King Richard III

Richard Plantagenet was born on 2nd October 1452 at 9:02am in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England. He was the 12th of 13 children and the youngest son born to Richard, Duke of York and his wife Cecily. At the age of eight, he became Duke of Gloucester, and in 1483 he ascended to the throne as King Richard III. I had always been vaguely aware of the myth and legend surrounding Richard III and his place in history which was tainted by stories that were not necessarily true, of his involvement in the alleged murders of his two young nephews. However, the story of Richard's life - and death - became headline news in 2012 when archaeologists were granted permission to excavate a car park in the city of Leicester. What they found there became the basis of one of the most astonishing discoveries of the 21st century. The remains of King Richard III.

When Richard was born in the 15th century, there was a different calendar system in use - the Julian Calendar. It would take too long to explain, but gradually over the following centuries, countries all over Europe changed to a new, updated, more astronomically accurate method of measuring the passing days and months. This was called the Gregorian Calendar and is still the calendar system we use in the 21st century. When calculating a birth chart for someone born during the period of the Julian Calendar, there are a few complications and controversies involved. This was something I'd never encountered before, as I hadn't done a horoscope for anyone born in the Julian period. Some astrologers use the Julian date as a basis for the birth chart, while others convert the date into Gregorian. Also, the astrologers who convert to Gregorian sometimes completely adjust the date too. However, after a few months of research, I finally decided that the best and most accurate method is the unadjusted Gregorian date. So, here is my astrological profile of King Richard III.

Richard was born with the Sun in the sign of Libra, making him very congenial and diplomatic. Very idealistic too, and at times, lacking in self-confidence. The Sun in sector 12 indicates that he worked behind the scenes and gained recognition through service to others. He had powerful secret enemies. The Sun was in a trine aspect to the Moon when Richard was born and this shows a contented nature and good relations with those closest to him. This aspect between the Sun and Moon adds strength to the other positive influences in his chart. It indicates a strong mind and body (yes, he had a disability, but he dealt with it admirably) and an ability to take the ups and downs of life in his stride. This planetary influence gave Richard a powerful resilience to bounce back from any personal difficulty. 

The Sun in a wide-orb conjunction to Mercury in his natal chart imbued Richard with an independent mind. Mentally alert and talkative, he had no trouble communicating his opinions. Rational and intelligent, he found the exchange of ideas to be very stimulating. The Sun in a sextile aspect to Pluto shows that his dealings with others could often be very intense and powerful external forces obstructed his path throughout his life. This planetary influence would have given Richard tremendous creative potential. 

Richard's Moon is in the sign of Aquarius. Many iconic figures have been born with the Moon in this sign: John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Muhammad Ali, Angela Merkel, Pope Francis..... The list is endless. Famous people born with this Moon sign are held in very high esteem by the public. They have the ability to influence the masses and are very humanitarian in their outlook. They will fight for other people's rights and campaign for equality. Not only that, but they are still hero-worshipped years, decades, and even centuries after their death. However, on top of all that, there is also often controversy surrounding their lives. Very idealistic and progressive, people with this Moon sign often grow up feeling different in some way, the odd-one-out. Although they are sociable, their inner sense of loneliness makes them feel —that they don’t quite fit in—.

Richard's Moon is in sector three of his natal chart and this suggests that he was someone who was very communicative, curious, and may have had a talent for languages. He could have been prone to rationalising his emotions rather than attempting to deal with them, or he may have expressed himself in an excessively emotional manner - probably both. It's possible that he was quite nervous and restless, and also very sensitive to other people's opinions. The Moon is in an opposition aspect to Pluto and this indicates that Richard's mother would have had a very powerful influence in his life. It also shows the sort of forces which shaped his outlook  and destiny: jealousy, violence, obsession, emotional blackmail, and family crises.

In Richard's natal chart the Ascendant is in the sign of Scorpio. This gave him a deeply instinctual and passionate nature, as well as an inner strength of will which could have been used for regeneration - of himself, other people, or society. Powerful in a quiet and understated sort of way, he was a force to be reckoned with. He knew instinctively who to trust, who his allies were - as well as his enemies. Richard was born to be a leader and a pioneer. He was both a fierce competitor and a warrior. Scorpio is the sign of intense feelings and deep emotions. Extreme issues are associated with this sign, such as: wealth, power and death, and all three featured prominently in his life. People with Scorpio Ascendants display intense reactions and they provoke powerful reactions in other people too. 

With both the Moon and Pluto square to his Ascendant, Richard had many emotional upheavals within his family and many upsetting changes in his personal life. Interestingly, the Moon, Pluto, and the Scorpio Ascendant all symbolise death - or matters connected to death. In fact, death was - and still is - a major theme surrounding the legend of Richard III. His one and only child, Edward, died at a young age, and his wife, Anne died soon after. This meant that when Richard himself died only five months later, he left no heirs, thus ending the Plantagenet dynasty. 

With his natal Mercury in Libra and sector 12, Richard had a sharp, active mind, capable of weighing up all the options and reaching balanced decisions, as well as a very fertile imagination. Mercury in an opposition aspect to Mars suggests he could have been irritable, critical, and somewhat sarcastic at times. Although argumentative and outspoken, he was a skilled communicator. With Mercury conjunct Saturn, Richard was a deep and logical thinker. He was reliable and honest and did not suffer fools gladly.

In Richard's birth chat, Venus is in the sign of Scorpio. This shows that he was a highly passionate man with a great capacity for self-sacrifice. His feelings in all of his relationships - including his marriage - would have been 'all or nothing'. He was very loyal and would have been devastated by any form of betrayal. Venus is sector one shows that he was very refined, harmonious, charming, and has now been discovered, very handsome. Venus in a square aspect to Jupiter indicates a love of luxury.

Mars in the sign of Aries and sector six indicates that Richard had tremendous courage and determination. He also had an aggressive streak and was very competitive. It's important to remember that, in the 15th century, kings didn't just sit on a throne and hand out orders to their armies. The king himself was a warrior who had to lead his troops into battle. So, Richard would have needed to be tough. He was enthusiastic, sometimes impulsive, but also very focused. He was a man who took control of his own destiny. Mars in an opposition aspect to Saturn indicates Richard's disability - he had scoliosis. This condition causes the spine to bend and twist, pushing other parts of the body out of alignment, and gradually compressing the internal organs. He would have been in constant pain. This planetary combination also shows a fear of being cowardly, but Richard was no coward. He experienced life as a fight for survival, and he fought until the end.

Intriguingly, Richard's natal chart has Neptune, Chiron, and the Nodes all positioned on World Points. He also had his Midheaven in the royal sign of Leo, conjunct the regal star, Regulus. He was destined to be a king, destined to rule, and destined to make his mark upon history.