingree’s entry for Abu Ma’shâr in his Dictionary of Scien-
tific Biography
[10] Omar of Tiberias
[11] Richard Lemay, Abu Ma’shar and Latin Aristotelianism in the
Twelfth Century; the Recovery of Aristotle’s Natural Philosophy through
Arabic Astrology (Beirut: 1962), passim.
Page 8
So I think we have to accept the idea that Albumazar
made astrology as Aristotelian as it became.»
[12]
Charles Burnett confirms this evaluation further in the ap-
pendix on Sources and Doctrines of his translation of the
Arabic text, On the Great Conjunctions.
«From its subject matter, one would assume that natu-
ral philosophy would not have a significant role in The
Book of Religions and Dynasties. Yet Abu Ma’shâr uses
terminology from natural philosophy and attempts to
accommodate the work to the Aristotelian world view at
every point. This is particularly obvious at the very be-
ginning of the work where, instead of locating historical
astrology within the science of the stars, he marks out
[13]
its position within natural philosophy.»
Abu Ma’shâr became famous not only as the leading au-
thority on astrology but also as a court astrologer and a
professional astrologer who travelled throughout the East in
the service of several Indian, Persian, Arab and Egyptian
heads of state. Abu Ma’shâr rose to become, in the words of
Ibn al-Qifti, “the teacher of the people of Islam concerning
the influences of the stars.” While maintaining a strict ad-
herence to the tenets of Islam, he allowed students to adopt
‘heretical’ views. For instance, his astrological interpreta-
tion of History indicated the inherent impermanence of all
human institutions, including those of the dominant relig-
ion and secular powers of his time! Abu Ma’shâr himself
advised several rebels against the authority of the caliph. It
was his enormous reputation that protected him from perse-
cution although he did receive a flogging during the caliph-
ate of al-Mustain (862-866) because of his practice of as-
trology.
Some 50 books and treatises are attributed to Abu Ma’shâr.
Not all deal explicitly with astrology but are mathematical
and astronomical tables and philosophical works. Abu
Ma’shâr’s best known astrological writings are extant in the
original Arabic and nearly all of them are now translated or
under translation into English! The following is a list of all
these works:
The Great Introduction to the Science of Astrology –
(Kitab al-mudkhal al-kabir ila ‘ilm ahkam al-nujum)
This is probably the most influential text coming to Europe
in the 12th century. It was translated by both John of Seville
[12] On Matter and Form in Astrology, by Rob Hand ©2006. The article
was first published in an abbreviated form in Geocosmic Journal for
autumn 2006. This is the complete, unabridged article which covers con-
siderably more ground than the version in the journal.
[13] Sources and Doctrines, Abu Ma’sar On Historical Astrology; The
Book of Religions and Dynasties (On the Great Conjunctions), edited
and translated from the Arabic original by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles
Burnett, 2 Volumes published by Brill Publishers ©2000
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1 Page 9

