Warwick Castle, Warwick

I’ve seen this castle three times over the 22 years I lived in England: the first time with my second wife, Suzann, the second time with my mother, and the third time with Dianne. During the third visit, I actually went on the tour of the castle.

There’s a funny(?) story attached to the history of this castle, and it involves Henry II.

In 1153, the wife of Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick, was tricked into believing that her husband was dead, and surrendered control of the castle to the invading army of Henry of Anjou, later King Henry II of England. According to the Gesta Regis Stephani, a 12th-century historical text, Roger de Beaumont died upon hearing the news that his wife had handed over the castle. King Henry II later returned the castle to the Earls of Warwick, as they had been supporters of his mother, Empress Matilda, in The Anarchy of 1135–1154.

Middle Ages (from Wikipedia)

Tricked!? Oh, dear…

Henry II (March 5, 1133 – July 5, 1189)

It seems in those days that royalty’s birth and death times weren’t noted. so the birth chart for Henry is randomized, as opposed to his being born at dawn (6:12 am) according to other astrological sites.

There’s one Yod (involving Pluto) and one inconjunct, unconnected with the timing (or lack of knowledge about) his birth. Maybe that’s why Henry was so “tricky”…

Jupiter Inconjunct Neptune

You are an idealist with very vivid dreams about how you want you life to be, and at certain times in your life you will follow those dreams with all your energy. But sometimes these idealist dreams will let you down, because you are not concerned enough with what is real and possible. Your parents and other adults may pressure you to be more practical in your thinking, but you think they are just throwing cold water on your aspirations. Yet learning to handle the real world is a very important part of your development, because it is the only way you can avoid becoming bitter and disillusioned when your more impractical ideas have led you into disappointment.

Saturn Inconjunct Pluto

Often this aspect is associated with quite a bit on tension, especially in your muscles, but also in your emotional approach to life. You need to learn that the world is not always a place of struggle and that occasionally it is good to let go and relax. If your home life has been harsh or difficult, it will bring out the worst side of this aspect, and in time you will develop a cynical attitude toward the world in general. You will become intolerant of your own and others’ weaknesses, and you will take advantage of every opportunity, even if it means hurting someone else.

Even under favorable circumstances, this aspect usually means that you are resistant to change, that you hold on to any situation, no matter how bad, until it is totally intolerable. Then when change does take place, it has to create a revolution and a total breakdown of everything that came before it. You must learn to adapt to circumstances a bit more gracefully and not be afraid of occasional compromise.

Uranus Inconjunct Pluto

This aspect indicates changes in the world of the people who were born at this time, changes that were difficult to understand because they were very revolutionary but subtle in many ways.

Henry’s Children Were Revolting

It is said that this film probably captures the real Henry, especially toward the end of his life. His sons were anxious to assume the throne, and he wasn’t happy with any of them.

Finally, they all turned against him in battle, and he died a tired and broken man.

Again, the timing is randomized, but I think the chart shows that everything was at ‘sixes and sevens’. I’ll leave his conflict with Thomas Becket for another day.