Succedent Houses

Definition

Succedent houses are the second, fifth, eighth, and eleventh houses of an astrological chart. Each immediately follows an angular house, and the term comes from a Latin root meaning “to follow.” In traditional astrology, succedent houses were generally considered less forceful than angular houses but more capable of supporting action than cadent houses.

Astrological Meaning

Succedent houses are commonly associated with continuity, development, and the resources that sustain what angular houses initiate. The second concerns personal assets, values, and livelihood; the fifth relates to creativity, pleasure, children, and personal expression; the eighth addresses shared resources, obligations, inheritances, and mortality; and the eleventh is linked with friends, allies, hopes, and beneficial support. Their shared classification does not erase these individual meanings. Interpretation depends on the house ruler, planets occupying the house, aspects, sect, dignity, and the astrological tradition being used.

Why It Matters

Recognizing succedent houses helps an astrologer assess how chart themes may be maintained, strengthened, or supplied over time. Their intermediate position in the traditional hierarchy of houses can add context when judging planetary influence. Rather than treating them as uniformly strong or weak, it is more useful to examine how each succedent house supports the concerns of the chart as a whole.

Related Encyclopedia Entries

• Traditional Astrology
• Angular Houses
• Cadent Houses
• Natal Chart