It was only recently published as Abû Ma’šâr On Historical

Who is Abu Ma’shar cont... Astrology: The Book of Religions and Dynasties (On the
and Hermann of Carinthia. [14]
The critical Latin text has
Great Conjunctions), translated and edited by Keiji Yama-
moto and Charles Burnett, 2 volumes published by Brill
been published by Richard Joseph Lemay through the Uni-
Publishers ©2000.
versity Institute of Oriental Studies in 1996.[15] This text is
under translation to the English from the Arabic original by
Charles Burnett and hopefully we will find this published in Flores astrologie or Liber florum, ("The Flowers of Astrol-
ogy" or "The Book of Flowers")
the near future.
This is a shorter and more general work on mundane astrol-
The Abbreviation of the Introduction to Astrology
ogy that focused on how to delineate revolutions of the
world. It was translated by John of Seville into Latin.[17] As
As the title clearly suggests, this is a much briefer version
of yet there is no English translation of the Arabic original.
of the original larger volume. It is reduced to a handy for-
mat of seven chapters and containing the main astrological Two English translations have been made from the Latin
texts.
information but without the philosophical elaborations
found in the Great Introduction. The common name of this
There is an unpublished translation by James H. Holden,
treatise in medieval Europe was the Ysagoga minor. There
are two English publications of this work. The first was The
The Book of Flowers (Dallas: The Translator, 1985. pri-
Abbreviation of the Introduction to Astrology, Together vately circulated). Then there is a web published version,
with the Medieval Latin Translation of Adelard of Bath, Flores Albumasaris, the Flowers of Abu Ma’shâr, transla-
tion and commentary by Benjamin N. Dykes, Ph.D., AMA
edited and translated by Charles Burnett, Keiji Yakomoto &
based on the 1488 Latin Edition of Erhard Ratdolt. This
Michio Yano and published by Brill Publishers ©1994. It
was originally placed as a downloadable PDF on Professor
was later republished as The Abbreviation of the Introduc-
Dyke’s web site.[18] However, it is no longer being offered
tion to Astrology, Edited and translated by Charles Burnett
and there is a note that it is to be republished as a second
with historical and technical annotations by Charles Bur-
nett, G. Tobyn, G. Cornelius and V. Wells and published by edition at a later date.
ARHAT ©1997 with a second printing in 2000.
The Book of the Thousands – (Kitâb al-ulûf)
On Revolutions of Nativities (On Solar Revolutions)
This is one of Abu Ma’shâr’s books in which the Arabic
text is unfortunately lost and of which no Latin translations
On Solar Revolutions is another large book of 9 treatises.
were made. This book contained Abu Ma’shâr’s outline of
Robert Schmidt translated treatises 3, 4, 5, & 9 from the
Greek translation of the Arabic. It is part of the Project World History on a framework of Aries Ingresses and Great
Conjunctions, but also with an elaborate system of time
Hindsight Medieval Astrology Track Volume II.[16] Unfortu-
periods and chronocrators or time-lords. David Pingree has
nately, it is out of print. He had planned on translating the
been able to restore a substantial portion of this work from
first two treatises also but it was never done. Treatise I was
citations by later Arabic writers.[19] In his book, The Thou-
translated into Italian from the Arabic text by Giuseppe
Bezza. Treatises 6, 7, & 8 are missing from the Latin and sands of Abû Ma'shâr (London: The Warburg Institute,
1968), he discusses Abu Ma’shâr’s theory in great detail
the Greek translations of the Arabic. The entire Arabic text
and gives us an interesting look at the developed form of
is extant but no one has yet translated it in its entirety!
this branch of mundane astrology.
By Steven Birchfield ©2007
The Book of Religions and Dynasties: On the Great Con-
junctions – (Kitab al-Milal wa-d-Duwal)
[17] Augsburg: Erhard Ratdolt, 1488. repr. 1489 and 1495
This is Abu Ma’shâr’s mammoth compendium in 7 Parts [18] Medieval Astrology – Medieval Techniques and Ancient Wisdom by
concerning mundane astrology, the conjunctions of the su- Benjamin Dykes, Ph.D., AMA, Astrologer (http://www.bendykes.com/)
[19] There is a treatment of the material in Abu Ma’shar’s Thousands in the
perior planets, their significance in yearly revolutions of the
Kitâb al-Kâmil by Mûsâ ibn Nawbakht for example.
Sun (Aries Ingresses) and how they relate to world history.
Contemprary sources on Abu Ma’shar:
Abu Ma’shar and Latin Aristotelianism in the Twelfth Century, the
[14] According to translator Charles Burnett, the latter was a much inferior
American University of Beirut, Publications of the Faculty of Arts and Sci-
translation. ences. Oriental Series no.38 1962.
[15] Liber Introductorii Maioris ad Scientiam Judiciorum Astrorum, 9
History of Magic and Experimental Science, by Lynn Thorndike,
volumes, edited by R. Lemay, Naples 1996 Columbia University Press, 1923, vol I cf Richard Lemay.
[16] On Solar Revolutions Part II, by Abu Ma’shâr, translated and anno-
Dictionary of Scientific Biography. New York, NY: Charles Scribner and
tated from the Greek translation of the Arabic text by Robert Schmidt and Sons, 1970-1980. 16 vols. ISBN 0684101149. Supplement II, edited by
published by Project Hindsight the Medieval Astrology Track Volume II, Frederic Lawrence Holmes, 2 vols., 1990. ISBN 0684169622 (set).
©1999
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Medieval Technique in Mundane
Astrology
Ingress Charts
The single most important tool for the prediction of mun-
dane events is the ‘yearly revolution’, better known as the
Aries ingress chart, or the chart of ‘the entrance of the Sun
into the first minute of the sign Aries’, as it was often
called. As with most tools of prediction, this is both a
stand-alone chart, and not a stand-alone chart. When de-
lineated as a stand-alone chart it only indicates ‘universals’
as pertaining to a certain country or nation. Of course, any
ingress will most probably be almost identical for most
North-European countries, give or take a few small differ-
ences. Therefore, as with all predictive tools, we have to
correlate such a chart to ‘a root’, a radix, which is another
chart to which the indications in the ingress-chart can be
referred. Ingress charts are delineated in the context of
these beginning charts, just as a Solar Return is seen in the
context of the nativity. In mundane astrology, this reference
chart is of course first of all the chart of the Nation, but
there are other beginning charts which can also play an im-
portant role in the delineation of Ingress charts. In this arti-
cle I will explore the several beginning charts used by an-
cient astrologers, next I will give a survey of things ex-
plored in ingress charts, methods and techniques for deline-
ating the Ingress.
Beginnings
What is the ancients’ concept of beginning? In Abu
Ma’shar’s book we can read about a hierarchical pyramid
that says that above dynasties and kings there is always a
‘religion’ that precedes and forms the foundation of all dy-
nasties and kings that will arise as a result of that religion.
Nowhere is it implied that this ‘religion’ has to be or will be
non-secular. It is simply explained that it is the religion that
inspires the people’s faith in the laws coming from that
religion. It is these laws that bind the people to form dynas-
ties and gives rise to ‘kings’. Once the religion is estab-
lished, its laws are formulated, executed, refined, etc…
Abû Ma’shar says it like this on page 7 of his book on relig-
ions and dynasties:
«Related to the superior planet furthest from the world
of generation and corruption, i.e. to Saturn, is the indi-
cation for matters of Beginnings like religions, dynas-
ties, and whatever lasts for a long time, since it is like
the beginning for the other celestial bodies in terms of
height. Related to the planet following it in order, i.e. to
Jupiter, is the indication for laws and the like, which are
the culminations in perfection for the other things which
Page 10
are preliminary and initiatory. Related to the third of
these planets in order, i.e. to Mars, is the indication for
wars, strifes, and the like, being, as it were, the decline
to the final ends of things, because the ends of things
indicate destruction of their orderly arrangements after
their perfection, and corruption of their regularity.
[8] When these [Martien: Mars] things happen, there will
be destruction of the borders, strifes and rebellions call-
ing for wars, and the compulsions necessitating this
arrangement of these three states and their intercon-
nection. That is, when one of them is deficient, this en-
tails the decrease in perfection of the other two states,
according to what natural things necessitate among the
three states: beginning, perfection, and decline. For
wars in most cases do not happen except because of
laws, and laws do not come into being except because
of religions and dynasties. If these states are arranged
inversely, the case once more requires them to be con-
nected and ordered, because religions and dynasties do
not function except by laws, and laws in most cases do
not function except by wars. For religions, dynasties,
and laws occasion changes because of which plenty of
differences occur; if the differences multiply, separation
occurs; if separation occurs, wars take place. Because
of this, these three states are related to the superior
planets, and they are like the beginnings of whatever
secondary indications may follow them.»[1]
The ancients asserted that future events were seen from
‘beginnings’ and when these future events appeared they
carried elements of the beginning but could not in itself
describe the beginning. In other words, the universal begin-
nings give significations for these later changes (as for in-
stance seen in the ingress), but the changes (as seen in in-
gress charts) do not give signification of the universal be-
ginnings.
Abû Ma’shar then says on page 19:
«[21] In the presence of one of these times that we
have defined [Martien: in the quote given above] one
