World Wars and Crusades: Myth-Busting (And Great News!) For the Astrology of 2026
- Alexandra
- Dec 15, 2025
- 14 min read
So, I've been asked if Neptune in Aries and the other current astrological transits of 2026 (Saturn in Aries, Uranus in Gemini, Pluto in Aquarius) would bring us crusades and world wars, since apparently, some (A.I.?) lists suggest a tie between the history of these singular events and past versions of these transits.
That’s a really scary thought, of course, since those were some of the worst events in human history. Any implications of a potential tie to 2026 would terrify the ever-loving daylights out of non-astrologers. Fortunately, it’s also nonsense. Especially historically speaking, and I’ll tell you why!
Just to summarize the entire message of this article for those of you who don’t want to read on: nope. Continue reading if you want to know why, or you just enjoy this type of content!
The Myth:
The thesis is probably best summarized by this idea: “Aries is the sign of war. With Neptune and Saturn in that sign in 2026, that must mean we’ll get a world war! Plus, Uranus in Gemini, Neptune in Aries, and Pluto in Aquarius all tie us back to the world wars and crusades!”
…
Okay. Let’s go there.
World Wars Back Again?
Given the fact that we’ve already had two world wars, these events should have had the configuration we have in (most of) 2026: Neptune in Aries, Pluto in Aquarius, Uranus in Gemini, and Saturn in Aries – and not only “have had them,” but contained them in such a way that they brought a distinct cause to these events – according to the above theory, right? So, let’s look at the history of these events and take it from there.
Astrology 101: Brief Explanation of Date Ranges
Really quick, before you get confused: you may notice pretty odd date ranges for “Planet X in Sign Y” throughout the history section of this article. This is why:
A slow planet generally moves back and forth between zodiac signs (a couple of times!) before fully completing a sign change. This means that there is a period in which it’s fully and exclusively in Sign X, and one where it’s dancing between two signs (which I either spelled out or indicated by backslashes respectively).
Neptune and Saturn in Aries: Cause of World Wars?
So, let’s get started with Neptune, the more powerful planet: it takes 165 years to come full circle, stays 14 years in Aries, and packs quite a punch, so this one is always more important. If this caused world wars, we would have seen this present during one of the world wars – correct? So, let’s check the dates.
World War I: The conventional dates of this war range from 1914 to 1919*.
During this timeframe, Neptune was in Cancer (briefly), but mostly in Leo (September-December 1914, July 1915-March 1916, May 1916-1928/1929).
World War II: The conventional dates of this war range from 1939 to 1945*.
During this timeframe, Neptune was in Virgo (1928-October 1942, April-August 1943) and Libra (October 1942-April 1943, August 1943-1955/57).
Neither Cancer, Leo, Virgo, nor Libra, have to do with Aries. At all. So, Neptune in Aries and the world wars weren’t correlated.
*Note for History Nerds: Dates of the World Wars
Historians hold some diverging opinions on when World War I officially ended, as some countries continued to fight for far longer than 1919. Most historians settle on 1919, when Europe chose peace/the armistice, but there are some historians who claim there was no actual ending of WWI. According to their theories, World War I flowed seamlessly into WWII (with the time between WWI and WWII in Europe labeled as a pause in the war), which would place the end of WWI and WWII at the same time. Very few historians even set the date of the end of either WWI or WWII, respectively, as the end of the Cold War in 1991.
For the purposes of this astrological query, let’s briefly look at World War I as 1914-1991 – just to cover our bases. During this timeframe, Neptune traveled from Cancer all the way to Capricorn, passing through Aries exactly 0 times.
“But wait!” a hypothetical history-buff married to the idea of Neptune in Aries = World War III might say, “Some historians claim that World War I wasn’t the first world war – so what about the real first world war?”
It’s true: There is the theory among some historians that World War I wasn’t actually the first world war, but that this title belongs to the Seven Years’ War of 1756-1763, as that was also fought globally, same as the world wars previously discussed. Was that a real world war? I’m not a historian, so I don’t want to take sides. But astrologically speaking, Neptune was in Leo, not Aries, 1751-1763/65, so this is also not a Neptune-in-Aries thing.
In summary:
So, World War I: Neptune was not in Aries.
World War II: Neptune was not in Aries.
Other calculation for the endings of the world wars: Neptune was not in Aries.
Other wars included as semi-world wars… Neptune was also not in Aries.
Let’s turn to Saturn now.
