Since the dawning of the 5th Century, the canvas of history has been marked by a consistent pattern of significant occurrences, events that we will henceforth term “X-Events”. These X-Events, extraordinary and unanticipated, have had the power to alter the course of history. Often occurring in the second decade of each century, X-Events have had a profound impact, from reshaping the world’s political landscape to setting the stage for major social revolutions.
The timing of these X-Events seems to have a certain pattern, predominantly manifesting in the middle of the decade. Their implications have been far-reaching, influencing the rise and fall of empires, triggering large-scale military invasions, sparking revolts and social revolutions, shaping political power struggles of international significance, and even leading to unexpected outcomes in military campaigns. X-Events have also played a crucial role in religious conflicts and the outbreak of major world wars. In this post, we will take a journey through history, highlighting some of these significant X-Events and their global impact.
1. 410 AD: Fall of Rome to the Visigoths:
Marking the first sack of Rome since 390 BC, the Visigoths’ invasion symbolized the precipitous decline of the Western Roman Empire, ushering in the Dark Ages in Europe.
This event marked the end of the Western Roman Empire, a significant political and cultural power that had dominated much of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East for centuries. The fall of Rome to the Visigoths, a Germanic tribe, signalled the beginning of a period known as the Dark Ages in Western Europe.
2. 518 AD: Dawn of the Justinian Dynasty:
The Byzantine Empire under the Justinian Dynasty reached its peak, reconquering much of the historically Roman western Mediterranean coast, including north Africa, Italy, and Rome itself.
3. 618 AD: Rise of the Tang Dynasty:
The Tang Dynasty was a pivotal period in Chinese history, often regarded as a golden age of cosmopolitan culture, which emerged during the decline and collapse of the preceding Sui Empire.
The Tang Dynasty, lasting from 618 to 907, is often considered a high point in Chinese civilization. It was an era of significant political, economic, and cultural development, and it followed the Sui Dynasty which was marked by significant internal strife and heavy taxation.
4. 711 AD: The Muslim Conquest of Iberia:
Arab and Berber forces under Tariq Ibn Zeyad invaded the Iberian Peninsula, marking the end of Visigoth Christian rule and the beginning of Muslim dominance in the region.
The Muslim Conquest of Iberia marked the introduction of Islam to the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal) and ended Visigothic rule. This led to the creation of Al-Andalus, a Muslim territory that was a center for learning and culture in the Middle Ages.
5. 814 AD: End of the Carolingian Renaissance:
The death of Charlemagne, the ruler who had united most of Western Europe, signaling the end of the Carolingian Renaissance. His passing also set the stage for the division of his empire, leading to the formation of modern France and Germany.
6. 912 AD: Birth of the Holy Roman Empire:
Otto the Great, the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, began his reign as the German King, paving the way for the development of the Kingdom of Germany out of the eastern half of the former Carolingian Empire.
7. 1013 AD: Viking Invasion of England:
Sweyn Forkbeard, the Viking King of Denmark, successfully invaded England, marking a significant shift in power in the region.
The Viking invasion of England was part of a broader series of invasions and settlements by Vikings in various parts of Europe during the Viking Age (approximately 793-1066 AD). This particular invasion by Sweyn Forkbeard, the King of Denmark, was significant because it led to his short-lived reign as King of England.
8. 1119 AD: Formation of the Knights Templar:
Created to protect Jerusalem and European pilgrims journeying to the Holy Land, the Knights Templar emerged as one of the most wealthy and powerful Western Christian military orders.
The Knights Templar was a Christian military order founded in the aftermath of the First Crusade with the initial purpose of protecting Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. Over time, the Templars gained significant military and financial power but were eventually disbanded and persecuted.
9. 1215 AD: Ratification of the Magna Carta:
This monumental document, sealed by John of England, was the first to limit the powers of a king and protect the rights of his subjects, laying the groundwork for constitutional law in England and beyond.
10. 1318 AD: The Great Famine:
A devastating X-Event, struck Europe. Triggered by extreme climatic disruptions, it resulted in catastrophic crop failures, leading to widespread scarcity and social upheaval. This unprecedented disaster marked the end of the High Middle Ages’ growth, laying the groundwork for the subsequent Black Death.
The Great Famine was a period of severe food shortages across Europe caused by a series of extreme weather events that led to crop failures. This led to widespread starvation and death, significantly impacting European society and economy. It was a precursor to the Black Death, another catastrophic event that hit Europe later in the 14th century.