looks at the horoscopes of those times, and the location
of the celestial bodies in them, and all their natural and
accidental conditions <which result> from their essence
and from <their relation to> the Sun and the sphere,
and one discovers (1) the nature of their indication from
the planets which have predominance over the principal
positions, and (2) the time of it according to what the
indicators point out. Then one looks at the indication of
[2]
these six principles.»
So he instructs us to delineate the chart just as we would do
normally, next do an almuten calculation to seek ‘the plan-
ets which have predominance over the principal positions’;
[1] Part One, Chapter One – Abu Ma’sar on Historical Astrology: The
Book of Religions and Dynasties (On the Great Conjunctions) – trans-
lated by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett in 2 Volumes, published by
Brill Publishers ©2000
[2] Ibid
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Medieval Technique in Mundane
Astrology cont...
and then use these things for the timing of events.
What beginnings?
In the very first chapter of the first Part, Abu Ma’shar in his
book lays down what beginnings we need to look to, and
for what purposes.
1. Greater Conjunctions: Jupiter and Saturn in
Aries (Every 960 years)
What is indicated by this conjunction?
a. General and universal matters i.e. floods, earthquakes,
epidemics, and the like.
b. What happens in all shorter dynasties in those times and
c. The amount of the length of the lives (respect) of their
people and in what strongly tends towards universal mat-
ters
The Universal significations were indicated by the shift of
the conjunction into the fire triplicity. Abu Ma’shar says
this is Aries; however, this is not the case. If we look at
over 7000 years of conjunctions then we quickly see that at
no time in history have the conjunctions in fire signs begun
in Aries. In fact, until the last shift into Sagittarius, they all
began in Leo! Not all Astrologers said it was Aries. Omar of
Tiberias (‘Umar) actually wrote:
«The indications of the first ‘am is taken from the re-
turns and indications of the transits of the conjunctions
of the thousands, I mean the conjunction of the two
planets, Saturn and Jupiter in Leo, to their return to that
place: this is a period of 959 years.»[3]
The indicated length of this period stated, i.e. 959 years, is
not the time of the true conjunction but is the conjunction
calculated from the mean motions of Jupiter and Saturn.
The true duration of this period (while always 40 conjunc-
tions) can be either 775, 795 or 854 years. The important
point though is that there is a shift beginning in the fire
triplicities and there is a beginning for Universal significa-
tions which Omar says are very important because,
[3]Kitab al-Qirânât wa-tahwil as-sinin, or the Book of Conjunctions, by
‘Umar ibn al-Farruh`ân (Omar) translated from the original Arabic text
found in MS Istanbul, University Library 315, by Charles Burnett and ap-
pended in the section on “Sources and Doctrines” (pg 585 of Volume I)
Abu Ma’sar on Historical Astrology: The Book of Religions and Dy-
nasties (On the Great Conjunctions).
Page 11
«This point of time indicates the sum of what happens
in this period. At this point of time, there is a shift from
one condition to another, a change in genera and
shapes, and new matters, the like of which has never
occurred before. No indication is like its indication, no
period like its period, and there is no doubt about the
change, as we shall explain.»
These great periods are as follows and beginning from
where all of the astrologers began – the period that indi-
cates the “great flood” reported in all ancient civilisations.
The Arab astrologers based their history on some ‘truth’
because the date of the flood they retrieved is from dates
recorded in Hindu, Egyptian, Sassanian, Babylonian and
Judean history and all of these dates point to the time be-
tween 3200 and 3500 BC for the flood:
3263 BC to 2469 BC -(the shift to fire/Leo)
2469 BC to 1674 BC -(the shift to fire/Leo)
1674 BC to 821 BC -(the shift to fire/Leo)
821 BC to 26 BC -(the shift to fire/Leo)
26 BC to 769 CE -(the shift to fire/Leo)
769 CE to 1544 CE -(the shift to fire/Leo)
1544 CE to today -(the shift to fire/Sagittarius)
Indicators of this chart are used in other beginnings and
ingress charts:
The ‘terminal sign’ counted from the ascendant of this first
conjunction in Leo, counting 1 year for each sign. It indi-
cates the state of the universal matters indicated by the
return to the fire sign. This is of course the method of Pro-
fection. The terminal sign is the profected sign of the cur-
rent year.
Direct the degree of the ascendant for the greater conjunc-
tion giving 1 year for each degree [primary direction of the
ascendant in OA through the terms]. We must then consider
the bound lord and planets that aspect.
To sum up:
1.) Concerning the general and universal matters, e.g.
plagues and great disasters etc:
The indication of these matters is found from the profection
of the Ascendant of the Ingress chart of the transit of the
Conjunction to the fire signs and the lord of the Profected
sign.
2.) The indication of what happens to all shorter dynasties
in those times:
The indication of these matters is found from the direction
of the degree of the conjunction itself at 1 year per degree!
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Medieval Technique in Mundane
Astrology cont...
2. Middle Conjunctions: Jupiter and Saturn shift-
ing triplicity (Every 240 years)
What is indicated by this conjunction?
a. If the shift indicates a religion then it gives indications for
what happens to religions.
b. If the shift indicates a dynasty then it gives indications for
what happens to dynasties.
c. Otherwise, the shift gives indications for what happens in
the dynasties of kings of the current religion or dynasty.
The next step is to look at these middle conjunctions, i.e.,
those conjunctions shifting triplicities. Omar continues to
tell us that,
«The second ‘am is the shift from triplicity to triplicity;
this happens every 240 years and less than that. (Again
Omar is more correct than Abu since in truth they
change every 179, 199 or 238 years!) This point of time,
its ascendant, and the places of the planets indicate
what happens in religions, kingdoms and dynasties, and
that there is innovated in the world a religion or a dy-
nasty which did not exist before... The second ‘am indi-
cates the time of things. The indication of the first [‘am]
invalidates and cancels it, if the first is more powerful
than the second <is>. The first one indicates the sec-
ond, but the second does not indicate the first; the sec-
ond is included in the first, while the first is not included
in the second...»
It is these conjunctions when they shift triplicity, which
according to Omar here, do indicate not only the changes in
nations and dynasties as Abu Ma’shar explained earlier, but
he specifically says that there is innovated in the world
either a religion or a dynasty which did not exist before!
So, these particular conjunctions and the degree and sign of
the conjunction as well as the ascendant and the degree of
the ascendant are necessary to tell us something about
changes within existing nations and any new nations and
religions!
Indicators for these events of this shift chart used in other
beginnings and ingress charts:
a. The terminal sign (profected sign) counted from the as-
cendant of the shift giving 1 year to each sign (30°) indi-
cated what happens to the people of the dynasties in those
times.
b. The terminal sign (profected sign) counted from the sign
of the conjunction giving 1 year to each sign (30°).
c. The directed ascendant degree (primary direction of the
ascendant in OA through the terms) giving 1 year to each
Page 12
degree
d. The directed degree of the conjunction (primary direction
of the conjunction degree in ascensional degrees through
the terms) giving 1 year to each degree
So if the Ingress chart of the shift of the triplicity indicated
a religion, then to know what happens to the people of that
religion, the indication of these matters is found from the
profection of the Ascendant of the Ingress chart in which
the shift of the triplicity occurs along with the Lord of that
profected sign (also called the Terminal sign).
To know what happens to the religion itself the indication
of these matters is found in the profection of the sign and
degree of the conjunction itself and the lord of the pro-
fected sign.
If the ingress chart of the shift of the triplicity indicates a
dynasty, then to know what happens to the people of that
dynasty the indications of these matters are found in the
profection of the Ascendant of the Ingress in which the con-
junction occurs (within that triplicity shift period) and it’s
Lord.
Again, if the shift indicates a dynasty then to know what
happens to that dynasty the indications of these matters are
found in the profection of the sign and degree of the con-
junction itself and its lord!
3. Conjunctions of Saturn and Mars in the sign of
Cancer (every 30 years)
Abû Ma’shar:
«The third is from the celestial bodies’ positions in the
horoscopes of the revolutions of the years in which the
conjunction of the two malefics occurs in Cancer, and
from the period of their conjunction in it, occurring every
30 years.»
Abu seems to mention two different charts here; the ingress
we understand is for the year in which the conjunction will
occur, but what is “the period of their conjunction in it”? Is
it the moment they join in the same degree?
[Note by co-editor] For a while, I had some problem recon-
ciling the fact that Mâshâ’allâh (and others) say,
«…the knowledge of events happening from the con-
junction is through the consideration of the Ascendant
and planets in the hour of the conjunction, and which of
them is predominating in the figure.»[4]
On the Eclipses of Luminaries, of Conjunctions of the Planets, and
[4]
on the Revolutions of the Years, by Masha’allah and translated from the
Latin edition by Anton Grigoryev.
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Medieval Technique in Mundane