Saturn:
Saturn only needs 29 ½ years to come full circle and stays in each sign for 2 ½ years, meaning it’s really common historically speaking. In a 7 ½-year long time period, the odds of having Saturn in Aries involved are 25%. As a matter of fact, you, as the reader, may experience this transit up to 4 times in your lifetime!
In the astrology of events, Saturn therefore mostly matters when it comes to the beginning of the event (with longer ones, such as these) and when it comes to the question of cause and effect. It’s also the number one planet that prevents bad events from happening when it comes to global crises, with its absence generally bringing more mayhem than its presence. That’s because Saturn is the principle of teaching us maturity, to stay our hands and hold ourselves back… especially in Aries, the sign of impulses, self(ishness), and the kind of conflict that can escalate into something it doesn’t need to be. So, let’s look at the history:
World War I (using conventional dates*): 1914-1919.
Saturn was in Cancer at the beginning of World War I.
World War II (using conventional dates*): 1939-1945.
Saturn was in Taurus at the beginning of World War II. While it did briefly return into Aries, the declaration of war that kicked it into gear, AND the ripple effect of war declarations that gave it world war status happened under Saturn in Taurus, not Aries.**
Note for History Nerds: Seven Years' War
Seven Years’ War: 1756-1763.
Saturn started out in Aquarius, not Aries.
Since World War II, Saturn has been in Aries three times already: 1967-69, 1996-99, and 2025 (ongoing). No World War in those timeframes.
**Note for History Nerds: World War II in Detail
World War II started on September 1st, 1939, when Saturn wasn’t in Aries, but the following sign, Taurus… but that wasn’t because nobody wanted WWII before, when Saturn was in Aries (1937 onwards).
One, the German Regime that Shall Not be Named (due to the algorithm) wanted the Second World War much earlier than the summer of 1939, but during the time of Saturn in Aries (until July 1939), military strategists stayed the regime’s hand… But then, Saturn exited the sign: World War II prep went into full gear, and then, the war on Poland was declared: again, in the first term of Saturn in Taurus.
Two, we see multiple conflicts and skirmishes and large-scale provocations that could have led to a large-scale world war – and people actively avoided “the bait.”
For example, the Allied Forces didn’t respond to the provocations of Germany (1938 onwards, under Saturn in Aries) with a world war, though some voices called for that. The first volley of Saturn in Taurus (July 6th – September 22nd, 1939, then March 1940 - May 1942) changed this: they declared war on Germany on September 3rd, 1939.
Russia (holding a non-aggression pact with Germany at the time, which was signed in August of 1939, under Saturn in Taurus) attacked Poland on September 17th, entering WWII before Saturn briefly returned to Aries to finish up the sign from September 22nd, 1939, to March 1940.
We continue to see the biggest escalations within World War II (such as the German-Soviet war and the entry of the U.S. into the world war) when Saturn exits Aries once again and returns to Taurus (March 1940-May 1942).
This clearly proves that the escalation into world war status isn’t correlated with Saturn in Aries at all.
So, whenever Saturn was in Aries, a conflict that was as large-scale as a world war was prohibited. And that was the effect of Saturn in Aries.
But the far more powerful proof of the proverbial pudding is in its eating: if we’ve already had Saturn in Aries 3 times since World War II ended (1967-69 and 1996-99, and then in 2025) and it didn’t come to World War III… Well, sounds like we’re not DOOMED to WWIII just because Saturn continues its journey in Aries in 2026, doesn’t it?
Now, let’s look at both Neptune and Saturn in Aries together, since they’re currently conjunct, which is it’s own deal.
The last time Saturn and Neptune were conjunct in Aries was around 1703. That was before the Seven Years’ War and the World Wars – by a lot. This means that the combination of Neptune and Saturn in Aries hasn’t happened during any World War or hypothetical proto-world war event. So: The combination of Saturn and Neptune in Aries HAS NOT brought us world wars yet! And it won’t do so now, especially because of the ways those two interact and cancel each other’s worst potential out.
Saturn restricts any war-mongering tendencies that Neptune in Aries may bring (as Neptune here can be warmongering if things go really bad, as it boosts our delusions). Neptune brings compassion and empathy towards Saturn, making it more humane (this is the high side of Neptune in Aries – it actually has acted as a peace-bringer in history, too – more on that later.) Together, they boost our self-discipline and sense of responsibility towards ourselves and others, which are qualities that keep us out of world-war-bringing trouble. Can wars and other conflicts still happen under this combination? Yes, of course. But a war doesn’t mean a world war. That is a potential that shouldn’t be thrown around lightly (including by A.I.).
So, let’s move on.
