Alcocoden

greek: οἰκοδεσπότης (oikodespotēs) · latin: alcocoden · arabic: كدخدا (kadkhudā) · persian: كدخداه (kadhkhudhāh)

Definition

Alcocoden is the medieval Latin transliteration of Arabic-Persian kadkhudā (Pahlavi kadhakh-khudhāh, literally 'house-master'), the planet selected in length-of-life doctrine as the giver of years. After the Hyleg or Releaser has been identified as the starting-point of the longevity calculation, the alcocoden is determined as the planet holding the strongest essential dignity over the Hyleg's degree among those aspecting it, with placement at an angle, succedent, or cadent position modulating its year-allowance.

In Tradition

Across the Hellenistic-Arabic length-of-life tradition, the alcocoden is read as the second term of a two-step doctrine. Al-Biruni in Tafhim §522 codifies the standard procedure: once the haylāj is found, 'the most powerful planet as regards dignities of those in aspect to it is the kadkhuda.' The alcocoden's great, mean, or small-year allowance is read against its angular condition and modified by friendly aspects of benefics or hostile aspects of malefics.

In Practice

Traditional length-of-life practitioners identify the alcocoden in three steps. First, locate the Hyleg from Al-Biruni's five-candidate scheme (lord of the time, sect-light, Ascendant degree, Lot of Fortune, or prenatal lunation). Second, examine planets aspecting the Hyleg's degree and select the one with strongest essential dignity in that degree — the alcocoden. Third, read the alcocoden's planetary-years allowance using the three-tier scheme: angular placement gives the planet's 'great years,' succedent gives mean years, and cadent gives small years. Additions for benefic aspects and deductions for malefic aspects modulate the final figure. The result is a base year-count for life expectancy, further refined by primary-directions analysis (the janbakhtar or qāsim — the term-lord intercepted by the directed Hyleg).

Historical Origin

The doctrine is foundational Hellenistic — Ptolemy's *Tetrabiblos* III.10 treats the aphetes (releaser) and oikodespotēs (house-master) — and was transmitted through Dorotheus's *Carmen Astrologicum* Book 3 via ʿUmar al-Tabarī's Arabic translation. Al-Biruni codified the Arabic-Persian form in *Tafhim* §§521-523 (c. 1029); medieval Latin sources transliterated kadkhudā as alcocoden alongside hyleg for haylāj. The doctrine reaches Lilly's *Christian Astrology* (1647) as a continuous classical-medieval-renaissance technique.

Etymology

Origin: Arabic / Persian. Meaning: House-master; lord of prorogation.

Further Reading