Astrology cont...
There is no doubt about what Mâshâ’allâh says here! We
are to cast a chart in the “hour of the conjunction”! The
first question that is plaguing me is; when did these astrolo-
gers consider Jupiter and Saturn conjunct? Ramesey says
when they are conjunct by degree and minute; i.e. when
Jupiter enters the same degree and minute as Saturn. But is
this what these ancients considered conjunct and the ‘true’
joining? Well, if we follow Mâshâ’allâh he says;
«And a joining together is accomplished by degree ac-
cording to degree, namely, when the swift planet is
joined together to the ponderous planet by degree ac-
cording to degree at the time it is joined.»[5]
We know it is by degree! Just as the ingress of the Sun into
Aries was cast when the Sun entered the first degree of Ar-
ies (00º Aries 00’ 01”) so a conjunction is when Jupiter en-
ters the same minute as Saturn. I would have to say then, if
Saturn were in 23º Scorpio 15’32”, then Jupiter is conjunct
when it is 23º Scorpio 00’01”! This has a lot to do with the
philosophy and signification attached to a “degree” as a
whole! It is the synonymous with ‘fate’ in the Greek lan-
guage and it meant that there was a ‘fate’ or specific signi-
fication allotted to each degree[6] and it was not something
that could be divided since the division of something de-
stroys it’s wholeness! This is lost on European astrologers
and it is this lack of understanding of the philosophical con-
ceptions that leads Bonatti to begin this 16’ rule for con-
junctions! It is a very wrong conception!
The second question plaguing me is; just what were they
delineating from this chart? It is clear from the historical
record of both Mâshâ’allâh and Abu Ma’shâr, that the
charts they used to predict events were the charts of the
ingress of the Sun into Aries for the years of these conjunc-
tions! No where can we find a chart of the conjunction it-
self or the ancients predicting from such a chart! Nonethe-
less, we see in Mâshâ’allâh’s quote and in Abu Ma’shar’s
comments the need for such a chart!
I have been giving this some considerable thought and I
think I might suggest an answer to that question. Let’s look
further at what Mâshâ’allâh writes,
«The conjunctions of planets signify events of this world
and its things; and all this should be considered through
[5] On Reception by Mâshâ’allâh, translated from the Latin text by Robert
Hand and published by ARHAT Publications ©1998
[6] This is in fact where the teaching of the monomoiria comes from where
each degree is ‘allotted’ a specific ruler indicating something of the nature
of the ‘fate’ of that degree.
Page 13
the time of conjunction of superior and inferior planets.
And benevolent planets signify prosperity and good
effect, if they are prevailing over the figure of conjunc-
tion; if malevolent planets are prevailing, they will signify
[7]
evil and bad effect.»
At the same time as we reflect on these words, let us con-
sider what Abu Ma’shâr says with regards to another type
conjunction, i.e. those of the luminaries,
«[9] As for the question of things of a general kind like
an epidemic, a plague, fertility, barrenness, and rain;
this is known from the horoscopes of the universal Be-
ginnings occurring before the parallelism of the greater
luminary with the spring tropic, and at the time of its
parallelism, and from the Moon in its two positions, i.e.
the position of the conjunction (New Moon) and that of
the opposition (Full Moon) in the years of the conjunc-
tions or other <years>. If everything that we have men-
tioned is free from misfortunes, this indicates safety. If it
is not like this, it indicates an epidemic. If the two lords
of the two ascendants are applying, or if one of them or
the Moon, accompanied by misfortune, is applying to
the lord of the eighth place from it, this indicates many
deaths because of the epidemic.»[8]
Now if we compare what Abu Ma’shâr explains to do with
these conjunction charts and what Mâshâ’allâh explains
they signify, then, I dare say that the purpose of the con-
junctional charts themselves was to specify the nature of
the effect of the conjunction! It is how the principle signifi-
cators of that conjunction were seen in relation to the sig-
nificators of the Ingress charts that allowed them to predict
events; e.g. the LOY or predominant planet or significator
of a particular house and matter joined to the predominant
planet of the conjunction; or a malefic joined to the signifi-
cator or predominant planet signifying the nature of the
conjunction. Is this understandable? If we look at the chart
of a particular conjunction of the superiors, and in that
chart we look at the sign it falls in, the lord of that sign and
the lord or predominant planet of that chart, then when we
look at the Ingress chart we should look to see how these
are placed and what planets aspect them. For example, is
the LOY joined to the Lord of the Conjunction? It is how
these planets are situated and made fortunate or unfortu-
nate in both times that determines what can be predicted. If
we find a certain conjunction indicates a misfortunate ef-
fect, e.g., the degree of the conjunction or the lord of the
conjunction is afflicted; or perhaps the lord of the Ascen-
dant of that chart is afflicted etc, then we look in the in-
gress chart to see what it is joined to and how it is testified
[7] Chapter 8, On the Eclipses of Luminaries, of Conjunctions of the
Planets, and on the Revolutions of the Years, by Masha’allah and
translated from the Latin edition by Anton Grigoryev.
[8] Part eight, Chapter One – Abu Ma’sar on Historical Astrology: The
Book of Religions and Dynasties (On the Great Conjunctions) – trans-
lated by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett in 2 Volumes, published by
Brill Publishers ©2000
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Medieval Technique in Mundane
Astrology cont...
to by the planets determined to that ingress!
That is my present understanding of why both charts were
needed, besides the fact that if one is to profect or direct
the degree of the conjunction itself in order to understand
what it signifies, then a chart most definitely must be cast
of the conjunction itself! [end of co-editors note]
We know less of Abû Ma’shar’s opinion on this conjunction
as he doesn’t go into delineating it, but in appendix III to
his book we can read about it in Al-Kindi’s letter ‘On the
rule of the Arabs and its duration’.
4. Lesser Conjunctions: Of Jupiter and Saturn in
each sign (Every 20 years)
What is indicated by this conjunction?
What happens to rulers, the high and respectable families in
that conjunction.
Omar:
«The third ‘am indicates less that these two [previous]
indications, i.e., those of the first and the second, be-
cause it is included in the second and the second is
included in the first. Its indication is for kings [and the
ruling elite, nobles etc] and twenty-year happenings
since its existence is only for this period of time in af-
fairs which are ruling over the climes. There is no ruler-
ship over anything other than this.»
The last one of these was in May 2000 when Jupiter and
Mars conjoined in 22.44 degrees of Taurus.
To know the nature of the effect of the conjunction we
would also have to cast a chart of the conjunction itself.
By the way, this was an intense chart as it preceded the
9/11 attacks and the general shift in attitude towards Mus-
lims worldwide, and the revival of the crusades! In Holland,
this shift in attitude from tolerance towards intolerance was
especially felt after the murders of Pim Fortuyn in 2002
(who was quite a rebellious figure and started the whole
debate about the (failing) integration of foreigners, espe-
cially Muslims) and writer, columnist, film director Theo
van Gogh in 2004.
Again, when is the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn? Do
we follow Ramesey and the Reformers and cast the chart
for the moment Jupiter enters the same degree and minute?
Or, do we do as Mâshâ’allâh says, and cast the chart for the
Page 14
time when Jupiter enters the same degree as Saturn? That
would give us the following chart:
GC chart of 2000
25 May 2000 AD GC
4:06:26 PM, CED -02:00:00
Den Haag, Netherlands
4e18'00, 52n06'00
Alchabitius Declination
Ascendant: 06° Libra 33' 26"
Midheaven: 08° Cancer 36' 29"
The Moon: 24° Aquarius 24' 46"
You should note that the lord of the Ascendant, Venus, is
severely afflicted falling in the 8th house, peregrine and
combust! Venus is also lady of the conjunction and falls in
aversion which strongly signifies exiles and contentions and
separations! The nature of the effects will be those signified
by Venus! This conjunction then has much to do with love,
relationships, with religion and the proper rites of purifica-
tion (religious contentions); it is concerned with all things
Venusian such as commodities of pleasure and comfort etc.
Indicators of this chart used in other beginnings and ingress
charts:
a. The terminal sign counted from the ascendant of the con-
junction giving 1 year to each sign.
b. The terminal sign counted from the sign of the conjunc-
tion giving 1 year to each sign.
c. The directed ascendant degree giving 1 year to each de-
gree
d. The directed degree of the conjunction giving 1 year to
each degree
In summation, there is something that we have to under-
stand concerning global events:
The yearly ingress charts only give information on current
universals, let’s say, the present ‘state of being’. But to
understand their significance we have to examine beginning
charts that precede them and relate them to the ingress
chart.
One of these other beginning charts is the yearly Ingresses
of the year in which the Great Conjunctions shifted from
one triplicity to another. These great conjunctions indicate:
Universal changes and new beginnings in the paradigm of
events.
Then there were beginnings of new nations or nations that
changed from one dynasty to another. These were also seen
within the context of the universal beginnings indicated by
the great conjunctions.
Martien Hermes ©2007
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1 Page 15