Pluto in Aquarius, Uranus in Gemini, and the World Wars
“But Alexandra, Neptune isn’t the only Outer Planet that’s doing powerful and scary stuff! Pluto in Aquarius and Uranus in Gemini are there, too!”
True! So, let’s look at Uranus (84-year-long orbit) and Pluto (248-year-long orbit), and whether their presence back then in the early 1900s corresponds to their presence in our sky during 2026-2028.
Pluto:
Last time a world war took place, Pluto wasn’t anywhere near Aquarius, the sign it’s in right now. Back in the World War times, it started its journey through Cancer in 1914 (in May, so before the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand) and entered Leo completely just prior to World War II, where it then remained for the entirety of the world war and beyond.
So, from 1914-1945, it HAS NOT GONE THROUGH AQUARIUS, its current sign. (It actually hasn’t gone into Aquarius in the entirety of the 20th century.)
Uranus:
Uranus is currently in Gemini – and that’s a bit more complex, but bear with me.
World War I: 1914-1919 (conventional dates*).
In 1912, Uranus entered Aquarius and stayed there pretty much until peace was declared in Europe (slash the armistice was signed) in 1919. That makes the 1914-1919 span different than our current theme of Uranus in Gemini (04/2026 following).
World War II: 1939-1945 (conventional dates*).
In 1934, Uranus entered Taurus and stayed there until 1941/42 (yes, we’ve skipped Uranus in Pisces and Aries). So, the beginning of World War II in 1939 (conventional dates) was under Uranus in Taurus. Makes sense, because the German dictator (whom I’m not naming due to the algorithm), who brought us WWII, wanted land. That was one of his primary motivations for that war (another was ego and nationalism, covered by Pluto in Leo at that time).
Now, in 1941-42, Uranus did move into Gemini and stayed there until 1949, so the second half of WWII does carry that energy of Uranus in Gemini. But here’s the thing: while Uranus in Gemini absolutely changed the trajectory of the Second World War, given that it included the attack on Pearl Harbor and brought the U.S. into the pre-existing war, the World War clearly PRE-existed – it was there ALREADY. It wasn’t born from this astrological event; it was just altered. And the entry of the U.S. was the deciding factor that doomed the German regime at the time… which is a net-positive in my book. So, does Uranus in Gemini bring us world wars? No!
Note for History Nerds: Seven Years' War
During the Seven Years’ War (which some historians theorize could be the original world war, as it was fought globally as well), we neither had Pluto in Aquarius, nor Uranus in Gemini (nor Neptune in Aries!) So, if this does count as the original World War, it still debunks the theory that it’s tied into the astrology of today!
Well then, let’s answer the question once and for all: Are we doomed to experience another world war because of the astrology of 2026? NO. Conflicts can ensue (of course!), but this type of mass-scale escalation is out of bounds.
Is it theoretically possible that some maniac throws nuclear missiles around and starts it off… Eh. I don’t think so, because I think we’ll develop different methods with which nations gain/lose power and one-up each other that don’t have the same sort of impact as a world war (like cyber stuff, but in a much more powerful form with Uranus in Gemini (since 2025, though it returns full-throttle April 2026 onward) bringing new technologies). I also think that people will force themselves to hold back if they’re too tempted, specifically during Saturn in Aries.
So, let’s turn to the crusades.
2026 Astrology: Just Like the Crusades?
The idea that our planetary transits today could potentially tie us back to the Age of the Crusades is inaccurate. Let’s get into why.
The First Crusade started in 1096 and lasted until 1099. But the Age of Crusades, a.k.a. the entirety of the military campaigns launched by the (Roman Catholic) papacy to reclaim the Holy Land from Islamic rule, contained 8 crusades and additional battles that lasted from 1096 until 1291***.
***Note for History Nerds: Crusades after 1291
There were some additional crusades after 1291 over various centuries, but they held different aims (they never touched the Holy Land and were focused on other countries and cultures, like those in Eastern Europe). So, we can lengthen the above timespan even more… but if historians differentiate between the Age of the Crusades and those additional crusades, let’s leave everything after 1291 to the side and keep it at 1096-1291.
1096-1291… That means the Age of Crusades was 195 years long. During this timeframe, even the Outer Planets (with orbits of 84 years, 165 years, and 248 years) have been PRETTY MUCH IN EVERY SIGN! Sure, we can look at the beginning of the crusades and see if there’s a correspondence… so let’s do that.
