Like all other important social, scientific and cultural developments astrology suffered from the number of conflicts that were spreading through Europe at the time. Theories by Anaximander, Heraclitus and Euxodus would not surface again until the middle ages were over. The christian church however, had a firm grasp on the situation starting from the 4th century A.D. It is from this point on astrology lost her religious value and was replaced by the Christian religion. However, despite astrology’s bad name, many still practised. In the middle ages this was the privelege of men rather than women as women were deprived all knowledge in that time.

In the 12th century, near the end of the middle ages, the christian church instated the bond of marriage. This opened up possibilities for astrologers to act as advisors for those that wanted to get married. Relationship astrology seemed to have it’s roots in the middle ages. There were possiblities to study astrology at prestigious universities that also taught latin, mathematics, medicin, etc. until the 17th century.

During the middle ages many Kings and Princes had at least one astrologer working for them. Among them were Karel V of Spain, Frederic II of Prussia, Alphonso X of Castile, the dukes of Berry and Bourgondy and last but not least the French kings Charles V, Charles VII, Louis XI, Louis XIII and more.

Into the renaissance

Signs of astrology’s demise started with the poet Thomas of Aquino, who basically pointed out he believed ‘man capable of resisting the power of the planets’. This was the start of a way of thinking that would eventually lead to the breach of astrology with the general public in the 17th and 18th century. Humanism would have a great influence throughout the Renaissance. Astrology would now be part of the ‘arts’.

Nostradamus (or Michel de Nostradame) was born early 16th century, and is the most prominent astrologer of the Renaissance. A doctor, seer and astrologer he published his most known work in 1555 called “The Prophecies”. His work is of course famous for being used and abused to explain a lot of events in the 20th century.

Tycho Brahé, a Danish astronomer and astrologer in service of Frederic II actually got his own observatory. Frederic II had it built for him. His student was Johannes Kepler, the founding father of modern astronomy. Kepler, who had strong feelings against astrology tried to discredit it, with success. Starting 1666 astrology was cut from the curriculum of several universities until all the learning programs were gone.

In 1682, under the reign of King Louie XIV astrology was banished to the underground because the ‘Almanak’, a predecessor of current day horoscopes was banned from publishing.