The year 2007 in the Ascendant: 02° Sagittarius 43’ 50”

Netherlands Midheaven: 29° Virgo 43’ 41”
The Moon: 13° Scorpio 47’ 15”
or Ingresses and how to
delineate them
“On 17th of November 1813 The Hague revolts against
Napoleon’s occupation and on 30th of November 1813
Prince Willem Frederik arrives at 16:00 hours in
Scheveningen in the British frigate “The Warrior”. On 2
December 1813, the prince accepts sovereignty as con-
stitutional monarch (king Willem I). This is generally
considered the birth of our Kingdom.”

What chart for the Netherlands?

As no chart designated for prediction is a stand-alone, one
of the more daunting tasks for us modern astrologers is to
establish what chart we can use for the nation for which we
make an ingress. As all the countries in northern Europe
will of course have more or less the same Ingress each year,
we can only differentiate in their exact meaning by refer-
ring them to the natal chart of the nation. This poses how-
ever no end of problems because in modern mundane astrol-
ogy the notion seems to be that the exact moment of the
change of government (‘when the ruler accedes’) is often In mundane several techniques where used to establish the
taken as the birth hour of the Nation’s new chart. This leads most salient points in this chart. We first seek the planet
to endless debates on what chart should be used because that rules the nation; we need to establish the ruler of this
one is never sure exactly what this time is precisely! Is it chart or the predominant planet. Some of the ancient lists
when the new King or Queen is pushed onto the balcony to of the Arabic era of signs and planets ruling specific nations
wave at her subjects? Is it when the new parliament is in- moved away from Ptolemy’s general lists and made other
stalled, and do we then take the moment the procedure be- ones based on the Ascendants of the beginning chart and
gins or when the PM is sworn in? When the exact time is that predominant planet that had the most testimony in the
not known, the nation’s chart is then often simply set for chart. It might be they established their lists by using the
noon. ingress of when a ruler acceded.
The ancients were much clearer about their intentions. Therefore, the sign ruling the Netherlands is Sagittarius,
They simply took the time the ruler acceded to the throne... because this is the ascendant of this national Ingress. The
period! Every dynasty began simply when the ruler acceded planet ruling the Netherlands is the Sun as he is the Al-
to the throne! Abû Ma’shar suggests we take the Aries in- muten Figuris of this chart. So we can say that the Nether-
gress chart of the year when this happens or when the form lands is a nation ruled by Sagittarius and the Sun.
of government changes. Well, that sure helps assuaging the
problems we might have with the exact birth moment of Okay, so now we have determined the root-chart to which
the nation. So we will take the Aries ingress chart of the our ingress can be referred, on to the ingress
year the government changes to a completely new form,
and work with that one. For the beginning of the Nether-
lands, the Ingress of 1813 will be used here.
The ingress
First, we determine if the year is fixed.
Netherlands Beginning Chart
If the sign on the cusp of the ascendant of the Aries ingress
20 Mar 1813 AD GC
is a fixed sign then we work with that chart alone for the
11:59:00 PM - LAT
whole year.
Den Haag, Netherlands
4e18’00, 52n06’00
If the Ascendant sign is common (mutable), then we must
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1 Page 16

Libra Ingress of The Sun - Solar Return

Netherlands Ingress cont...
23 Sep 2007, 10:10:40 (±0 secs), LMT -0:19:36
also cast a chart at the Sun’s ingress into the first degree of Amsterdam NETH
Libra! Each chart will signify for its half year! 52°N22', 04°E54'
Geocentric Tropical Zodiac
If the Ascendant sign is moveable (cardinal), then we have Alcabitius Houses, True Node
to cast a new chart for each quarter at the Sun’s ingress into
the first degree of each cardinal sign: Aries, Cancer, Libra CHART ANGLES
and Capricorn. Each chart will then signify for its own Ascendant 14° Scorpio 45'47''
quarter and have its own ruler that is predominant in that Midheaven 02° Virgo 34'08''
quarter and distributes that quarter for the LOY established Moon 14° Aquarius 18'09''
by the Aries ingress.

2007 Ingress - Netherlands

Mundane Chart
21 Mar 2007 AD GC
1:07:28 AM, CET -01:00:00
Den Haag, Netherlands
4e18’00, 52n06’00
Alchabitius Declination

CHART ANGLES
Ascendant: 06° Sagittarius 05’ 32”
Midheaven: 04° Libra 41’ 33”
The Moon: 26° Aries 47’ 24”

Second: we determine the Lord of the Year (LOY).

