Norway could be regarded as a newcomer among independent nations. Since Haakon V left no sons to inherit the Norwegian throne in 1319, the country had been ruled by shift between Sweden and Denmark for several centuries. However, by the 1800's the demand for national liberty had grown strong. The Norwegian National Day arises from the Federal Law of May 17. 1814. Actually, the Federal Law in its final form was agreed upon on May 16th. This was not signed until the 18th. What to place on May 17. was a vote concerning the heir to the Danish throne. Not until June 7. 1905 did the Norwegian Government declare its union with Sweden to be over. Later Norway invited the Danish Prince Carl to take over the throne. This was voted upon on Nov.18.1905. The prince accepted, in which he took to himself the name Haakon VII. The final declaration of independence occurred on June 7. 1905 and was timed at 11.00 LMT, Oslo, 59N55, 10E43.

According to tradition, William Lilly (Christian Astrology) speaks of Norway being ruled by Scorpio. Here one should notice that Scorpio in the north of the chart, on the IC, which rules the home land, and the fact that the Sun does only cast aspects to Pluto (co-ruler of Scorpio) and Mars (traditional ruler of Scorpio) who is located in Scorpio.

In the 1920's the slogan, "Norway - the quiet corner of Europe" - was launched. What we first and foremost recognize in Norway is a high standard of living, good food, healthy nature and the freedom that this represents (MC, ME, JU, VE in TA). There are natural priorities of health and quality in the Norwegian policy (Asc. VI). Farming products have been encouraged through both advertising and subsidies (ME conj. JU in TA). While the advertising of spirits and tobacco have been forbidden. The latter, as well as cosmetics, have been heavily taxed by the government and therefore are quite expensive. Note the square aspect between ruler of the Ascendant/disposer of the Sun, who is Mercury, and Saturn who is in Pisces. Saturn is the key figure when observing national monopolies and censorship, and transits/directions to this planet have been dominant when such censorships have smoldered.

Asc. in Virgo shows the national characteristic toward a detailed, practical, but also occasionally overly critical approach. Throughout there may be found many examples of strong involvement and concern. Significators Jupiter and Saturn play an important part in the country's development. Ruler Mercury conjuncts Jupiter, but squares Saturn in the 6th house. The offer of social services and helpfulness in general is wide and large, but there are also cases with a strong inclination to reserve and delay.

The Moon shows the people, and is strong in this chart, being the focal planet of a T-square configuration and located in Leo. Norwegians have a strong sense of pride. At best they are generous, hospital, radiant and creative. The movement for equal rights has always been strong in Norway. Transit Uranus opposed natal Moon coincided with the Norwegian woman gaining the right to vote on June 11. 1913, which is early compared to other countries.

Although Pluto has a strong hold on the Sun, who in Gemini might represent some sort of two-faced-ness, Mercury in Taurus together with Jupiter and Venus, is in a neutral and peaceful position. It might be observed that during the two world wars - Norway kept outside the conflicts as long as possible, using the situation to do commerce with both sides and progressed financially by doing this (ME conj. JU in TA).

Norwegians were among the leading groups of emigrants to America (Sun conj Pluto in Gemini! Gemini rules the USA!!), and often proudly recall their blood-ties there. Some say "There are more Norwegians in America than Norway". In Norwegian history we find explorers (ME conj. JU) like Nansen and Amundsen. Of more recent date, explorers like Arne Naess and Borge Ousland. However, Amundsen reached the South Pole on Dec. 14. 1911 - T Mars conj ME/JU 9th, cusp 10th; T Sun opp SU/PL, and during the day T Moon 28 Leo over the fixed star Regulus, square MC. Result: Queen Maud's Country!

There is quite a lot that can be said about the Sun/ Pluto conjunction in Gemini. What may be sought concerning national privacy, prominence or fame could easily tend to follow the "blow of the wind", Gemini-wise. A lot of changes occurred in Norway over the last 2 decades of the 20th century, (where Norway started to succeed on new international arenas) but the attitude has been that if "Ola-Nordman" didn't succeed, the media would always find a "brother" that had, such as the Swedish.

The Sun/ Pluto conjunction at it's worst, in the 90's a number of Norwegians turned round to me and confessed that they thought their countrymen could show racist and discriminating behavior. In the 90's we could find outskirt districts adopting to a multicultural and multinational society. This may have been quite foreign to them. On the other hand, Norway is one of the world's foremost nations when it comes to collecting for the developing, needy or less fortunate countries of the world.

