I'll jump in with a guess or two.
"love of history" - with so many planets found in capricorn occupying your 1st... perhaps that is why. Capricorn/Saturn loves the traditional/past/structure. More interestingly, is your South Node conjunct POF. POF is therefore is smack on your nodal axis. The nodal axis is responsible for many karmic events. Might be very interesting to study your nodes further. This is a great site for insights on what the nodes in aspect to specific planets/points entails..
http://depthastrology2.com/NodesPartofFortune.htm#SouthNodeconjunctPartofFortune
But in general, outer planets are considered heavily karmic, past life issues brought forth to get worked out in this life. But then again, everything in one's natal chart is karmic really.
I can't speak to a past life connection, but lets look at your life now. Saturn-ruled Capricorn loves the past, a 12th house sun in Sagittarius would probably love ferreting around old books and documents in the library (a solitary pursuit) and Jupiter in the 8th quintile Mars and square Pluto would probably be highly motivated to dig out old secrets.
You might be interested in this thread: http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74833
See especially the references to the books by Jim Tucker and astrologers who have written about past lives.
BTW, if you've followed the discovery of the skeleton of Richard III, you might enjoy this classic mystery novel: Josephine Tey, Daughter of Time.
The position of your sun might have a bit to do with it. here is the sabian symbol for that degree, from Dane Rudhyars "An Astrological Mandala":
"A WIDOW'S PAST BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
KEYNOTE: The karma of past actions as it affects opportunities presented by a new cycle.
What the "widow's past" is remains obscure but the point is that even as a past cycle is closed —a phase of married life ends —the karma of whatever deeds or misdeeds this cycle witnessed will almost inevitably intrude into the new life period. Also, once a cycle of activity is concluded, much that was unclear or unconsciously motivated in the events it witnessed can now more easily come to the clear consciousness of the mind. It is possible to joyously herald the dawn from high above the actual stresses of existence (the preceding symbol), but the new day may be found loaded and darkened by the unfinished business of many a yesterday.
This is the third stage of the fifty-first five-fold sequence. Mankind is "the widow," because our soon-to-be-concluded Piscean Age has buried most of the ideals it once revered and proclaimed. Yet the New Age will have to deal with many oppressive ghosts. This is a symbol of RETRIBUTION."