Abû Ma’shar in ‘The book of flowers’ gives the following

method for finding the lord of the year:

The ascendant is a common (mutable) sign, so this chart
only indicates the first half of the year 2007. We will have
to also cast a chart for the ingress of the Sun into Libra to
know what is indicated for the 2nd half of this year. So this
gives:
«First, you ought to know the lord of the year; and the
knowledge of this thing is known from the hour of the
entrance of the Sun into the first minute of the sign Ar-
ies. Therefore, you shall know the ASC in that same
hour as most certainly as you will be able; verify the
cusps of the twelve houses of heaven because error
falls in this if it is neglected. And when you have done
this, look at the lord of the ASC with the rest of the plan-
ets the one who then has more strength from the
testimony of the circles of the angle.
And whichever planet you have found in the ASC, the
10th, 7th, or 4th angle, afterwards the 11th [and] 9th,
finally the 5th, [that is the one sought]. And you shall not
prefer the MC to the ASC, nor the 5th house to the 9th,
but let it be done following the aforesaid scheme.
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Netherlands Ingress cont...
And if you have found a planet in the ASC, you shall not
seek another of those which were in other houses.[1]
Likewise, if a planet was not in the ASC, and there was
[one] in the MC, you shall not look at the rest of the
houses. Likewise, if a planet was not in the MC but in
the 7th, you shall not look at the rest of the houses.
Likewise, if not in the 7th, but in the 4th, you shall not
concern yourself with the rest of the houses.
And the one whom you have found in these houses,
that very one will be the dispositor of the year if it has
any dignity, namely of domicile or of exaltation, triplicity,
term, or face.
If moreover, there was in the ASC a planet with no dig-
nity in it, and there was in the MC a planet having
[dignity of] term and face, [then] because it has doubled
its dignity, it is the one that is sought; and you shall not
seek another.
And if there was [one] after them in the 7th, to whom is
joined [the dignity] of domicile, exaltation, term [and]
triplicity or face, it is the [one] sought.»[2]
This is a simple job for our first ingress chart. Jupiter is in
its domicile in the ascendant and there is no other planet
more worthy than Jupiter! So Jupiter rules the year.
Abû Ma’shar has the following to say about Jupiter Lord of
the Year:
«When Jupiter presides over the year, and is its lord
[3]
and descends into Aries or its triplicity, there will ap-
pear in those states over which he presides towards the
East religion and quietude and the apparition of sects
and the observance of preceptors with justice and good
work.
[4]
But if Jupiter is then in good state, it signifies a multi-
tude of goods to the rich and goodness of their hearts,
and their joy, and the obedience of the rustics, and their
esteem towards them in the same place. But if he is in
bad condition, it signifies their contrariety.
And know that the action of Jupiter in the aspect of the
planets to him is made just like the action in the case of
Saturn and the aspects of the planets to him equally.»
[1] The printed text has ‘other houses of the planets’, but ‘other houses’ will
suffice.
[2]
I use the edition kindly given me by James. H. Holden. Abû Ma’shar,
The Book of Flowers, translated from the 12th century Latin version of
John of Seville by James Herschel Holden M.A. Fellow of the American
Federation of Astrologers. Second Edition PHOENIX, ARIZONA 1995
[3] here it is in Sagittarius
[4] As it certainly is here
Page 17
[From the aspects mentioned in the text about Saturn]:
«If, moreover, Jupiter aspected him from a good posi-
tion, [so here it ought to read: if Saturn aspected Jupiter
from a good position], there will come upon the rich who
dwell in regions that are in the division of Aries[5] or of
its triplicity gifts and services from those rich [men] who
are in the division of the region of that sign in which
[Saturn] was, and there will come to their assistance
from the same parts every good thing in which they will
rejoice.»
Of course, we have to take into our consideration the fact that
Saturn is in bad esse. This will play down the benefic indica-
tions of this trine.
The other aspect Jupiter receives is the application of Mars,
by sextile. Abû Ma’shar:
«If, moreover … it was Mars [in aspect], join to him
[Mars] the nature which I have expounded to you con-
cerning the nature of [Jupiter] [but] with haste in the
actions of the rich who are in those regions[6] with much
celerity and contemplation and a paucity of piety, pity,
and gentleness.
But if his aspect was by trine or sextile aspect,[7] there
will come upon the rich who are in the division of the
sign [Sagittarius] and of its triplicity, from the rich who
are of the division of the sign in which Mars is,[8] gifts
and services, joy and rejoicing. Likewise, in general,
it will be good for their rustics and their states. And
they will receive sustentation from those states that are
in the division of the sign Mars is in. And things will be
offered from those states of the natures of things that
are appropriate to those states.»
So in general, Jupiter signifies quite a good spell for the
people of the Netherlands in general in the first half of
2007, as the first house rules “the people’s livelihood, be-
ginnings in works, the innovation of things and their com-
pletion and growth, the use of logic and speech, the knowl-
edge of sciences, commerce, buying and selling.” [9] Inter-
estingly enough this seems to be prepared by a newly ap-
pointed government in which three – rather unlikely – par-
ties have formed a coalition and have presented their opti-
mistic program. As the ascendant of the Ingress chart is
also the ascendant of the beginning chart of our nation, it
generally indicates the state or condition of the livelihood
of the people of the kingdom; beginnings in works; the in-
[5] Abû Ma’shar treats each LOY as per triplicity and gives the sign of Aries
as a general example.
[6] indicated by the sign where Jupiter is
[7] As it is here in our chart
[8] In our chart the airy triplicity
[9] Part Seven, Chapter One – ”Abu Ma’shar on Historical Astrology” –
edited and translated by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett – published
by Brill Publishers ©2000
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Netherlands Ingress cont...
novation of things and their completion and development;
the use of logic and speech; knowledge (especially science
or technology); and people will be preoccupied with eating
and drinking, buying and selling (commerce). Secondly,
Abu Ma’shar tells us that if the lord of the Ascendant
sign10] is either in the ascendant of the beginning chart or
the chart of the yearly ingress – as it is here – then it is an
indicator of a large amount of benefit in this half year. Par-
ticularly, if it is Jupiter that is (in good condition) in the
ascendant of the beginning chart or the ascendant of the
yearly revolution, then it indicates an increase in the pos-
sessions of nobles and wealthy class, their happiness and
joy, the ease of their temperaments, and the safety of the
livelihoods of the common people because of this.
Libra Ingress
The second half of the year – as shown in the Libra ingress
– also has Jupiter in the first house, but now it is in the 2nd
sign. Jupiter is still strong, but has now moved significa-
tions from the 1st house to the 2nd house of finances and
income of the nation and their people (…it signifies the
gathering of substance and the maintenance of life and
things aiding that and receipts and gifts.).[11] And, we also
have another contestant. Saturn is in the 10th house in this
chart, and it is in superior position to Jupiter. Now Abû
Ma’shar says we must still take Jupiter as our LoY, but of
course, we cannot ignore Saturn in this position, as well as
the fact that in this ingress the sign of Scorpio is on the
ascendant.
Thirdly: We must determine what house of the beginning
chart is the Ascendant of the ingress chart because it will
signify what the people of the nation are focused on in that
year!
In the Aries Ingress, Sagittarius is the Ascendant of the