The Norwegian government does mostly hold the qualities of the Taurian MC. This suggests that generally a conservative and stable policy will be followed. The Norwegian political arena consists of a multiple of political parties. However, Labor (AP) - dominated the prime minister's seat almost without interruption for 46 years - from 1935 till 1981. In 1981, though, Norway suddenly had three prime ministers in the space of one year as transit Uranus opposed the MC. The changes or upsets occurred during direct motion. This year Norway also had its first female prime minister in Gro Harlem Brundtland.

The MC and its ruler Venus in Taurus may be viewed in many way. The Norwegians are strong on culture, and the Norwegian entry for the Song for Europe did for many years have a traditional and cultural aspect about it. In this particular contest the Norwegians hardly ever seem to get anywhere, renown several achievements of zero points. However, these statistics were upset when the solar eclipse of May 19. 1985 conjunct the national MC and Halley's Comet crossed the radix Sun on Saturday May 4!! Norway won with their group "Bobbysocks" and the entry "Let it Swing". I have noticed that winners of this competition often have a song with a title that agrees with the nature of the natural sign ruling that country; Norway - Scorpio; Let it Swing; Ireland - Taurus; Hold Me Now; England - Aries; Jack in the Box, etc.

Quite a bit of British idealism may be seen in the Norwegian people, and they particularly admire the British patriotism (Cancer on the 11th house). Around 1900, Britain gave Norway a lot of advice and financial support in order to promote and develop Norwegian industry. According to tradition, Great Britain is ruled by Aries - and Aries we find on the 8th cusp of the Norwegian chart - ruling other peoples money.

As an oil-nation, this chart finds Neptune well at home on the cusp of that lucky 11th house and in 7 degrees of Cancer. Interestingly enough this is tightly conjunct the OPEC-Moon. The Norwegian Neptune is in a Grand Trine with those practical planets Mars and Saturn, so oil has been the cornerstone of modern Norwegian finance and industry.

However, the oil enterprise has not been without it's mishaps, and as the Neptune opposition Uranus may suggest, in extreme weather conditions. There was the Bravo blow-out on April 22. 1977. Transit Uranus was conjunct Mars in the Norway chart. The transiting Uranus was part of a T-square with Saturn and Mercury at the time. Transit Mars was in Pisces. Also prominent were transit Neptune opposition radix Sun and transit Jupiter square radix Saturn in Pisces.

The second major catastrophe was the capsizing if the Alexander Kielland platform on March 27. 1980. The day before Neptune had turned retrograde and was closely squared in the sky by Saturn. The first signs of trouble were recorded at 18.20 GMT, approx. 60N, 2E. This gives Asc 8 Libra and MC 12 Cancer, which means that the radix degree of Neptune had just culminated and was now at square with the ascendant. On the Ascendant is the fixed star Vindemiatrix, the star of widowhood, or indicating fatality in a meeting or partnership. This degree symbolizes "A Table that looses a Leg". That is exactly what happened with the Alexander Kielland. However, on the subject of fatal meetings and relationships, a partnership should have four legs to be correctly balanced. This degree, 9 Libra or the opposite at 9 Aries, appears in prominent earthquake charts - where there are catastrophic energy releases due to continents that have been in collision and pressing up against each other. I could write more extensively on this subject, but will close by mentioning that 9 Libra was culminating at the time Titanic, which collided with an ice-berg, went under.

Scorpio, the natural sign signifying Norway, is the sign of extremes - which also may be observed on their financial market. Their market is more volatile and fluctuates heavily, strongly influenced by whether the foreign investor is moving his money in or out of the country. Often an extreme movement will be occur to the Norwegian on the final day of a global reaction, but this extreme on the Norwegian market is in itself an indication that the global movement is completed.

A study of the most crucial moments in the Norwegian history definitely shows the validity of the radix chart. The greatest threat to Norwegian independency was when the Germans attacked during World War 2 on April 9. 1940. (T Pluto semi-squ radix Sun, T Uranus conjunction Jupiter). Note the influence of transiting Neptune semi-squ radix Mars and transit Mercury in Pisces square radix Pluto; When the Germans invaded, they had laid mines round the Norwegian coast the night before. But for a Neptune - Pisces influence, there was considerable confusion on the Norwegian side when the Germans marched in. There are stories in history classes of Norwegian soldiers on watch trying to telephone contact their superiors in attempt to ask them what to do with the German troops.