11. 1415 AD: Battle of Agincourt:
In one of the most significant military upsets of the Middle Ages, an English army triumphed over a numerically superior French force, shifting the balance in the Hundred Years’ War.
12. 1517 AD: Martin Luther’s 95 Theses:
Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses sparked the German Protestant Reformation, a religious movement that led to a widespread shift in the religious and political landscape of Europe.
13. 1618 AD: Onset of the Thirty Years’ War:
This prolonged conflict began with a Protestant revolt against Catholic oppression in Denmark and Sweden, marking the start of decades of religious conflict in Western Europe.
14. 1720: South Sea Bubble:
An economic X-Event, known as the South Sea Bubble, caused a financial crisis in Britain. The South Sea Company, granted a monopoly on trade with South America, over-speculated and over-valued its worth, leading to an unsustainable bubble. When the bubble burst, many investors faced ruin, causing a massive shock to the British economy and illustrating the potential for unchecked speculation to lead to disaster.
The South Sea Bubble was a financial crisis in Britain, caused by the over-speculation of the South Sea Company’s value. It was one of the earliest examples of a speculative bubble, in which prices for assets rise far above their intrinsic value, and its collapse had significant implications for the British economy.
15. 1812 AD: French Invasion of Russia:
This turning point in the Napoleonic Wars signaled the decline of Napoleon’s power and heralded a century of relative stability across Europe.
16. 1914 AD: The Start of World War I:
The beginning of the First World War marked a catastrophic conflict that claimed millions of lives and set the stage for political discord that would echo throughout the 21st century.
17. 2020 AD: The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Dawn of the Exponential Age:
In 2020, the world was hit by a global health crisis of unprecedented scale in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. This X-Event disrupted economies, societies, and everyday life in a way few could have predicted. It exposed vulnerabilities in healthcare systems, supply chains, and institutional structures worldwide, and underscored our interconnectedness in an increasingly globalized world.
The pandemic also signaled the onset of what can be termed the ‘Exponential Age’. This era is marked by a swift surge in technological progress and digital transformation, driven in large part by the sudden need for remote work, virtual education, and digital communication. We’re seeing an era dawning where areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and renewable energy, to name a few, hold the potential for exponential growth and development.
We Are In The Exponential Age
As we traverse this Exponential Age, the wisdom gleaned from our collective pandemic experience is priceless. It stands as a testament to our shared resilience, adaptability, and the undeniable necessity for continual innovation and readiness to counteract the inevitable X-Events that the future holds.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990 and the consequential collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, we’ve been witnessing an upswing in the frequency and magnitude of X-Events. The United States, having ascended as the leading global power following World War I, still holds its position as the unmatched military, technological, and economic superpower. As the world keeps moving further into the 21st century, the gaze of the world remains firmly fixed on the United States, given its historical influence and the political leverage to significantly steer the course of the century.
Astrological portents presented by the 2020 Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto Alignment foretell that the United States, including its leadership, is likely to face a series of unforeseen geopolitical shifts. These shifts may compel the country to make bold decisions, which could have profound and far-reaching impacts on nations worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic is a stark embodiment of an X-Event, serving as a poignant reminder of the unpredictable nature of such large-scale incidents and their potential to radically reshape societies.
The exploration of X-Events is more than a historical expedition – it’s a tool for comprehending potential futures. As we continue to navigate the 21st century, we remain alert, prepared to adapt, and respond to the next X-Event that will surely etch its mark on our shared human story. The lessons we’ve learned from the COVID-19 pandemic will undeniably inform how we approach these forthcoming challenges.
William Stickevers is an astrological consultant, hypnotist, life coach, and business strategist, advising clients from 28 countries for over three decades with strategy and insight to live a more fulfilled life according to their soul’s code and calling.
A trends forecaster, William’s annual global forecasts are backed by a deep study of economies, geopolitics, archetypal cosmology, and modern astrological forecasting techniques. William’s predictions for the outcome of the U.S. Midterm and Presidential Elections are well documented on his blog.
William has been a guest on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, The Unexplained with Howard Hughes, Beyond Reality Radio with Jason Hawes and JV Johnson, The Jerry Wills Show, and Alan Steinfeld’s New Realities. An international speaker, William has lectured at the New York Open Center, Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), two Funai Media events in Tokyo, Japan, the United Astrology Conference (2018), for the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, San Francisco chapters), American Federation of Astrologers (Los Angeles), the Astrological Society of Connecticut, the San Francisco Astrological Society, and in Europe (Munich, Germany, and Bucharest) and Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama).
More information on Consultations and Forecast Webinars are at his website www.williamstickevers.com.