beginning chart. The ascendant of the Libra Ingress how-
ever is the 12th of the beginning chart. Each of these condi-
tions means something quite different. In the Aries Ingress
it signifies that the people will focus their attention on their
livelihoods, and begin new works and projects, and their
will be a great deal of commerce and buying and selling.
This they will do quite successfully in the first half of the
year.
However in the second half of the year, the 12th beginning
house on the ascendant means that the people will fall to
injustice, they will be afraid and a great deal of confusion
Of the yearly ingress chart.
[10]
Sahl Ibn Bishr - The Introduction to the Science of the Judgments
[11]
of the Stars – Translated from the Twelfth Century Latin Version by
James H. Holden, M.A.
Page 18
will ensue; people will engage in base matters and there
will be many who will rebel against authority and exact
responsibility for the actions of others; it further indicates
that illnesses will increase and that there will be those of
evil intention that influence markets deceitfully.
We must next look at its lord, see what house it is in and
look at its ruler. We find Mars in the 8th house of the Libra
Ingress, in Gemini, in triplicity. Mercury rules Mars and
applies to him from the 12th house by trine. Mercury
strongly receives Mars, but Mars does not receive the dis-
position of Mercury. Both planets are in human signs;
therefore, we can expect the foul things indicated by the
location of both planets and their application in these
houses. But what could it be? When we look at the signifi-
cations of the 8th house, it might specifically indicate debt,
loss, and contrarieties to the wealth and substance of the
people. There is a big difference between «national» and
«public» debt! The acquisition of governmental substance,
treasuries, is from taxation and that is an 8th house matter.
The eighth house further, signifies
«…death and killing and lethal poison and fear, and
whatever is inherited from the dead, and everything that
dies, toil and sorrow, wars also and contentions, atten-
dants and assistants of adversaries and contemnors,[12]
and things entrusted, i.e. handed over to be preserved,
and estate management, laziness and talents.»[13]
So in all, rather dire things seem to be indicated by this
position of 1st house ruler. We must however suspect that as
Jupiter is LoY in this Libra Ingress this might perhaps miti-
gate the more severe indications.
Mercury rules Mars and is in the 12th house which
«…is cadent from the ASC, and it does not aspect it; it
signifies, enemies and labours, lamentations and sad-
ness, sorrowful sighs, and hatreds, and malevolent
craftiness, travels, and all [kinds of] malice, hard work,
prisons, and animals.»[14]
That all sound pretty tough, but as Mercury rules the 10th
house of government and executive power ruling the nation,
it probably has a direct relation to what happens in politics.
Mercury is in aversion to the 10th sign Virgo, but its light is
reflected to Virgo by Mars, who sees Virgo and is received
by Mars. Of course, we all know that in general there seems
to be a tendency towards more intolerant and right wing
politics which becomes ever more contentious and aggres-
sive. In the Netherlands, this seems to be going on as well.
[12] Because it is the 2nd house from the 7th, - hence it rules the assets of
opponents.
[13] Sahl Ibn Bishr - The Introduction to the Science of the Judgments
of the Stars – Translated from the Twelfth Century Latin Version by
James H. Holden, M.A.
[14] Ibid
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Netherlands Ingress cont...
Perhaps here we see a crisis in government perhaps due to
some scandal (12th house, Saturn in the 10th house conjunct
south node of the Moon which tends to destabilize). But of
course, criminal activities might also be on the rise. We
have at the moment some high profile criminal cases before
court due to some liquidations some time ago. All of this
might be possible as Abû Ma’shar says:
«The twelfth is the place of enemies, misfortune, sad-
ness, grief, envy, slander, cunning, stratagem and riding
animals[15] …injustice, fear, grief, low opinions, quar-
rels, slaves and the rabble, confusions, low and base
matters, treachery, rebels against authority; sureties,
emigration, rebellion, folly, evil thoughts, and rob-
[16]
bery.»
Fourth: What is the terminal sign (profected sign) and
which house of the beginning chart is it?
So here it is the same, Aquarius is the 3rd sign and house in
both charts. So what does that mean that the terminal sign,
the profected ascendant, is the 3rd house?
Let’s have a closer look.
What planets are in the 3rd of the beginning chart? None,
but the south node is there.
What planets are in the 3rd of the Ingress chart? In the In-
gress, we find Mars at 17.28 degrees, exactly on the south
node of the nation’s chart.
When using mundane and whole sign divisions, we see that
Mars at 17 Aquarius is in both the second house by division
and in the 3rd by whole sign, so we need to consider that
Mars is a cadent planet in a succedent house, i.e. it has
more strength in that house than it would normally!
Third house Profection
«The third house is cadent from the ASC; it signifies
brothers and sisters, neighbours and relations, and their
activities, also patience and advice, faith and religion,
[15] Cf. Chapter One, [120] –”The Abbreviation of the Introduction to
Astrology” – by Abu Ma’shar, translated by Charles Burnett – Published
by ARHAT second printing ©2000 .
[16] Part Seven, Chapter Twelve – “Abu Ma’shar on Historical Astrol-
ogy” – edited and translated by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett –
published by Brill Publishers ©2000.
[17] Taken from a compilation of the signification in Mundane Houses of
several ancient authors by Steven Birchfield. This quote is from Sahl Ibn
Bishr - The Introduction to the Science of the Judgments of the Stars
– Translated from the Twelfth Century Latin Version by James H. Holden,
M.A.
Page 19
and contention among sects, letters, delegations and
delegates, travels, and dreams.»[17]
Abû Ma’shar gives the following meanings of the 3rd house:
«Relatives [close family]; journeys[18] for them, the prac-
tice of justice,[19] gentleness, and dignity, the founding
of houses of worship; rumours, letters, messengers,
and dreams; the consideration in matters of theology
and the prophets, the study of faiths, fiqh[20] and piety:
many differences of opinion and fighting among them
[concerning doctrine and law and faith]»[21]
Of course, there are some strong parallels to the 9th house;
I’ve emphasized the overlapping significations:
«The ninth house is cadent from the ASC; it signifies
travels and journeys, and the worship of divinity and
all houses of religion, philosophy, and the foreknowl-
edge of things, knowledge of the stars and divinations,
letters, and delegates and delegations or commissions,
dreams, faith, and divine knowledge, and sanctity
and religion, and all things past and receding [in time],
and a man deprived of honour or his own work, and
things of a future time and foreknowledge of the fu-
ture.»[22]
If we consider the accidental significations of the planets in
the yearly ingress and not just their natural significations,
we see an ominous opposition of Mars and Saturn. This
seems to forebode something bad happening in 3rd (and 9th)
house-issues in the next half year. When we take the meta-
phor of ‘war’ (as this aspect is after all the main indicator
of the outbreak of a possible war in mundane astrology –
under different conditions that is, I’m not saying war is
going to happen in the Netherlands!) happening in the 3rd –
9th house axis, this might indicate some serious trouble
amongst sects in our country, be they religious or political.
A war of sorts. The south node of the nation’s chart is ex-
actly on Mars of the ingress, and Saturn is exactly on the
north-node. Thus, something evil seems to be in the mak-
ing, as the nodes portend evil. Of course, the first thing that
[18] There is no mention of ‘long’ or ‘short’ journeys. All of the cadent
houses indicated journeys according to the ancients. The third house was
associated with migratory moves and wanderings.