In the period from 1984 to 1987 transit Pluto made a crucial contact to the T-square in the national chart, culminating with it's conjunction to radix Mars in 1987. The last time Pluto touched this T-square was during World War Two. I was looking for something with the nature of a power strife, or a climax concern over warheads or nuclear energy. But towards the middle of the 80's the government-owned weapon industry producer "Kongsberg Weapon Factory" got into financial difficulties, and in 1987 it was shut down.

Transiting Neptune crossed the unruly radix Capricorn Uranus in 1985. On Jan 20. 1984 Arne Treholt, who had held a high position in the foreign ministry (Capricorn - in the government itself!) was arrested for espionage in advantage of the Soviet Union and Iraq, the largest espionage case in Norwegian history. In 1985 he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. In 1992 Treholt was pardoned and taken into mercy.

In 1985-86 transit Uranus opposed the radix Sun/Pluto. This would indicated a more prominent generation change and new attitudes awakening throughout the nation. It was interesting to note how many censures and restrictions were in alteration with T Uranus square Saturn in Pisces in 1982. For example, the video market hit the country, and while film censorship had been strong the authorities were not prepared and had no idea of how to deal with this. Authorities also had to draw out new lines towards their advertising regulations.

On March 7.1985 Saturn made a station exactly opposite the national MC. The following day, his Majesty the Kings ship "Norge" which was a gift from the people, caught fire due to a glow left behind from some welding work done the previous day while Saturn was stationary.

The General Election of 1993 presented an interesting display of Sun signs between the leaders of major political parties; There were 3 women; Gro Harlem Brundtland (AP, Aries), Kaci Kullman-Five (H, Aries) and Anne Enger Lahnstein (Sp, Sagittarius) and 3 men; Carl I. Hagen (FrP, Taurus), Kjell Magne Bondevik (KrF, Virgo) and Erik Solheim (Sv, Capricorn). The ladies were represented by the fire signs, the gentlemen by earth. Accordingly, the gentlemen were reduced to mere peers at this election. The main contest was between the fire-signs with a be-or-not-to-be attitude between the two Aries', and Sagittarius ending up as the joker of the election and landed in the balance. Aries-Brundtland seized the power, from which it was easy to predict that Aries-Kullman-Five would resign from her leadership of the Conservative Party (H) However, Brundtland has her natal Sun in 30 Aries and was not to complete an entire period as Norwegian Prime Minister. Sagittarius-Lahnstein evaded taking responsibility for the new parliamentary constellation after the election and Brundtland remained in power for the time being.

One of the greatest international events of modern Norwegian history was the Winter Olympic Games at Lillehammer in 1994. "-And the decision is Lillehammer!" These famous words were proclaimed on Sept. 15. 1988, at 08.55 GMT. The transit Moon was 8 Scorpio (the sign ruling Norway), applying to conjunction with the national Mars, and applying to conjunction with transit Pluto. Viewed from Lillehammer, 61N06, 10E27, Scorpio was on the doorstep and about to rise with 30Libra on the Ascendant, the transit Moon in the first house. While Norway is ruled by Scorpio, one of those candidates that did not win the competition of arranging the Games, was Sweden ruled by Aquarius.

The Norwegian National Broadcasting Company, NRK, was constituted on June 24. 1933, 12.00 LMT, Oslo, as transit Neptune reached one degree of the national ascendant. As transiting Pluto squared the institutions radix Saturn in May/ June 1990 there was great internal uproar and the buildings were emptied as staff went on strike.

The Norwegian Stock Exchange was constituted on Sept.8. 1818, at 11.30 LMT, Oslo. This chart has Asc.10SC08. The Norwegian Stock Exchange adjusted all its major indices; bank, insurance, industry and shipping, and had them set at level 100 on Jan.1. 1983, Oslo, Solar Chart LMT 09.30 or 08.30 GMT. This chart puts Jupiter at 1SG15 on the Midheaven and during the day Mercury changed sign from Capricorn to Aquarius, applying by sextile to the angular and dignified benefic. When transit Pluto conjunct the ascendant of the constitution chart the old system of auctioning papers by calling them up one time daily, was replaced in March 87 by online trading. An even greater revolution came with a new electronic trading system on Feb.5.1999 and brokers moved out from the traditional exchange building and into their respective offices. Now transit Pluto made a perfect semi-sextile to the radix ascendant. This occurred a few months after transit Neptune entered technological Aquarius in the 5th house of the Norway chart.