John Dee – astrologer to Elizabeth 1 – Astroinform with Marjorie Orr

John Dee, an astronomer, occultist, alchemist, mathematician and astrologer to Elizabeth 1, evidently predicted her rise to the throne to replace her sister the blighted Queen Mary.

That may have been a lucky guess from a psychic seeking to make his way in the world or astute political intuition but he did end up on the right side of history when the forlorn Mary deserted by her younger husband Philip of Spain died a mere five years after her coronation and Elizabeth succeeded her.

John Dee born 13 July 1527 JC 4.02pm London had a final degree Cancer Sun on the cusp of his 9^th house with Jupiter Mercury in Cancer in his 8^th house giving him a gateway into another world beyond rationality. His Uranus opposed his Sagittarius North Node square Neptune which also has other-worldly overtones. He evidently had the largest library in England which fits with a 9th house Sun and Venus.

His Jupiter Mercury fell on Elizabeth’s Descendant so it would feel like a good partnership – for a while. His determined Mars in Scorpio fell in Elizabeth’s career 10^th so she would see him as furthering her ambitions.

I am not up on mediaeval astrology and they did not have access to the outer planets so I have no idea what led to his conclusions.

Mary, born 18 February 1516 JC 4.13 am London was born with a Full Moon in Virgo in her 8^th opposition a Pisces Sun square a 12^th house Saturn which did not augur well. Like Dee she had Jupiter in Cancer but in her case that was opposition both Pluto and Mars in Capricorn sitting across her Ascendant.

Her husband Philip of Spain, 21 May 1527 JC 3.57pm Valladodid, was a highly strung Sun Uranus in Gemini square Neptune with an arrogant, self-aggrandising Jupiterian yod. It was a bad match with her Uranus conjunct his Saturn and Descendant  – not a happy or fruitful union.

Monarchs in those days were sold into sexual slavery for the sake of political alliances – with top courtiers acting as high class pimps. Toe curling.

Anyone up on the astrology John Dee might have used is welcome to predict what he may have seen.

Dee seems to have gone off track in later years falling in with charlatans.