[19] Please note the emphasis on the word ‘practice’.
[20] Practice of the doctrines.
[21] Part Seven, Chapter Three – ”Abu Ma’shar on Historical Astrology”
– edited and translated by Keiji Yamamoto and Charles Burnett – pub-
lished by Brill Publishers ©2000.
[22] Sahl Ibn Bishr - The Introduction to the Science of the Judgments
of the Stars – Translated from the Twelfth Century Latin Version by
James H. Holden, M.A.
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Netherlands Ingress cont...
springs to mind then is Islamic extremists planning some
serious mischief in public transportation. Mars rules the
Nation’s 12th house, of secret enemies, so transport in gen-
eral might be a danger zone. So the most dramatic occur-
rence would be either a serious accident involving public
transportation or a terrorist attack or something of the sort.
As Mars is in an air sign, an attack on (or with) airplanes
would be a logical possibility.
Mars opposite Saturn
As Abû Ma’shar teaches, Mars applies to a retrograde Sat-
urn, therefore Saturn returns to Mars that what is given by
Mars (which would also have happened had Saturn been
combust). Saturn strongly receives Mars as he is in Saturn’s
domicile Aquarius and in his triplicity. Mars on the other
hand is not as strong as Saturn is, thus indicating a corrup-
tion after Saturn received the disposition and then gives it
back. Now according to Sahl, whenever such a handing over
and returning takes place in cadent houses, there is no be-
ginning nor an end to the things indicated. Or when there is
a beginning, there is no end to the matter. The question is
however if we can say that the 3rd and 9th houses are cadent
in the sense the ancients understood it. For them cadent
houses where the houses in aversion to the rising sign (!),
i.e. the 2nd, 6th, 8th and 12th house, not the declining houses
per se.
As both Mars and Saturn are in the radical 2nd house of the
Netherlands, and are rulers of this same house in the Ingress
chart, this might relate to money, income, public spending.
This might perhaps involve some investment- or financial
scandal or debacle (most probably in the public transporta-
tion sector, and perhaps education as well?). Both planets
are essentially strong in the nation’s chart, but weak and
out of strong dignity, and opposed, in this ingress chart.
A guide to the perplexed
What is a bit confusing here is all the possible matters un-
der rule of the 3rd house. I therefore tend to select by means
of the principle significations: i.e. transport/mobility; relig-
ion/sects; the press/post; education. Next I try to see if any
of the charts steer the signification this way or that way, to
further elucidate the possible outcome. For instance, be-
cause of the opposition to the 9th house I also tend towards
including 9th house issues, especially religion (science, phi-
losophy), travel and pilgrimage. So it might be that the
small contingent of Dutch soldiers now stationed in the
province of Uruzgan in Afghanistan might get into trouble
that is more serious. They have already been attacked and
have been involved in offensive action against the Taliban. I
believe this opposition might indicate some casualties over
there, which perhaps might have strong and even severe
Page 20
repercussions (Mars) in our country (Saturn returns to
Mars, hence the repercussions). This is a possibility because
the war in Afghanistan is one of bitter differences and con-
flict over religion. This seems a probable delineation based
on the fact that Mars applies to a retrograde Saturn in the
9th. Retrograde planets return the disposition given them.
So Saturn returns something (refugees, body bags, terror-
ists, attacks?) from the 9th, and Mars in the 3rd cannot re-
ceive it, or rather not bear it?
Political considerations
If we consider the Ingress chart on its own merits, Saturn
has more affinity to the executive ruling power of the Neth-
erlands than the ruler Venus does. Why? Because in a coun-
try that has a monarch by heritage and house but a national
executive by appointment, then the exalted ruler of the 10th
is much more strongly determined to be the ruling minister
of the current party. He has power through appointment not
heritage. So Saturn is more significant of our countries rul-
ing executive. It is this Saturn that is strongly attacked by
Mars. So who is Mars? Mars is ruler of the opposition
party, the 4th (opposed to the 10th house)! So here we have a
great conflict in matters concerning the practice of the law,
that not only has significance in civil affairs but also the
economy of the common man (as Mars is in the 2nd house in
both the Ingress and nation’s chart!
We know from our general delineation that Jupiter is sig-
nificant for the ‘nobility’ in the Netherlands and those who
bless the people with livelihoods and jobs. We also know
that Jupiter rules the entire intercepted sign of Pisces in the
third and is probably indicating a political faction on prac-
ticing the law in our country. Who do these powerful people
– Jupiter – support – the opposition or the current govern-
ment? We see Jupiter separating from Saturn, indicating
their past relationship (trine) but Mars applies to and is
received by Jupiter! It would then seem reasonable to sus-
pect that the Netherlands may have a change of ruling ex-
ecutives in 2007! If there is a vote of no confidence with
the current rulership then it may be that there is a change
coming which is something the cadent houses (3rd and 9th)
suggest!
When?
One way of trying to figure out when these things will hap-
pen is by doing it proportionally.
So from 21st of March to 22nd of September is 186 days.
We then divide these 186 days by 360 degrees, giving
1º56’07’’ degree per day. Now the distance between the
ascendant and Mars is 71º30’, divided by our 1º56’07’’
gives 36 days 56’16’’. So the ascendant arrives at Mars
some 37 days after the ingress starts, which is 25th or 26th of
April.
 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1
Netherlands Ingress cont...
In like manner, I calculate the conjunction with Jupiter at
about 6-7 days later: which is the 26th or 27th of March.
The opposition to Saturn will be around the 27th or 28th of
April.
The conjunction with Saturn will be after 130-131 days,
28th or 29th of July.
Let’s see what happens.
Martien Hermes ©2007
The discovery of the knowledge of the
indications of celestial bodies on terrestial
events is obtained from natural movements,
because they are the indications of the celestial
bodies nearest to our senses.
Abu Masar - On Historical Astrology
Page 21
Foundations: The Vision
The astrology as practiced up until the 17th century –
that’s what the term tradional or classical astrology refers
to – was fundamentally different from her modern
counterpart. For diverse reasons this astrology has been, up
until now, ignored and set aside as not ‘fitting modern
times’, the Zeitgeist.
Thanks to recent translations and renewed interest in this
ancient astrology it has become clear that it is a
remarkably subtle and complex astrology, very elegant,
pragmatic and rigourous. It is also clear that the study of
this astrology has restored many lost techniques and
methods, of great value to the practicing astrologer.
Ancient and medieval horoscopy is a very sensitive
instrument, and a very intricate tool, that helps elucidate
the philosophy and esoteric teachings regarding life – the
astrology – from which it sprang.
Foundations: The Goal
The goal of ”Foundations – ad fundum Astrologia” is to
present this ancient praxis, to research it and to
demonstrate its validity.
”Foundations – ad fundum Astrologia” strives to further
the astrological know-how and methods of the ancients.
Critical research of modern assumptions and of the ancient
texts is the method used.
In the end we hope to lay anew a foundation under modern
astrology that helps its practitioners get a (better) handle
on this Royal Art, so that again we can speak of a living
tradition, based on texts which have proven to be the
Do you have a question or comment?
We’d love to hear from you!
Contact Us!
Martien Hermes
E-mail: mahemes@tiscali.nl
Steven Birchfield
E-mail: stebi@online.no
Web site: Divine Astrology
http://home.online.no/~stebi/startpag.htm