There are various charts in existence for 'the Netherlands' -such as the treaty of Utrecht, or the peacetreaty of Muenster (Germany -52N59, 10E05), where Holland and Belgium divorced : time unknown, (13:00 GMT is sometimes used) January 30 1648. There is the landing of William I who was exiled in England and brought back to the Netherlands to eventually become the first king of the House of Orange: November 30 1813, Scheveningen, 16:00 LMT, 004E17, 52N05 (thanks to Ton Hermans for all of this info) and there is the moment where William I officially becomes the first King of Holland, which started off the monarchy and is the chart that I prefer.

Its' Cancer Ascendant fits our attitude of 'homeliness' and 'cosiness', and its' Moon in Taurus the agricultural background, but also the very down to earth attitude of the Dutch (the Moon in a chart of a nation will be one of its most important features, indicating the collective general attitudes, compare the Moon in Aquarius for the US. )

The Sun in Pisces in the 10th with Mercury and Pluto is not so much about spirituality, unfortunately, as it is about the sea, literally: the Dutch are generally known for their work with watercontrol, (the Deltaworks etc.) , and in historic times, we were a trading nation (Mercury) over the seas (Pisces).

It is interesting to know that KLM and Dutch aviation were 'born' when Uranus transitted the MC earlier on in this century: this cycle of Uranus will soon end after 84 years and start with a new one! There is a lot of political disscussion about how to extend Schiphol airport and there is (was) talk about extending it offshore (nice one for Pisces again).

Christmas 2000 there was an eclipse right across the Ascendant/Descendant axis of this chart and within days we had the disaster in "Volendam" a very cosy Dutch town, where many young people were caught in a fire (on New Year's eve).

February 2 2002 we had a royal wedding between Willem Alexander and Maxima de Zorreguieta (Ascendant 0+ Capricorn = within orb of the Descendant above) and Jupiter as jubilant crossing the Ascendant of this chart.

2002 will see Uranus square the Moon and conjunct the MC again, as it did when Dutch aviation was born 84 years before. In fact, on April 10 2002 there was a Mars square Uranus position in the sky with Mars already EXACT conjunct the Moon of the Netherlands. One of the things which Mars depicts is the army. On this day, a report was being published on the affairs of the Dutchbat in Srebenica back in July 1995 which was pretty upsetting but also a release for the Dutchbatters who had been through a traumatic time in July 1995 in former Yugoslavia, which led to the killing of thousands of people over there. If we look back at the July 1995 transits for the chart of the Netherlands, this same degree in the zodiac, 27+ Taurus was tremendously affected by... an opposition from Pluto (and a square from Uranus and Mars conjunct it 7 years later brings things to a release!)-- Saturn was exactly conjunct the Sun of the chart of the Netherlands in July 1995. I don't understand how anybody can use any other chart for "the Netherlands" :-)

THE TRANSITS JULY 1995

(Joyce Hoen DF Astrol S, NL)