Uranus comes full circle (a.k.a., moves once through each zodiac sign) every 84 years. Has it been in Gemini during the Age of the Crusades, a.k.a. from 1099-1291? Yes. Duh. It’s also been everywhere else. Multiple times. (And the beginning of the age of crusades wasn’t under Uranus in Gemini, so it didn’t start the fire.)
Neptune comes full circle (a.k.a., moves once through each zodiac sign) every 165 years. Has it been in Aries during the Age of the Crusades, a.k.a. from 1099-1291? Yes. It’s also been everywhere else at least once. (At the beginning of the crusades, it wasn’t in Aries, though, so it didn’t start that fire.)
Pluto comes full circle (a.k.a., moves once through each zodiac sign) every 248 years. Has it been in Aquarius during the Age of the Crusades, a.k.a. from 1099-1291? Yes, and so it has been in many, many other signs… But this is also why the theory of “present sky = throwback to crusades” is proven wrong: Pluto's 13th century stint in Aquarius was WHEN THE AGE OF CRUSADES ENDED! In 1291, during the Fall of Acre (the end of the crusades to the Holy Land), Pluto was where it is today. A.k.a., this event ended the crusades; it didn’t start them!
Honorable Mention: Saturn in Aries
Not an Outer Planet, but for the sake of thoroughness, I'll include it here as well. Saturn has an orbit of 29 ½ years. During the 195-year long timeframe, it has been in every single zodiac sign six to seven times. It was nowhere near Aries when the First Crusade kicked off the age, but it was present when the Fall of Acre ended the age: makes sense, because Saturn in Aries dams in conflict. So, Saturn in Aries wasn't a cause of the crusades, either - the opposite is the case. Lastly, Saturn and Neptune weren’t in Aries simultaneously during this time span of 195 years.
So… looks like the planetary positions we have right now also brought peace when we experienced them in the past. So, do you need to worry about these skies with these topics? No! Read on for even more good news on peace!
Astrology of Our Time as Peace-Bringers
When we exited the Era of the Crusades and got peace after 195 years of bloodshed on the highest level… Pluto was where it is right now (and so was Saturn!), which means that the planetary alignments we’re living into can bring us peace as well as conflict.
The same is true for Neptune in Aries – heralded as the "great" bringer of conflict, which it can be one of its shadow sides – It has also brought us (actually brought us!) the biggest large-scale mass movement for peace in the last millennium. Led by the Christian church in the 1000’s, the Truce of God hemmed in the pre-existing violence of the nobility in Europe by forcing peace on certain weekdays and regulating the violence and war-mongering they were prone to at that time. Historically speaking, it’s the biggest peace-movement ever. And it was during Neptune in Aries.
Uranus entering Gemini brought us the turn in World War II that led to the German regime no one wants to win (avoiding the name due to algorithm), and ended the Second World War as well. It also brought us the beginning of the institutions/pushes towards regulations of warfare that promote peace and allow for communication and conflict de-escalation worldwide (the last time Uranus was here was 1941-1949).
Add to this that the social planetary transit of Saturn in Aries (right now 2025-2028) historically dammed in conflict far more than the two times I mentioned above, and guess what…
… the astrology doesn’t look that dire now, does it?!
What does this mean for the future after 2026?
Well, that’s a topic for another day... and another long article! :)
So, long story short:
If you read about world wars and crusades being the inevitable reality of 2026, especially due to the events of the past 1,000 years, please rest assured: that is historically inaccurate.
Of course, we’ll experience a likelihood towards conflict and other unpleasantries, including wars (which is always the case, but now somewhat heightened), but the planetary transits of 2026 can also bring peace… and they definitely do not doom us to the types of violence and catastrophes that were part of the crusades and world wars alike. The opposite is the case (Saturn dams violence in and helps us become mature!).
The astrology of Saturn in Aries, Uranus in Gemini, Neptune in Aries, and Pluto in Aquarius brings us a new beginning. Not a new doom, a new dawn! It’s an active energy that empowers us to create change and boosts our abilities to seize the day and win against adversity.
So, don’t be afraid! Have courage and live the life you wish to lead. Also, please send this to a friend you think needs to hear this message. No one should be that scared of the future.
Further Reading:
I hope this brought you some peace of mind. If you’d like to learn more about the history of the astrological events we’re living through now, I have some deep-dive articles for you:
You can also read about the different events mentioned in this article for our present times here:
Plus, you can also read about every single event in 2026 in my article here.
If this article helped you, consider donating to support my work. If you have some friends who you think got scared by false fear-bringing content, send them this article. And if you’d like to get even more content, you can subscribe to my newsletter.
Thanks for being here! Enjoy the rest of your day!
Sincerely,
Alexandra
